Bachelor of Technology [B.Tech] (Computer Science and Engineering) From NIT Rourkela, Rourkela

Here are a few points of differences between NIT Jamshedpur, NIT Durgapur, and NIT Rourkela based on some common parameters.

1. Ranking : NIT Rourkela has the best ranking among these colleges and it’s considered the second-best NIT in North India after Allahabad.
2. Research: NIT Rourkela has the best research culture as the professors are involved in and encourage research much more than other colleges. This is why only NIT Rourkela was included in the TIMES World Ranking along with IIT Bombay, Kanpur, Kharagpur, and Madras.
3. Campus life : NIT Rourkela has a number of clubs ranging from coding, dancing, robotics, debating, and many more thus offering a very vibrant college life.
4. Infrastructure : NITR has the best infrastructure among all NITs.
5. Faculty: The faculty pool like any other college is a mixed bag. In the end, you will have to depend on YouTube videos and self-study. 
6. Placements: Refer to the table below

Make your choice wisely!

There are common misconceptions and doubts in the minds of students and their parents regarding dual degree programs. People think that low rankers generally opt for a dual degree and placements are not good for DD programs.There is a common fear that dual degree students are neglected by the administration. It is believed to be better to opt for your M.Tech from an IIT. Most people end up choosing B.Tech instead of a dual degree, even if NIT Rourkela or some other top NIT/ IIT is offering this program.

However, here are some facts to erase these doubts and fears from your mind regarding a dual degree from NIT Rourkela, or any other institution-

1. Even as a Ph.D./M.Tech student, you will have plenty of placement opportunities. You might even get a better offer than a B.Tech candidate if you possess a better skill set.
2. Getting into an IIT for M.Tech is quite tough because clearing GATE/GRE with a good rank is a challenging task. 
3. An integrated course will save you a year which you can use to develop your managerial or other skills/ to acquire experience. The IIT tag is important, however, with the right skill set and plenty of experience at your back, people won’t really bother about your college tag.
4. Well-established IITs and R&D firms prefer dual degree holders.

Thus, you should definitely go for a dual degree at NIT Rourkela instead of harboring useless doubts and fears about your choice.

The two primary criteria to evaluate a branch's credibility are academics and job opportunities. 

Academically, NIT Rourkela has a certain advantage over Jamshedpur because it is one of the top NITs. Moreover, the curriculum followed is rigorous and students are expected to maintain a high attendance. The CSE department in particular is very rigid, unlike NIT Jamshedpur which has a laid-back attitude with very lenient professors. It's quite challenging to score high marks at NIT Rourkela CSE especially its Data Structures and Algorithms which is a compulsory course for every branch in the first year. The professors are very passionate and learned so the classroom sessions are quite intuitive. But maintaining a high score may be a problem here so you can go for NIT Jamshedpur.  

Placements: Most software companies don’t visit NIT Rourkela because of its remote location and lack of air connectivity. Here is a comparative analysis of the placement statistics of both NIT Jamshedpur and NIT Rourkela

Talking about CSE placements specifically, NIT Rourkela's average package for CSE is INR 21.87 LPA while NIT Jamshedpur's CSE average package is INR 26.63 LPA. NIT Jamshedpur seems to be a much better option for CSE as it has better placements and also a flexible academic scenario.

My brother completed his CSE from NIT Bhopal. He does not know about the CSE at NIT Rourkela, however, here are his opinions about CSE at NIT Bhopal-

1. Faculty and Teaching Standards - The CSE faculty at NIT Bhopal is not up to the mark. If you are looking for a faculty to guide you and teach you everything, you will be disappointed over there. At NIT Bhopal, you will mostly be on your own. This can be advantageous in that you will get ample time to work on yourself and prepare well for your future.
2. Placements - The placement scenario for CSE is quite good at NIT Bhopal. Multiple companies regularly visit the campus for CSE placements and many new ones visit each year. Various companies hire CSE students for different positions. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Adobe, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, SAP, Factset, etc. visit the campus for CSE placements. During 2022, the average package for CSE students stood at INR 17.45 LPA. CSE students also receive internship offers during their pre final/ final year. These internships are of 2, 6 or 10 months and you may even end up with pre placement offers.

NIT Bhopal CSE has a good placement record but not the best faculty. I would suggest you consult the alumni from CSE branch at NIT Rourkela to get a clear picture of this institution as well before you can choose between the two.

Without any second thoughts, CSE at MNIT Jaipur seems to be a far better option than CSE at NIT Rourkela. Although many rankings claim otherwise, it's a well-known fact that these rankings are forged and shouldn't be the determining factor.

• MNIT Jaipur has a vast and well-maintained campus with many modern facilities. For instance, it has Asia's largest lecture complex
• MNIT Jaipur has excellent infrastructure for its CSE branch such as a well-equipped computer center.
• MNIT Jaipur enjoys a good location with respect to leisure spots. Jaipur's biggest mall, WTP and is located within walking distance
• MNIT Jaipur CSE average package was recorded at INR 20.49 LPA while the highest package for CSE was INR 64 LPA.

Although individual opinions may vary, I consider CSE at MNIT Jaipur a more appropriate choice than NIT Rourkela. 

I am yet to understand the blind passion people possess for the CSE branch including those who have no interest in the field whatsoever. Even if you have a passion for CSE, the NIT Rourkela is certainly not the right place to bring out your abilities in this field. The placements, undoubtedly, are excellent at par with some new IITs. bit NIT Rourkela lacks in other major aspects such as

• Highly underqualified professors. In fact, the majority of the CSE classes are conducted by teaching assistants of professors who have degrees from average engineering colleges. 
• Professors have no fixed marking criteria and students face serious issues when marks are deducted unnecessarily.
• The curriculum is obsolete and does not meet industry standards. Students who are serious about academics have to take up MOOCs to learn additional things.

Irrespective of the branch you go for between CSE and ECE, you will witness similar job opportunities and success rates. Most students get placed in huge firms like Amazon, Microsoft, and Samsung. So, choosing the right branch in your case depends on your personal preference and interests. 

There are many reasons for suggesting you go for MNNIT Allahabad CSE over NIT Rourkela CSE.

• MNNIT Allahabad has one of the oldest CSE branches so it boasts of a rich coding culture.
• The institute enjoys good connectivity via airways and railways, and thus the quality and number of recruiters are better than Rourkela which doesn’t-even have an airport. 
• MNNIT Allahabad is the best NIT in North India considering both home state and open state cutoffs.
• MNNIT Allahabad CSE placements are much better with the average standing at INR 27.57 LPA while NIT Rourkela CSE average package was recorded at INR 21.87 LPA. 
• MNNIT Allahabad is the 4th best NIT after Trichy, Warangal, and Surathkal.

These were some plausible reasons to choose MNNIT Allahabad over NIT Rourkela for CSE.