Total Number of Engineering Colleges in India
8,876 colleges nationwide — comprising 6,611 private and 2,265 government institutions
Other sources estimate between 6,000–6,200 colleges (1,300 Govt + 4,900 Private) .
AICTE registered 5,868–6,200 colleges, with about 4,500 private and 1,300 government-run .
Summary: Expect 6,000–9,000 active engineering colleges, depending on data source and AICTE approval status.
3. Government vs Private Breakdown
| Type | Number of Colleges |
|---|---|
| Government | ~1,300–2,300 |
| Private | ~4,500–6,600 |
| Total | 6,000–9,000 |
Roughly 20–35% are government-run; 65–80% are private.
4. State-Wise Distribution
According to 2023–2024 data :
Uttar Pradesh: 896 (Govt 56, Private 840)
Tamil Nadu: 934 (Govt 24, Private 910)
Maharashtra: 739 (Govt 63, Private 676)
Karnataka: 210 (Govt 16, Private 194)
Gujarat: 257 (Govt 23, Private 234)
West Bengal: 198, and more across other states.
5. Leading Autonomous Institutions
IITs: 23 premier institutes
NITs: 31 central institutes
IIITs: ~25
GFTIs: 47 Government-Funded Technical Institutes
These ~126 institutes (IITs + NITs + IIITs + GFTIs) account for less than 2% of total colleges but are among the most prestigious.
6. Quality & Employability Trends
Only ~5% of engineers graduate from autonomous IIT/NIT/IIITs; another ~5% from state universities; 90% from private/non-autonomous colleges.
30–55% of graduates are reportedly unemployable due to curriculum mismatch and skill gaps .
7. Admission Pathways & Entrance Exams
JEE Main & Advanced: For IITs, NITs, IIITs, GFTIs
State entrance exams: (e.g., TNEA, MHT CET, AP EAMCET) for regional colleges
Many private colleges also consider JEE Main or their own exams.
8. Conclusion & Fast Facts
There are 6,000–9,000 engineering colleges in India.
Approximately 20–35% are government-run, the rest are private.
A small fraction (~2%) are autonomous elite institutes (IIT/NIT/IIIT/GFTI).
Employment readiness remains a challenge—strong selection and quality assurance matter.
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