Last Updated on December 16, 2024
Tier 1 colleges in India refer to the country’s top-ranked and most prominent educational institutions. These colleges are well known for their academic prowess, faculty quality, and the best infrastructure. Students can choose to study at the top tier 1 colleges in India in any preferred course if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Furthermore, the qualifying criteria for Tier 1 colleges in India vary based on the topic of study and the institution itself. Students must check their eligibility before entering the university’s application process. Several universities are generally considered to be in the Tier 1 category because of their standing and rankings, even though there is no formal classification or list of colleges approved worldwide. Moreover, this blog post will discuss Tier 1 Colleges In India in detail.
List The Top 20 Of Tier 1 Colleges In India
Are you looking for a Tier 1 college in India? Then, we have compiled a list of the top Tier 1 colleges In India that can help students gain better career opportunities. Furthermore, these universities are well recognized for offering the best infrastructure and quality education needed to flourish.
Here is the list of the top 20 Tier 1 Colleges In India:
Rank | College Name | City | QS Ranking (2024) | NIRF Ranking (2024) |
1 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) | Mumbai | 149 | 3 |
2 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) | New Delhi | 197 | 4 |
3 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) | Kanpur | 278 | 5 |
4 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) | Chennai | 271 | 1 |
5 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) | Kharagpur | 285 | 6 |
6 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) | Roorkee | 369 | 7 |
7 | Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) | Hyderabad | 409 | 8 |
8 | Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi | Varanasi | 501-510 | 10 |
9 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani | Pilani | 901-950 | 19 |
10 | National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli (NIT Trichy) | Tiruchirappalli | 601-650 | 9 |
11 | Delhi Technological University (DTU) | New Delhi | N/A | 66 |
12 | IIIT Hyderabad (International Institute of Information Technology) | Hyderabad | 751-800 | 74 |
13 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NIT Karnataka) | Mangaluru | 801-850 | 46 |
14 | Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology | Patiala | 1001-1200 | 43 |
15 | Jadavpur University | Kolkata | 651-700 | 1001 |
16 | National Institute of Technology Rourkela | Rourkela | 601-650 | 34 |
17 | Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad (IIT ISM Dhanbad) | Dhanbad | 651-700 | 35 |
18 | Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) Nagpur | Nagpur | N/A | 39 |
19 | PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore | Coimbatore | N/A | 101-150 |
20 | R.V. College of Engineering, Bengaluru | Bengaluru | N/A | 99 |
Popular Exams Accepted by Top Indian Universities
For admission to the Tier 1 Colleges In India, candidates must pass some of the popular tests accepted by the best universities in India.
- CUET: CUET stands for Central University Entrance Test. It is an all-India level entrance exam the NTA administers for admission to UG courses offered at all participating institutions. The exam lasts two hours and is administered by computer. Initially, UGC conducted CUCET using paper and pencil.
- ICAR AIEEA: Indian Council of Agricultural Research All India Entrance Examination for Admission is a national-level entrance exam conducted by NTA for admission to Bachelor Degree programs in Agriculture and Allied Sciences (other than Veterinary Sciences) at Agricultural Universities on 15/20 percent of the University seats
- CUET-PG: Central University Entrance Test (Postgraduate), often known as CUET PG, is a national entrance exam for admission to postgraduate programs at Central and other universities. The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) would provide candidates from all across the country, particularly those from the North East and other rural and isolated areas, with a common platform and equitable opportunities, as well as improved relationships with universities.
Tier 1 Colleges In India by Courses
Engineering Colleges In India
The best Tier 1 Colleges In India for engineering courses are listed below. You can check the list of the colleges and other necessary details.
Rank | Name of Tier 1 Colleges In India | QS Ranking (2024) | Total Course Fee (BTech) | Entrance Exam |
1 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) | 149 | ₹8-10 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
2 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) | 197 | ₹8-10 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
3 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) | 271 | ₹8-9 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
4 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) | 278 | ₹8-9 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
5 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) | 285 | ₹8-10 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
6 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) | 369 | ₹7-8 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
7 | Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) | 409 | ₹9-10 Lakhs | JEE Advanced |
8 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) | 901-950 | ₹18-22 Lakhs | BITSAT |
9 | Delhi Technological University (DTU) | N/A | ₹8-9 Lakhs | JEE Main |
10 | National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli (NIT Trichy) | 601-650 | ₹5-6 Lakhs | JEE Main |
Management Colleges In India
The best Tier 1 Colleges In India for management courses are listed below. You can check the list of the colleges and other necessary details.
