Address: NH 66, Srinivasnagar, 575025 Surathkal, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Engineering, Computer Science, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, known as NITK, stands at Surathkal on the Arabian Sea coast near Mangalore, on National Highway 66. It began in 1960 as the Karnataka Regional Engineering College (KREC), affiliated to the University of Mysore, with three undergraduate programmes: civil, mechanical and electrical engineering.
In 2002 the college was elevated to deemed university status and renamed National Institute of Technology Karnataka, and since 2007 it has been an Institute of National Importance under the NIT Act. The institute’s website names U. Srinivasa Mallya as its founder, and the campus name Srinivasnagar honours him. The campus covers just under 300 acres along the coast.
NITK offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in engineering, science and management, with B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA and PhD routes. In the 2024 National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), it ranked 17th in the engineering category.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Manufacturing, Marine Science, Materials, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Highly-rated NIT with strong research focus. Own private beach and lighthouse on campus. Collaborations with industry and international universities.
Research:
Research in areas such as advanced materials, marine structures, computer science (AI, IoT), power systems, and environmental engineering.
Famous Alumnis:
K. V. Kamath, Rajeev Suri, Pramod Madhwaraj
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
700
Current students***:
6000
Foreign students***:
1%
Cumulative former students***:
45000
Pros
Premier NIT with excellent engineering programs, beautiful coastal campus, strong research culture, good placements.
Cons
Competitive admissions, humid coastal weather, some older infrastructure.
Best For
Students aiming for a top-tier engineering education at a leading NIT with a strong research focus and a unique coastal campus environment.
École Centrale de Nantes, in Nantes, France, lists mechanical engineering and marine engineering with hydrodynamics.
Université de Liège in Belgium is listed for aerospace engineering, materials science and life sciences.
Gdańsk University of Technology, in Gdańsk, Poland, is listed for naval architecture and ocean engineering.
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, in South Korea, is listed for engineering, natural sciences and life science and bioengineering.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How did NITK start?
It was founded in 1960 as the Karnataka Regional Engineering College, affiliated to the University of Mysore. Its first undergraduate programmes were civil, mechanical and electrical engineering.
When did the college become an NIT?
It was elevated to deemed university status and renamed National Institute of Technology Karnataka in 2002. In 2007 it was declared an Institute of National Importance under the NIT Act.
Where is the campus?
The campus is at Srinivasnagar, Surathkal near Mangalore in Karnataka, on National Highway 66. It lies on the Arabian Sea coast.
Who founded NITK?
The institute's website recognises U. Srinivasa Mallya as its founder. The campus is named Srinivasnagar in his honour.
How is NITK ranked?
In the 2024 NIRF engineering category it ranked 17th. The ranking is published annually, so the latest edition should be checked.
Which degrees does NITK offer?
The website lists undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes, including B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA and PhD. Admission routes depend on the programme, so the official admission pages should be consulted.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Internet of Things (IoT), Materials, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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