65 of top 100 rankers choose to study in IIT-Bombay, Delhi next

MUMBAI: Sixty-five of the top 100 rankers in JEE (Advanced) this year picked seats in IIT-Bombay, helping it retain its position as the most sought-after campus ahead of 17 other premier Indian Institutes of Technology.

The figure from the first allotment round on Tuesday was up from last year’s number of 58 among the top 100 opting for the Powai institute. In 2014, it was the first time it had dropped below 60 in recent years.

IIT-Delhi was the second choice with 30 students choosing it, a drop from last year’s 36, followed by IIT-Madras and IIT-Kanpur, who were at a distant third and fourth position with three and two students, respectively.

More than one in four in the top 1,000 rank-holders also chose the Mumbai campus to spend their next four years.

Of the top 100 JEE (Advanced) rankers, 34 belonged to the IIT-Bombay zone and, therefore, the institute was an obvious choice. Interestingly, many of the 28 rankers from the IIT-Madras zone seem to have opted for IIT-B as only three chose the former.

“A majority of students perceive it as the top institute. At 18 years, most students make their choices based on what their friends and family would recommend. Computer science and engineering (CSE) and electrical engineering (EE) were the popular choices for students in the top ranks,” said Devang Khakhar, IIT-B director.