Rank | Name of Tier 1 Colleges In India | QS Ranking 2024 | Total Course Fee | Entrance Exam |
1 | Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B) | 315 (Global MBA) | ₹23-25 Lakhs (MBA) | CAT |
2 | Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) | 308 (Global MBA) | ₹23-25 Lakhs (MBA) | CAT |
3 | Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIM-C) | 317 (Global MBA) | ₹23-25 Lakhs (MBA) | CAT |
4 | Indian School of Business (ISB) Hyderabad | 216 (Global MBA) | ₹36-40 Lakhs (PGP) | GMAT/GRE |
5 | Indian Institute of Management Lucknow (IIM-L) | 451-500 | ₹19-21 Lakhs (MBA) | CAT |
6 | Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode (IIM-K) | 451-500 | ₹20-22 Lakhs (MBA) | CAT |
7 | Xavier School of Management (XLRI), Jamshedpur | 451-500 | ₹20-22 Lakhs (MBA) | XAT |
8 | Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon | 551-600 | ₹21-23 Lakhs (PGDM) | CAT |
9 | SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR) | 601-650 | ₹19-22 Lakhs (PGDM) | CAT |
10 | Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi | N/A | ₹2 Lakhs (MBA) | CAT |
Medical Colleges In India
The best Tier 1 Colleges In India for medical courses are listed below. You can check the list of the colleges and other necessary details.
Rank | Name of Tier 1 Colleges In India | QS Ranking 2024 | Total Course Fee | Entrance Exam |
1 | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi | N/A | ₹6-7 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
2 | Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore | N/A | ₹5-6 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
3 | Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune | N/A | ₹6-7 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
4 | Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi | N/A | ₹15-25K (MBBS) | NEET |
5 | King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow | N/A | ₹2-3 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
6 | Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
7 | Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), Delhi | N/A | ₹10-25K (MBBS) | NEET |
8 | Institute of Medical Sciences BHU, Varanasi | N/A | ₹3-5 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
9 | Grant Medical College, Mumbai | N/A | ₹5-6 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
10 | Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal | N/A | ₹50-60 Lakhs (MBBS) | NEET |
Law Colleges In India
The best Tier 1 Colleges In India for law courses are listed below. You can check the list of the colleges and other necessary details.
Rank | Name of Tier 1 Colleges In India | QS Ranking 2024 | Total Course Fee | Entrance Exam |
1 | National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru | N/A | ₹10-12 Lakhs (LLB) | CLAT |
2 | National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR), Hyderabad | N/A | ₹8-9 Lakhs (LLB) | CLAT |
3 | National Law University (NLU), Delhi | N/A | ₹8-9 Lakhs (LLB) | AILET |
4 | National Law University, Jodhpur | N/A | ₹7-8 Lakhs (LLB) | CLAT |
5 | West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS), Kolkata | N/A | ₹8-9 Lakhs (LLB) | CLAT |
6 | Gujarat National Law University (GNLU), Gandhinagar | N/A | ₹7-8 Lakhs (LLB) | CLAT |
7 | National Law Institute University (NLIU), Bhopal | N/A | ₹6-7 Lakhs (LLB) | CLAT |
8 | Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law, IIT Kharagpur | N/A | ₹5-6 Lakhs (LLB) | LSAT India |
9 | Symbiosis Law School, Pune | N/A | ₹10-12 Lakhs (LLB) | SLAT |
10 | Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat | 351-400 | ₹28-30 Lakhs (LLB) | LSAT India |
Arts Colleges In India
The best Tier 1 Colleges In India for arts courses are listed below. You can check the list of the colleges and other necessary details.
Rank | Name of Tier 1 Colleges In India | QS Ranking 2024 | Total Course Fee | Entrance Exam |
1 | Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR), Delhi | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | CUET |
2 | Loyola College, Chennai | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | CUET |
3 | St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | Entrance Test |
4 | Christ University, Bengaluru | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | Entrance Test |
5 | Hindu College, Delhi | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | CUET |
6 | Miranda House, Delhi | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | CUET |
7 | Presidency College, Chennai | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | Merit-based |
8 | Madras Christian College (MCC), Chennai | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | Merit-based |
9 | St. Stephen’s College, Delhi | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | CUET + Interview |
10 | Fergusson College, Pune | N/A | ₹1-2 Lakhs (BA) | Merit-based |
Scholarships For Tier 1 Colleges In India
Here, we have shared a list of the top scholarships available for students to apply for when studying at a Tier 1 college in India.
