Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 30, 2026

Government College of Engineering and Ceramic Technology (GCECT), Kolkata, offers lateral entry admission to the B.Tech in Information Technology (IT) programme. Lateral entry students are admitted directly to the 2nd year (3rd semester) of the 4-year B.Tech programme, effectively completing the degree in 3 years. The lateral entry intake is 8 seats for IT. The programme is AICTE-approved and affiliated to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT), West Bengal. GCECT is a NAAC A-grade autonomous institution. Admission is through JELET (Joint Entrance for Lateral Entry Test) conducted by WBJEEB, followed by decentralised counselling at the college level. The annual tuition fee for IT lateral entry is Rs. 24,000.

Admissions for the 2026-27 academic session are expected to open tentatively in July-August 2026, following JELET 2026 results. Based on the 2025 admission cycle, JELET counselling and physical reporting at GCECT took place in August-September 2025. Students are advised to monitor the official GCECT website (gcect.ac.in) and WBJEEB portal (wbjeeb.in) for exact dates.

Key Points

Lateral entry to B.Tech IT at GCECT is available for diploma holders in relevant engineering disciplines.
Lateral entry students are admitted to the 3rd semester (2nd year) directly, saving one year of study.
The intake for B.Tech IT lateral entry is 8 seats per academic year.
Admission is through JELET (Joint Entrance for Lateral Entry Test) conducted by WBJEEB.
The updated IT syllabus from 2024-25 includes modern topics such as AI, Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, and Data Science.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Cutoff
Ranking
FAQs

GCECT B.Tech IT Fees

The B.Tech IT lateral entry programme at GCECT has the same fee structure as the regular B.Tech IT programme from the 3rd semester onwards. The annual tuition fee is Rs. 24,000. The total programme cost for lateral entry students (3rd to 8th semester, i.e., 6 semesters) is approximately Rs. 79,201.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Admission Fee (one-time, at 3rd sem)	2,000
Tuition Fee (per semester, 6 semesters)	6,000 x 6 = 36,000 (Annual: Rs. 24,000)
Caution Money (one-time, refundable)	300
University Development Fee (3rd sem)	2,200
University Registration Fee (one-time)	500
Semester Exam Fee (per semester)	1,200 x 6 = 7,200
Other Fees (Establishment, ID, Magazine, Medical, Sports)	601 (3rd sem)
Total Fees (3 Years / 6 Semesters)	Rs. 79,201

Caution Money of Rs. 300 is refundable at the time of leaving the college.
Hostel fees are separate and optional. Boys' hostel is available with 30 seats. Hostel rent and electric charges are charged additionally.
All payments are to be made through SB Collect only.
Free (half and full) studentship (tuition fee waiver) is available for eligible students based on family income.

GCECT B.Tech IT Admission 2026

Lateral entry admission to B.Tech IT at GCECT is conducted through JELET (Joint Entrance for Lateral Entry Test) conducted by WBJEEB, followed by decentralised counselling at the college level. The 2025 admission cycle saw JELET counselling and physical reporting at GCECT in August-September 2025. For 2026, the process is expected to follow a similar timeline.

Important Dates

Event	Date (2025) / Tentative (2026)
JELET Application Start	March-April 2025 / March-April 2026 (Tentative)
JELET Application End	May 2025 / May 2026 (Tentative)
JELET Exam	June 2025 / June 2026 (Tentative)
JELET Result Declaration	July 2025 / July 2026 (Tentative)
Decentralised Counselling at GCECT	August-September 2025 / August-September 2026 (Tentative)
Physical Reporting & Admission at GCECT	August-September 2025 / August-September 2026 (Tentative)
Class Commencement (3rd Semester)	September-October 2025 / September-October 2026 (Tentative)

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must hold a 3-year Diploma in Engineering in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electronics, or a related discipline from a recognised polytechnic/institution.
Minimum 45% aggregate marks in the qualifying diploma for General/OBC candidates; 40% for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
Candidates must be domiciled in West Bengal (as per WBJEEB norms) or satisfy other eligibility conditions as specified in the JELET brochure.

