With a 79% JEE Mains score as an EWS student, you can realistically aim for lower-ranked NITs and some IIITs, potentially with less competitive branches like Civil, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering.

What to Expect:

NITs: You have a good chance of getting into NITs, but likely not the top-ranked ones.

IIITs: You might have a better chance at IIITs, especially for CSE and ECE.

Branches: With this percentile, you might need to consider branches beyond the most popular ones like Computer Science or Electrical Engineering.

Factors to Consider:

EWS Category: Your EWS category will give you a certain advantage in the admission process, but it's still important to have a good rank.

Rank: Your overall rank and EWS category rank will determine which colleges and branches you can get into.

Home State Quota: If you are a home state student, you might have a better chance of getting into a particular NIT.

Possible NITs:

Lower-Ranked NITs: Consider NITs like NIT Patna, NIT Hamirpur, NIT Raipur, NIT Jalandhar, NIT Durgapur, and NIT Silchar.

North Eastern NITs: You might also have options in the North Eastern NITs.

Possible IIITs:

IIITs with good CSE/ECE programs: You might have a chance at IIITs with good CSE and ECE programs.

Alternative Options:

Private Engineering Colleges: If you don't get into a government college, consider reputable private engineering colleges.

Dropping a Year: If you are not satisfied with the colleges and branches you are getting, you can consider dropping a year and preparing for the next JEE Main attempt.

Tips for Choosing a College and Branch:

Research: Thoroughly research the colleges and branches you are interested in.

Placements: Consider the placement records of the colleges and branches.

Infrastructure: Check the infrastructure of the colleges.

Faculty: Research the faculty and their expertise.

Location: Consider the location of the college and its accessibility.