NIT Kurukshetra's Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse

National Institute of Technology (NIT) Kurukshetra is a premier engineering institution located in the ancient city of Kurukshetra, the land of Mahabharata. Since 1963, the institute has been carrying forward the rich legacy of learning that Kurukshetra has known for centuries. Currently, NIT Kurukshetra is offering 7 BTech programmes and 22 MTech programmes, besides MBA, MCA, and PhD programmes in engineering, sciences, and humanities & social sciences. 

NIT Kurukshetra has been declared an Institution of National Importance by MoE, Govt. of India. Its immense contribution to technical education and research & development is a testament to its academic excellence. Moreover, NIT Kurukshetra is known for its vibrant student culture, accommodating around 5,000 students hailing from across the country. The students are offered ample exposure in terms of activities, internships, and placements. 

While NIT Kurukshetra emphasises positive claims and values, it is essential to bring attention to concealed issues, enabling students to make informed decisions. One such issue is the case of Bhavya Bansal, a second-year BTech student who allegedly died by suicide at the campus of NIT Kurukshetra. The incident raises serious concerns about the safety and security of the students. Apart from that, the institute struggles to provide a balanced gender ratio, which comprises only 19% of female students. It creates a male-centric environment with limited diversity. 

The article below contains overall details about the institute to help students make decisions based on a complete understanding.

NIT Kurukshetra NIRF Ranking: Why is it Declining? 

Here is the NIRF ranking of NIT Kurukshetra for quick analysis. 

Our Take: 

NIT Kurukshetra has seen a steady decline in its NIRF rankings over the past few years, from 44th in 2021 to 50th in 2022 to 58th in 2023. The overall decline is mainly due to the decline in the ‘Teaching Learning & Resources’ (TRL) parameter of the NIRF. It shows that NIT Kurukshetra has compromised its teaching quality and learning resources, along with the other parameters. 

NIT Kurukshetra Academia & Batch Size

NIT Kurukshetra is a suitable inheritor of Kurukshetra’s vibrant legacy of learning. The institute is known for its academic excellence and holistic learning environment. NIT Kurukshetra courses are offered at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels under 11 departments and 2 schools of study. 

NIT Kurukshetra follows a credit-based system for assessment and a grading system for evaluation. The curriculum is a perfect blend of theoretical and practical approaches to teaching and learning. Students have expressed that they are encouraged to participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities held at regular intervals. However, it lacks a research-oriented culture as compared to other NITs’. 

NIT Kurukshetra Batch Size 2022:

Our Take: 

Overall, NIT Kurukshetra provides a robust curriculum and prioritises students' participation in different activities. The student strength of the institute is also quite good at 4998. However, it fails to provide ample research facilities for students. The institute should focus on promoting a research culture and providing the required guidance to students. 

NIT Kurukshetra Infrastructure

Covering an expansive 300-acre suburban area, NIT Kurukshetra showcases an impressive blend of modern architecture and rural landscape. The institute has a well-designed infrastructure divided into three areas, the residential area for students, academic blocks, and staff quarters. 

Classroom:

NIT Kurukshetra has spacious and well-equipped classrooms with ICT facilities and Wi-Fi connectivity. 

Laboratories:

The institute has extensive laboratories for academic and research purposes. All the laboratories are equipped with adequate equipment and machines. The labs have high-speed Wi-Fi and air conditioning facilities. 

Hostel:

NIT Kurukshetra is a residential campus with hostel facilities for male and female students. There are 5 hostels for males and 5 for female students with single to triple occupancy. All the required facilities are available at the hostels, and high security is maintained, especially in girls’ hostels. Overall, the hostels are well-maintained, but the mess food is not tasty, as many students have voiced on the internet. 

Auditorium/Halls: 

The institute has an open-air theatre and a mini auditorium serving as a venue for events and activities. There are several tutorial halls, workshops and seminar halls in different departments. 

Library:

NIT Kurukshetra has a spacious and well-stocked central library. It is equipped with 1,68,742 reading materials in print and digital formats. Students can assess the library at any odd hour on weekdays. 

IT infrastructure and Internet:

The institute is equipped with a Computer Network Centre (CNC), providing high-speed internet connectivity. Students can easily access Wi-Fi across the campus. 

Commute:

Bicycles are allowed inside the campus of NIT Kurukshetra. Students can use their bicycles to commute to campus. 

Activities:

Various student clubs conduct curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities. The student clubs also organise tests such as TECHSPARDHA, where industries like CEERI Pilani, SCL Mohali, DRDO, and BRAHMOS participate. Apart from that, NIT Kurukshetra organises numerous lectures, events, symposiums, workshops, competitions, and conferences to provide exposure to students. 

Other facilities:

NIT Kurukshetra’s campus has a mini market, health centre, swimming pool, sports complex, student activity centre, bank, and post office. 