Admission Process:

Appear in JELET (Joint Entrance for Lateral Entry Test) conducted by WBJEEB.
Register on the WBJEEB portal for JELET counselling.
Participate in decentralised counselling at GCECT for seat allotment based on JELET rank.
Report physically to GCECT with original documents on the allotted date for admission.
Pay the admission fees through SB Collect.
Submit anti-ragging declaration online (antiragging.in) at the time of admission.

GCECT B.Tech IT Scholarships 2026

GCECT offers several scholarship and fee waiver options to support meritorious and economically weaker students. The most notable is the Free Studentship (tuition fee waiver) scheme offered by the Government of West Bengal. Additionally, students can avail of state and central government scholarships.

Scholarship Schemes

Scholarship / Scheme	Eligibility	Amount / Benefit
Free Studentship (Full) - Govt. of West Bengal	Family income below prescribed limit	Full tuition fee waiver
Free Studentship (Half) - Govt. of West Bengal	Family income within prescribed limit	50% tuition fee waiver
Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship (WB Govt.)	WB domicile, family income up to Rs. 2.5 lakh/year, minimum 75% in qualifying exam	Rs. 1,000/month (UG)
Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST/OBC - Central/State)	SC/ST/OBC category, family income within limits	As per government norms
Central Sector Scholarship (MHRD/MoE)	Top 20 percentile in 12th board, family income up to Rs. 8 lakh/year	Rs. 10,000/year (UG)

Free Studentship applications must be submitted each academic year with a fresh income certificate.
Swami Vivekananda Scholarship is disbursed directly to the student's bank account by the West Bengal government.
SC/ST/OBC students should apply through the respective state/central scholarship portals.

GCECT B.Tech {Lateral} Information Technology Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#209 out of 500 in India 2025

#3rd in Kolkata

#10 in West Bengal

IIRF Ranking

#114 out of 160 in Top Public Colleges in India 2025

#2nd in Kolkata

#9 in West Bengal

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GCECT B.Tech IT FAQs

Ques. What is the JELET rank required for B.Tech IT lateral entry at GCECT?

Ans. The JELET rank required for B.Tech IT lateral entry at GCECT varies each year. Since the lateral entry intake is only 8 seats, competition can be significant. Students should check the previous year's closing ranks on the WBJEEB portal for accurate reference.

Ques. What is the difference between B.Tech IT lateral entry and B.Tech CSE lateral entry at GCECT?

Ans. Both are lateral entry programmes with 8 seats each. B.Tech IT focuses on information technology, networking, and software systems, while B.Tech CSE has a stronger focus on computer science fundamentals. The annual tuition fee for IT lateral entry (Rs. 24,000) is higher than CSE lateral entry (Rs. 12,000) at GCECT.

Ques. Is the B.Tech IT lateral entry degree from GCECT equivalent to the regular B.Tech degree?

Ans. Yes, the B.Tech IT degree awarded to lateral entry students from GCECT is the same as the regular B.Tech degree from MAKAUT. There is no distinction between regular and lateral entry degrees. Both are recognised by AICTE and are equivalent for employment and higher education purposes.

Ques. What diploma branches are eligible for B.Tech IT lateral entry at GCECT?

Ans. Diploma holders in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electronics and Communication, Electrical Engineering, and related engineering disciplines are generally eligible for B.Tech IT lateral entry at GCECT. Students should verify the exact eligible diploma branches from the official JELET brochure published by WBJEEB each year.

Ques. Can a diploma holder in Ceramic Technology apply for B.Tech IT lateral entry at GCECT?

Ans. Typically, diploma holders in Ceramic Technology are not eligible for B.Tech IT lateral entry as the disciplines are unrelated. Lateral entry eligibility is based on the relevance of the diploma to the B.Tech programme. Students should verify the exact eligible diploma branches from the official JELET brochure.

Ques. Is hostel available for lateral entry IT students at GCECT?

Ans. GCECT has a boys' hostel with 30 seats. Hostel accommodation is not guaranteed and is allotted on a first-come, first-served or merit basis. Hostel rent and electricity charges are levied separately. Girls' hostel is not available at GCECT.