IIT Kanpur vs IIT Madras: Courses, Seats, Cutoffs, Fees, Placements and Research (2026)
IIT Madras received 3.1 times as much sponsored research funding (₹1,128.82 crore vs ₹363.43 crore, FY 2024-25). IIT Madras earned 4.1 times as much from consultancy (₹460.28 crore vs ₹113.61 crore, FY 2024-25). IIT Madras has 13% more faculty (720 vs 636, NIRF 2026).
Last updated: 13 Oct 2026. Every number links to its official source with the data year.
We are still collecting official data for this pair, so some numbers are missing.
At a glance
| Point | IIT Kanpur | IIT Madras | Source (year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Established (year) | 1959 | 1959 | josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026 institute profile) josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026 institute profile) |
| Location (city, state) | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | josaa.admissions.nic.in josaa.admissions.nic.in |
| Campus area | 1,055 acres | 650 acres | josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026 institute profile) josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026 institute profile) |
| Official website | iitk.ac.in | iitm.ac.in | iitk.ac.in iitm.ac.in |
| NIRF Overall rank | 5 | 1 | nirfindia.org (NIRF 2025) |
| NIRF Engineering rank | 4 | 1 | nirfindia.org (NIRF 2025) |
| B.Tech tuition per semester | ₹1,00,000 | ₹1,00,000 | iitk.ac.in (2026-27) josaa.admissions.nic.in (2026-27) |
| First-semester academic fees | ₹1,58,415 | ₹1,41,402 | iitk.ac.in (2026-27) josaa.admissions.nic.in (2026-27) |
| Fee waiver notes | SC, ST, PwD and family income below ₹1 lakh: no tuition. Family income ₹1–5 lakh: one-third tuition (₹33,333). | SC, ST and PwD: no tuition. Family income below ₹1 lakh: full tuition remission; ₹1–5 lakh: two-thirds remission (first-semester total ₹74,735). | iitk.ac.in (2026-27) josaa.admissions.nic.in (2026-27) |
| Hostel / mess fee | Mess establishment charges ₹13,360 (first semester); seat rent and hall charges are inside the ₹13,855 semester fee | Seat rent ₹7,500 per semester; hostel fee circular at fees.iitm.ac.in; advance mess charges depend on the mess tender | iitk.ac.in (2026-27) josaa.admissions.nic.in (2026-27) |
| Total JoSAA seats | 1,240 | 1,118 | josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026) josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026) |
| UG 4-year median salary | ₹21.7 lakh | ₹17.78 lakh | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| UG 4-year placed / graduated | 855 placed of 1,205 graduates | 631 placed of 781 graduates | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| UG 5-year (dual) median salary | Not published | ₹22 lakh | iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| PG 2-year median salary | ₹15.7 lakh | ₹15 lakh | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| PG 2-year placed | 674 | 644 | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| UG 4-year went for higher studies | 257 | 147 | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| Total UG 4-year students | 4,932 | 3,733 | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| Faculty count | 636 | 720 | iitk.ac.in (NIRF 2026) iitm.ac.in (NIRF 2026) |
| Full-time PhD students | 2,172 | 2,399 | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| Full-time PhDs graduated | 294 | 485 | iitk.ac.in (2024-25) iitm.ac.in (2024-25) |
| Sponsored research received | ₹363.43 crore | ₹1,128.82 crore | iitk.ac.in (FY 2024-25) iitm.ac.in (FY 2024-25) |
| Consultancy received | ₹113.61 crore | ₹460.28 crore | iitk.ac.in (FY 2024-25) iitm.ac.in (FY 2024-25) |
How IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras differ
- IIT Madras received 3.1 times as much sponsored research funding (₹1,128.82 crore vs ₹363.43 crore, FY 2024-25).
- IIT Madras earned 4.1 times as much from consultancy (₹460.28 crore vs ₹113.61 crore, FY 2024-25).
- IIT Madras has 13% more faculty (720 vs 636, NIRF 2026).
- IIT Madras has 10% more full-time PhD students (2,399 vs 2,172, 2024-25).
- IIT Kanpur offers 11% more JoSAA seats (1,240 vs 1,118, JoSAA 2026).
- IIT Kanpur reported a ₹3.92 lakh higher 4-year UG median salary (₹21.7 lakh vs ₹17.78 lakh).
- Both charge the same B.Tech tuition: ₹1,00,000 per semester.
- IIT Madras ranks higher in NIRF 2025 Overall (1 vs 5).
- IIT Madras ranks higher in NIRF 2025 Engineering (1 vs 4).
- IIT Kanpur has more 4-year B.Tech CSE seats (129 vs 87).
- Only IIT Kanpur offers Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Intelligent Systems among these two.
- Only IIT Madras offers Engineering Physics, Biological Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics, Computational Engineering and Mechanics among these two.
