Tier 1 — Elite NITs (Closing Rank Below 12,316)
These elite NITs — NIT Karnataka, Surathkal and National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra — offer Information Technology (Gender-Neutral) accessible only to candidates with JEE Main Category Ranks at or below 12,316. Competition here is among the most intense in Indian engineering admissions. Notably, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra shows an easing trend year-over-year, potentially offering a marginal window for borderline aspirants.