The list of scholarships for studying at Tier 1 colleges in India is as follows:
Name of Tier 1 Colleges In India | Scholarship Name | Eligible Courses | Eligibility Criteria | Benefit Amount |
IIT Delhi | Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | B.Tech, M.Tech | Family income less than ₹4.5 lakh per annum | Full tuition fee waiver, ₹1,000 per month |
IIM Ahmedabad | Need-Based Scholarship | MBA | Family income below ₹15 lakh per annum | Varies based on financial need |
IIT Bombay | Institute Merit-cum-Means (MCM) | B.Tech, M.Tech | Based on JEE rank and financial need | 25% – 100% tuition waiver |
BITS Pilani | BITSAA Scholarships | B.E., M.Sc. | High academic performance, financial need | ₹10,000 to ₹1 lakh annually |
IIT Kanpur | INSPIRE Scholarship | B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. | Top 1% in Class 12 (Science), pursuing basic science | ₹80,000 per year |
NIT Trichy | Central Sector Scholarship | B.Tech, M.Tech | Annual family income less than ₹8 lakh | ₹10,000 annually |
IIM Bangalore | Citi Women’s Leader Award | MBA | Female candidates with academic excellence | Full tuition waiver for one year |
IIT Madras | Institute Merit Scholarship | B.Tech | Top 10% in JEE Advanced | ₹3,000 per semester |
AIIMS Delhi | AIIMS Merit Scholarship | MBBS, MD | Top scorers in entrance exams | Full fee waiver and stipends |
IIT Kharagpur | Aditya Birla Scholarship | B.Tech | Top 20 rank holders in JEE Advanced | ₹65,000 per year |
NLSIU Bangalore | Aditya Birla Law Scholarship | LLB | Top academic performers | ₹1 lakh per year |
IISc Bangalore | Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana | B.Sc., M.Sc. | Top 1% in Class 12 (Science), pursuing basic science | ₹5,000 per month |
JNU Delhi | Merit-cum-Means Scholarship | M.A., M.Sc. | Based on academic performance, financial need | ₹2,000 per month |
XLRI Jamshedpur | OP Jindal Engineering & Management | MBA | Top 10 rank in the entrance exam | ₹1.5 lakh annually |
TISS Mumbai | Govt. of India Post-Matric Scholarship | M.A., M.Sc. | SC/ST students | Full fee waiver, ₹2,500 stipend per month |
Final insights!!
All India Tier 1 colleges are top-rated institutions within the country for academic excellence, faculty, and infrastructural excellence, besides opportunities for all-round development. There is no classification or ranking of Tier 1 colleges recognized around the globe; however, most of these colleges are held in high regard based on their ranking and reputation. The criteria for qualifying into the said colleges differ depending on the subject one is seeking admission in and the college itself.
Top Tier 1 colleges in India for engineering courses include IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Roorkee, IIT Hyderabad, BHU Varanasi, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli, Delhi Technological University, and IIT Hyderabad.
FAQs
What are Tier 1 Colleges in India?
Tier 1 colleges in India are considered the best institutes like IIT, IIM, and NITs that provide world-class infrastructure, academic excellence, faculty, and research opportunities. They further deliver excellent placement rates and attract national and international recognition.
What are Tier 1, 2, and 3 colleges?
Tier 1 Colleges are the world’s elite institutions with global solid recognition. Tier 2 Colleges: They have medium grades; their infrastructures are relatively good, and they need a greater capacity of resources than Tier 3 colleges. The academic and placement standards rank Tier 2 colleges below Tier 1 and Tier 2.
What are Tier 2 Colleges in India?
Tier 2 Colleges of India: They are mid-tier colleges with good academic records and excellent infrastructural back-up, and the placement rates are also quite good. There are a few examples in this category of universities, such as VIT, SRM, and Manipal, that provide quality education but have little international standing, like Tier 1 colleges.
Is VIT a Tier 3 College?
No, VIT is considered a Tier 2 college in India. It has good infrastructure, academic programs, and placements but is not on the same pedestal as the elite Tier 1 colleges of IITs or IIMs.
Why are IITs considered Tier 1 colleges in India?
IITs are considered Tier 1 colleges due to their high academic standards, cutting-edge research, world-class faculty, and strong industry ties. These institutes attract top talent globally, offering excellent placement opportunities and international recognition.
Are NITs Tier 1 colleges in India?
Some NITs, such as NIT Trichy and NIT Surathkal, are considered Tier 1 due to their infrastructure, research contributions, and consistent placement records. While not all NITs hold the same status, the top ones rank among the best engineering colleges in India.
Do Tier 1 colleges in India offer international placements?
Yes, Tier 1 colleges in India, such as IITs and IIMs, often collaborate with global companies and universities, enabling students to secure international placements. Many students from these colleges work with top multinational companies worldwide.
How can I get admission to a Tier 1 college in India?
Admission to Tier 1 colleges in India, like IITs and IIMs, typically requires clearing highly competitive entrance exams such as JEE Advanced for engineering or CAT for management. A high rank in these exams and a solid academic profile are essential for admission.
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