IIT Bhubaneswar M.Tech Thermal Engineering: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Yes, there is a good chance that you will get a seat in IIT Bhubaneswar core mechanical department. In IIT Bhubaneswar, the selection is based on 70% weightage for the GATE score and 30% weightage for the performance in the Written Test and Interview. The department has 3 main branches i.e. Design, Thermal, and Manufacturing. The cutoff is most likely to be, Design>Thermal >Manufacturing in all IITs. As design seats get filled first, then thermal and then manufacturing.

There are 18 seats for both Mechanical Systems Design and Thermal Science and Engineering in IIT Bhubaneswar. The basic eligibility criteria are 60% marks in B. Tech./B. E. in Mechanical Engineering with a valid GATE score. Although cutoff changes every year for each branch but based on last year’s record, in 2020, the expected GATE cutoff for Mechanical System Design(GEN) is 595- 605 in IIT Bhubaneswar. So, yes there is a good possibility that you will make the cut.

Thermal engineering is among the most aspiring specialization courses in mechanical engineering. The mechanical engineering department from IIT Bhubaneswar has good faculties, hence academically you don’t have to worry. There are numerous research areas in which thermal engineering professors are working.

Moreover, you will get an equal opportunity from any IIT when it comes to Ph.D. or research assistantship from foreign universities in IIT Bhubaneswar. As far as placements are concerned, thermal engineering got 100% placements with 70% of them in industries and 30% in academics. Whereas, there was an overall 69% placement rate from M.Tech courses in 2019. The average placement package offered was 11.4 LPA.

Being an IIT, it has some excellent professors in the mechanical department, hence academically one needs not worry. Moreover, many students look for thermal science specialization in IITs so that it can be a great choice. Talking about the mechanical engineering department at IIT BBS, it has some excellent, well-experienced professors, so academically, it’s reliable. The thermal engineering professors are working on various research projects so students also can assist them with a useful contribution and takeout some best experiences. Moreover, IITs provide many opportunities when it comes to Ph.D. or research assistantship from foreign universities if students want to go. As per the data, the placements of Thermal engineering is nearly 100% with 70% of them in industries and 30% in academic. However, if you are getting the same course in old/top 5 IITs or 3 NITs, then nothing like that.

Chances are not much good as the number of seats in the thermal specialization are less (only 18) and IIT Bhubaneswar conducts a rigorous interview (half an hour to 45 minutes per candidate), within that duration you need to explain the topics on the board to the interviewers. Some of the interview questions asked in the previous year were boundary layer theory, transient heat conduction, the significance of Prandtl, Nusselt, etc.

The process for admission in the course is based on marks secured in graduation. The student must have 60% marks or 6.5 CGPA in a 10-point scale in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent (with a valid GATE score). 

The final selection of regular candidates will be based on the combined scores of the candidates in GATE (70%) and the written test (30%). The Written Test and Interview shall be given equal weightage of 15% each.

Students in the unreserved category will be eligible to sit in the interview subject to scoring a minimum of 40% marks in the written test and for final selection a minimum of 50% marks in the interview.

Hence, an interview becomes a very crucial factor in securing admission. It is completely technical in nature as explained above it judges the in-depth knowledge of the applicant in the subject. NPTEL lectures can be useful in preparing for the interview so as to enhance the understanding of the in-depth concepts of the subject in detail. Since the analysis part of some concepts as mentioned above can also be asked. The project report is also required there so one can expect questions from there also.

Finally, the cut off of the course is around 600 hence you can expect to have a fair chance if you have good understanding and command over your subjects.