What is the opinion of NIT Calicut in India? Is it considered as one of the best NITs or just another mediocre NIT?

First, let me ask if you know that Calicut is a town in Kerala where Malayalam is spoken. If you're aware of this, you might not realize how many Malayalis, often called 'mallus' by North Indians, work in places like the US, Canada, and wealthy Arab countries. Understanding this might help you get a better grasp of NIT Calicut.

Now, talking about top engineering institutions in India: there are seven old IITs, four southern NITs, three IIMs, and ISB. These include IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, and IIT Delhi, along with NIT Calicut, NIT Warangal, NIT Surathkal, NIT Trichy, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Calcutta, and ISB Hyderabad. These 15 schools are where you'll find India's top students.

Some prestigious names like AIIMS, Xavier's College in Calcutta, and NIT Allahabad aren't part of this exclusive group, nor are institutions like ISRO, IISc, or DCE. They don't count as tier-1 schools in this context.

This might surprise you, but try to see it from a different angle. The reputation of a college isn't the big deal; it's more about how well its graduates integrate into the job market and where alumni have a presence. The age of the school also matters, as well as how graduates are able to take and keep international job offers.

Consider this: 38% of doctors in the US are Indian, 36% of NASA scientists are Indian, 34% of Microsoft staff are Indian, 28% of IBM workers are Indian, 27% of Intel employees are Indian, and 37% of scientists in the US are Indian.

In big companies, where a third-year employee might sell $20 million worth of goods in a month, you'll often find Indians from these top IITs, IIMs, and the four NITs in management roles. The prestige of the school isn't as linked to average starting salaries as you might think. Over 10-15 years, promotions and salary increases can be significant. This is largely due to a strong alumni network, built when many top students moved abroad for better prospects. Back in 2005, an IIT or ISB grad making 1 crore rupees was big news, but now that's just an okay start for international jobs. The ability to get in and the willingness to accept offers also matter. For example, getting into Xavier's or AIIMS is tough, and grads from other NITs or DCE might work as engineers in India and abroad but not necessarily in management roles. They don't often get to see or break the glass ceiling.

Here's a lighthearted joke from a friend: Why are Malayalees successful in any field? Picture this: Bill Gates organizes a huge recruitment event for a new Microsoft Asia Chairman. 5000 hopefuls gather. Mr. Nair is one of them. Bill Gates asks everyone who doesn't know Java to leave. 2000 depart. Mr. Nair, who doesn't know Java, stays, thinking he has nothing to lose. Bill Gates then asks those who've never managed over 100 people to leave. Another 2000 go. Mr. Nair, again with no experience, stays put. Next, those without management diplomas are told to leave, and 500 exit. Mr. Nair, who left school at 15, remains. Finally, Bill Gates asks those who can't speak Japanese to leave. 498 exit. Mr. Nair stays, leaving just him and one other. Bill Gates approaches them, asking for a conversation in Japanese. Mr. Nair turns to the other and says in Malayalam, "Naatil evda?" meaning "Where are you from?" The other replies, "Palakkad!" Both get selected! Malayalis are known to look out for each other, almost like a close-knit group.