Canteen/ Hang out:

There is a  restaurant on the campus. At the same time, many hostel canteens provide a variety of fast food and meals. Outside the campus, NIT Kurukshetra lacks city life as it is situated in a suburban region. There are a few places to hang out, such as Sri Krishna Museum, Kurukshetra Panorama Science Centre, Harsh ka Tila, and a few parks and temples. 

Our Take: 

As per our research, NIT Kurukshetra seems to provide a safe and comfortable environment for students with solid infrastructure and adequate facilities.  The institute's spacious and ICT-enabled classrooms, extensive laboratories, well-stocked library, and high-speed internet connectivity are all valuable assets. However, there are some areas for improvement, such as mess food. 

NIT Kurukshetra Internships and Placements 

NIT Kurukshetra Internships:

Students at the UG and PG levels receive ample internship opportunities from leading companies at NIT Kurukshetra. In 2022-23, 811 students out of 932 have been successfully placed in various organisations for internships. Here are some of the companies that recruited interns from the institute: 

• DRDO labs
• Microsoft
• Amazon
• Adobe
• Oracle
• Dell
• KPIT
• Toshiba
• Media Tech
• Intel
• Mentor Graphics
• Stryker
• Intel
• Qualcomm
• Marvell India
• AMD India

NIT Kurukshetra Placements: 

Let’s have a look at the course-wise statistics of NIT Kurukshetra placements for the academic year 2022-23.  

UG Course: B.Tech

PG Courses: M.Tech, MBA & MCA

Our Take: 

After analysing the placement statistics in detail, we can say that the placement scenario at NIT Kurukshetra is not very promising. The overall placement rate for B.Tech stands at 75% and for PG courses at 53% only. Apart from B.Tech (IT and CE) and MCA, placements for all other programmes are not the best! In a nutshell, NIT Kurukshetra invites leading companies for placements and provides ample opportunities for its students. However, it should focus more on training students as per what the industry needs to help them get placed. 

NIT Kurukshetra Diversity & Demographics

Let’s have a look at the demographic profile of NIT Kurukshetra as per the NIRF 2022 report. 

Student Population:

Gender Representation:

Our Take: 

The student body of NIT Kurukshetra is pretty diverse, with 57% of students hailing from outside Haryana and 41% from the home state. However, the presence of international students is very low—only 2%. At the same time, female representation is meagre. Only 19% of the female students make up the student population. The male-to-female ratio stands at around 9:2. Overall, the student body is diverse in terms of inter-state students but lacks female and international student representation. 

NIT Kurukshetra Faculty

NIT Kurukshetra is home to highly experienced and dedicated faculty members. Based on the NIRF 2023 report, the institute has 220 faculty members, with the majority of them having PhDs. They are actively involved in research and publication and have published research papers in high-impact journals, such as IEEE Transactions on Computers, IEEE Sensor Wireless Personal Communications (Springer), International Journal of Speech Technology (Springer), and International Journal of Network Management (Wiley). Also, many of them are employed as reviewers in several prestigious research journals.

Moreover, students have shared positive reviews about the faculty and staff of NIT Kurukshetra. The professors are student-friendly and encourage students towards success. 

Our Take: 

Overall. It appears that the faculty of NIT Kurukshetra is a valuable resource for the institute. They are highly qualified and experienced, and they are committed to teaching and mentoring students. 

NIT Kurukshetra Location

NIT Kurukshetra is located on the outskirts of Kurukshetra, Haryana. It is about 160 km from Delhi, the national capital of India, and about 140 km from Chandigarh, the capital city of Haryana. Kurukshetra is one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites in India and is also known as the ‘Land of the Bhagavad Gita’. Here are the pros and cons of the location of NIT Kurukshetra:. 

Pros: 

• The city is well connected via roads, railways, and airways. 
• Kurukshetra is a city with a rich cultural heritage.
• It is affordable, safe, and peaceful. 

Cons: 

• The weather in Kurukshetra can be extreme in the summers and winters.
• Traffic conditions can be bad during peak hours. 
• It is a city with a conservative culture and social restrictions. 

NIT Kurukshetra: Expectation vs Reality CLD Verdict!

We have thoroughly covered all the aspects of NIT Kurukshetra, from rankings to academia, faculty, infrastructure, facilities, diversity and location. It is considered a premier institution and is ranked among the top 100 engineering colleges in the nation. While NIT Kurukshetra stands tall in providing a robust curriculum, ample exposure and placement opportunities, the placement rate, and research facilities at the institute can be improved. 

The overall ROI can’t be calculated without looking at the fee structure of the institution. NIT Kurukshetra’s fee structure for BTech ranges from INR 1,30,000 to 1,60,000 and the fees for PG courses range from INR 2,50,000 to 7,00,000 inclusive of hostel charges. While the fee structure is affordable for BTech, MTech and MBA, it's on the higher side for the MCA (self-finance) programme. Now students can easily balance their needs and expectations with the reality of NIT Kurukshetra to make an informed decision. 

Our Final Checklist!