Worked out from the official numbers above.
Courses and seats
IIT Kanpur
- B.Tech (4 years)
- B.S. (4 years)
- BT-MT and BS-MS dual degrees
- B.Cyber
IIT Madras
- B.Tech, B.S. and 5-year dual degree
- B.S. Medical Sciences and Engineering, B.S. Chemistry
- M.Sc, M.Tech, MBA, EMBA, M.A.
- MS (Research) and PhD
- Online B.S. in Data Science and Applications, B.S. in Electronic Systems
Seats per branch
| Branch | IIT Kanpur | IIT Madras |
|---|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineering | 69 | 54 |
| Biological Sciences and Bioengineering | 53 | Not offered |
| Chemical Engineering | 104 | 104 |
| Civil Engineering | 148 | 111 |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 129 | 87 |
| Electrical Engineering | 192 | 154 |
| Materials Science and Engineering | 85 | 54 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 149 | 144 |
| Intelligent Systems | 30 | Not offered |
| B.S. Chemistry | 49 | Not offered |
| B.S. Economics | 52 | Not offered |
| B.S. Mathematics and Scientific Computing | 64 | Not offered |
| B.S. Physics | 45 | 12 |
| B.S. Earth Sciences | 43 | Not offered |
| B.S. Statistics and Data Science | 28 | Not offered |
| Engineering Physics | Not offered | 42 |
| Biological Engineering | Not offered | 30 |
| Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics | Not offered | 50 |
| Computational Engineering and Mechanics | Not offered | 40 |
| Instrumentation and Biomedical Engineering | Not offered | 40 |
| Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering | Not offered | 73 |
| B.S. Mathematics | Not offered | 20 |
| B.S. Biological Science | Not offered | 30 |
| Aerospace Engineering, 5-year dual degree | Not offered | 9 |
| Engineering Design, 5-year dual degree | Not offered | 64 |
Source: josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026) · josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026)
What this means
Seats are the total for each branch across all categories, including female-supernumerary seats, from the JoSAA seat matrix. More seats in a branch usually means a wider range of closing ranks, so your chances can be better in a branch with more seats.
JoSAA cutoffs: opening and closing ranks
Closing ranks in the final JoSAA round, OPEN category, gender-neutral seats (JEE Advanced CRL). Lower means harder to get.
| Branch | IIT Kanpur | IIT Madras | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
| Aerospace Engineering | 3638 | 3805 | 4015 | 2815 | 3211 | 3278 |
| Aerospace Engineering (5-yr) | – | – | – | 2984 | 2808 | 3389 |
| Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics | – | – | – | 419 | 306 | 226 |
| Biological Engineering | – | – | – | 5755 | 5261 | 6440 |
| Biological Science | – | – | – | 10682 | 10290 | 12204 |
| Biological Sciences and Bioengineering | 6952 | 7105 | 7837 | – | – | – |
| BS in Mathematics | – | – | – | – | – | 1804 |
| Chemical Engineering | 4015 | 4280 | 4436 | 3972 | 4116 | 4162 |
| Chemistry | 10498 | 10482 | 11668 | – | – | – |
| Civil Engineering | 5948 | 6161 | 7177 | 5688 | 6112 | 6225 |
| Computational Engineering and Mechanics | – | – | – | – | 1309 | 1314 |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 252 | 271 | 283 | 159 | 171 | 151 |
| Earth Sciences | 10058 | 10108 | 10774 | – | – | – |
| Economics | 3106 | 3310 | 3650 | – | – | – |
| Electrical Engineering | 1290 | 1146 | 1171 | 838 | 849 | 749 |
| Engineering Design (5-yr) | – | – | – | 3656 | 3380 | 3093 |
| Engineering Physics | – | – | – | 1858 | 1441 | 1316 |
| Instrumentation and Biomedical Engineering | – | – | – | – | 4366 | 4011 |
| Intelligent Systems | – | – | 1134 | – | – | – |
| Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | 6008 | 6337 | 6533 | 4748 | 5499 | 5398 |
| Mathematics and Scientific Computing | 990 | 1179 | 1270 | – | – | – |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2776 | 2771 | 3178 | 2310 | 2468 | 2619 |
| Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering | – | – | – | 7404 | 7433 | 8354 |
| Physics | 5508 | 5691 | 5723 | – | 3804 | 3918 |
| Physics (5-yr) | – | – | – | 2742 | – | – |
| Statistics and Data Science | 1030 | 1270 | 1409 | – | – | – |
All categories and seat pools
| Institute | Branch | Category | Seats | Year | Round | Opening | Closing |
|---|
Source: JoSAA opening and closing ranks (josaa.nic.in), final round of each year.
M.Tech (GATE) cutoffs
We have not found official, department-wise GATE cutoffs for these institutes that we could verify for the last three years, so none are shown. Check each department's M.Tech admissions page and the COAP portal.
