7 Best Engineering Colleges in Kerala: 2025 Ranking Updated

Is selecting the best engineering colleges in Kerala getting you overwhelmed? Kerala, with its high standards in education, is one of the best states for your engineering studies. Below, we have compiled a list of the top 7 private and government engineering institutes in Kerala by carefully considering different criteria.

So, if you wish for a career in engineering, you can choose the best college from among the ones given below. Prepare well for the national engineering entrance exams and clear the cut- off scores to be eligible for seats in these colleges.

Top 10 Engineering Colleges in Kerala for 2025

The following are some of the best engineering colleges in Kerala based on their NIRF ranking, facilities, affiliations, and more.

National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC)

The National Institute of Technology was ranked 25th position among all engineering colleges in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2024. NITC is fully funded by the central government and is one of the 31 institutions of national importance established by the National Institute of Technology Act 2007.

One of the best government engineering colleges in Kerala, NITC today offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in subjects like Engineering, Technology, Science, and Management.

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)

NIRF ranked the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology at the 51st position in the category of engineering colleges in 2024. In the Kerala engineering colleges list, IIST has an enviable reputation for having Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the former President of India as its first Chancellor. The institute offers various UG and PG programs in subjects relevant to space science, space engineering, and related areas, thus becoming one of the best engineering colleges in Kerala.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Palakkad

IIT Palakkad, one of the best engineering colleges in Kerala, was ranked 64th among the engineering institutes in the nation as per NIRF 2024. The institute which began in July 2015 with just 120 students aims to be a multi-disciplinary institution by its 10th year to accommodate about 5000 students.

College of Engineering, Trivandrum

In 1939, the College of Engineering, Trivandrum (CET) became the first Engineering College in the state of Travancore. One of the best government engineering colleges in Kerala, CET offers eight bachelor's, 27 master's, and doctoral programs in different subjects under the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. About 4500 students are learning in CET which hires 311 teaching staff and 290 staff in non-teaching departments.

TKM College of Engineering, Kollam

TKM College of Engineering, the first private engineering college in Kerala was established in 1958. The college had a humble beginning with three basic engineering streams accommodating 120 students. Today, the college witnesses an intake of over 1000 students to its nine undergraduate programs each year. It also admits about 250 students to its 10 post- graduation programs every year.

TKM College of Engineering is one of the best private engineering colleges in Kerala that has become eligible for the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), a strategic funding scheme by the Government of India for eligible higher educational institutions.

Government Engineering College, Thrissur (GEC Thrissur)

Government Engineering College, Thrissur, currently affiliated with the APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and University of Calicut, offers eight bachelor's, thirteen master's, and Ph.D programs in engineering allied areas. The National Board of Accreditation (NBA) accredited these programs by the college recognized by the Council of Architecture (COA), and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).

Government College of Engineering, Kannur (GCEK)

Government College of Engineering Kannur offers UG programs accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA). The college offers doctoral programs under the Kerala Technological University and Ph.D programs in Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical Engineering under Kannur University through its three research centers. About half of its faculty leading the research and teaching are Ph.D qualified, thus making the college one of the best engineering colleges in Kerala.

Top 3 Colleges as per KIRF Ranking 2024

The new rankings for higher education institutions in the state by the Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework (KIRF), the following engineering colleges secured the first, second, and third positions accordingly:

College of Engineering, Trivandrum
Government Engineering College, Thrissur
TKM College of Engineering, Kollam

Read more about the KIRF ranking: Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework Announces Rankings for 2024

Why TKM College of Engineering Excels Among the Best Engineering Colleges in Kerala

TKM College of Engineering, which has the highest student intake of over 1000 students among all peer-level colleges in the state, employs more than 200 teaching members and 150 ministerial and technical staff. Our students and teachers enhance their knowledge and skills beyond what is prescribed in the curriculum through the various seminars, software and hardware training programs, hands-on workshops, competitions, and other such activities by professional bodies like SAE, IEI, ISHARAE, IETE, ICI, ASCE, CSI, and AICTE.

Also read: SAE India TKMCE Collegiate Club: Learning Through Projects

Our students also regularly partake in events conducted by NSS, IEEE, NASA, SSA, ISTE, and other student branches and college unions. The college remains compliant with the requisites of modern technical education by collaborating with industry leaders and eminent foreign and national institutions like the Indian Institute of Science, the University of Leeds, and more.

The major research facilities of the college include:

1. 1. Nanotechnology Research Centre
2. 2. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) center
3. 3. Biomechanics Lab
4. 4. SPACE Technology Lab
5. 5. Structural Dynamics Lab
6. 6. Structural Engineering Lab
7. 7. Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory
8. 8. Dynamic testing Facility using horizontal shake table
9. 9. Advanced Communication Laboratory
10. 10. VLSI Design Lab

The outstanding facilities in the college include a fully automated and modern Library & Information Centre (LIC) with a collection of over a hundred periodicals, seventy-five thousand books, and ten newspapers. The center also offers modern computers and facilities for browsing. We also provide separate hostel facilities for girls and boys, which can accommodate around 2000 students altogether.

Comparing Private and Government Engineering Colleges in Kerala

The following are a few factors that distinguish private colleges from government colleges while considering the best engineering colleges in Kerala for higher studies:

Affiliation

Every college in India shall be accredited by the NBA and approved by AICTE. However, many private colleges in Kerala are not approved by AICTE while most government colleges are.

Number of Seats

The number of available seats is another factor that differentiates government and private colleges. It will be difficult to secure admission into government colleges as most of the government colleges like IITs and NITs admit a limited number of students into different courses.  On the other hand, private engineering colleges admit over 20 lakh students to engineering courses.

Placements

The best placement records are always with government colleges like NITs and IITs. However many private engineering colleges excel when it comes to placements, while there are a few government colleges that are not visited by companies.

Also read: Preparing for Campus Placements Effectively: Best Strategies

Faculty

The complicated procedure involved in the selection of faculty members for government engineering colleges often keeps outstanding teachers from these institutes. On the other hand, private engineering colleges excel when it comes to hosting world-class faculty in the country.

Tips for Selecting the Right Engineering Colleges in Kerala

If you want to pursue a career in engineering, you should select your college for engineering very carefully. The following are a few tips you can follow to make an informed decision:

• Engineering Stream: Research the different engineering streams offered by top engineering institutes in Kerala and select the one that best suits your interests and strengths.
• Location: Consider the college's location and see how it would affect your lifestyle and college life. However, as most private institutes provide ample hostel facilities, the location need not stop you from selecting the best private engineering colleges in Kerala.
• College Accreditation: Accreditation of a college by a reputed body like AICTE is necessary to ensure that prospective employers would value your degree.
• College Faculty: Check the official websites of the best engineering colleges in Kerala to know the qualifications of the faculty members teaching in different departments.
• College Facilities: Check the official website of the college of your choice to see all the basic facilities for students like labs, libraries, student support services, and computer facilities are offered.
• Reach out to Alumni and Current Students: Contact students who are already studying in a college or those who have already passed out from there to clear any specific doubt as a student.
• Placement Record: Study the placement record of a college to see how much employers value students passing out from that institute.

Conclusion

Top private and government engineering colleges in Kerala offer skilled faculty, comprehensive curriculum, and state-of-the-art infrastructure to help students gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills.  Hence,  these best engineering colleges in Kerala are pivotal in meeting the growing demand for skilled engineers in various disciplines and contribute significantly to the progress of engineering hands in the state.