By Prachi Published: 19 March, 2025 Image: Official Website

IIT vs. NIT: Key Differences

IITs & NITs are renowned for their outstanding educational standards and have significantly contributed to India's global standing in technology and science. Let’s have a look at their key differences.

Overview

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The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are decentralised, publicly funded educational establishments. They are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act of 1961.

What is IIT?

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NITs or the National Institute of Technology (NIT) are the centrally funded educational institutes. They are governed by the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education, and Research Act 2007.

What Is NIT? 

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There are 23 IITs in India and 32 NITs in the country.

Number Of Institutes

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For admission to NIT’s 4-year UG programmes, candidates must qualify JEE Mains. For IIT admission, top 2,50,000 qualifiers of the JEE Mains exam have to appear in the JEE Advanced exam.

Admission Criteria For UG

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Those who seek admission to M.Tech programme must qualify the GATE exam. For M.Sc admissions, candidates must appear for the JAM exam. This is common for both IITs and NITs

Admission Criteria for PG

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Average Package

The average package offered at IITs is Rs 20 to 30 Lakhs per annum. But at NITs this figure becomes Rs 10 to 15 Lakhs per annum.

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