With a general rank of 1.5 lakh and an EWS category rank of around 22,000 from Odisha, getting a seat in the Mechanical branch at an NIT can be challenging, especially in the top-tier NITs. However, your chances may improve in newer or less competitive NITs, particularly in the home state quota. NIT Rourkela, being in Odisha, gives you an advantage under the home state quota, but Mechanical is still a highly demanded branch there, so the cutoff is usually much lower than your rank.

You might still have a slim chance in lower-demand NITs like NIT Meghalaya, NIT Mizoram, NIT Nagaland, or NIT Arunachal Pradesh in spot or special rounds. These rounds often have slightly relaxed cutoffs, especially for EWS candidates. keep checking JoSAA counseling and consider using all rounds, including special ones, to improve your chances.