What this means
The opening rank is the best rank admitted in that category, and the closing rank is the last rank admitted in the final round. Your JEE (Advanced) category rank must be at or better than the closing rank to have had a seat that year. Cutoffs move every year, so look at the trend over three years, not one number. Female-only seats are supernumerary seats for female candidates; PwD ranks are separate lists.
What this means
M.Tech admissions at IITs use GATE scores through COAP and the institute's own process. Cutoffs are set by each department and are published only by some institutes in some years.
Fees
Fee waiver notes: IIT Kanpur: SC, ST, PwD and family income below ₹1 lakh: no tuition. Family income ₹1–5 lakh: one-third tuition (₹33,333).. IIT Madras: SC, ST and PwD: no tuition. Family income below ₹1 lakh: full tuition remission; ₹1–5 lakh: two-thirds remission (first-semester total ₹74,735)..
Hostel / mess fee: IIT Kanpur: Mess establishment charges ₹13,360 (first semester); seat rent and hall charges are inside the ₹13,855 semester fee. IIT Madras: Seat rent ₹7,500 per semester; hostel fee circular at fees.iitm.ac.in; advance mess charges depend on the mess tender.
What this means
Tuition is the main fee, but the first-semester bill also includes one-time and hostel charges. Fee waivers are set by the government: SC, ST and PwD students pay no tuition at IITs, and students from lower-income families pay reduced or no tuition. Check the latest fee notice for the exact income limits.
Placements
UG 4-year placed / graduated: IIT Kanpur: 855 placed of 1,205 graduates. IIT Madras: 631 placed of 781 graduates.
What this means
The median salary is the middle value: half of the placed students earned more and half earned less. It is a fairer guide than the "highest package", which only one student gets. Compare it with the number placed out of those who graduated, and remember that many students choose higher studies instead.
Research, labs and projects
Notable labs / facilities
IIT Kanpur
- Airstrip on campus (used by the Aerospace Engineering department and the Gliding Club)
josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026 institute profile)
IIT Madras
- Sophisticated Analytical Instruments Facility (SAIF)
- Material Science Research Centre (MSRC)
- Central Electronics Centre (CEC)
- AQUA high-performance computing cluster (11,680 cores, 30 GPUs)
josaa.admissions.nic.in (JoSAA 2026 institute profile)
What this means
Sponsored research is money given by government and industry for research projects in that year. Consultancy is paid work done for industry. Higher figures mean more projects, labs and chances for students to work on real problems.
How to choose
- List the branches your JoSAA rank can realistically get at both, using the cutoff table above.
- Compare those branches, not only the institute name.
- Check which fee waivers you qualify for.
- Think about the city, the cost of living and the distance from home.
- Look at dual-degree and minor options in each curriculum.
FAQ
Which is better, IIT Kanpur or IIT Madras?
In NIRF 2025 Overall, IIT Kanpur is ranked 5 and IIT Madras is ranked 1. In Engineering, IIT Kanpur is 4 and IIT Madras is 1. The official data is close at this level, so the right choice depends on your branch and personal fit.
Is the B.Tech fee the same at IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras?
B.Tech tuition is ₹1,00,000 per semester at IIT Kanpur and ₹1,00,000 at IIT Madras (2026-27). Fee waivers apply for eligible students; see the fees section.
Which has better placements, IIT Kanpur or IIT Madras?
The 4-year UG median salary was ₹21.7 lakh at IIT Kanpur (2024-25) and ₹17.78 lakh at IIT Madras (2024-25), from NIRF data.
How many CSE seats do IIT Kanpur and IIT Madras have?
The JoSAA seat matrix lists 129 B.Tech CSE seats at IIT Kanpur and 87 at IIT Madras (JoSAA 2026).
Which does more research, IIT Kanpur or IIT Madras?
IIT Kanpur received ₹363.43 crore in sponsored research (FY 2024-25) and IIT Madras received ₹1,128.82 crore (FY 2024-25).
What is a closing rank?
It is the last JEE (Advanced) category rank that got a seat in that branch in the final JoSAA round. If your rank is at or better than it, you would have got a seat that year. It changes every year.
Sources
- https://josaa.admissions.nic.in/applicant/seatmatrix/InstProfile.aspx?instcd=109
- https://www.iitk.ac.in
- https://www.nirfindia.org/Rankings/2025/OverallRanking.html
- https://www.nirfindia.org/Rankings/2025/EngineeringRanking.html
- https://www.iitk.ac.in/dosa/data/Fee-Structure-for-New-UG-for-2026-2027-1st-07-07-26.pdf
- https://www.iitk.ac.in/data/nirf/nirf-2026/Overall-2026.pdf
- https://josaa.admissions.nic.in/applicant/seatmatrix/InstProfile.aspx?instcd=110
- https://www.iitm.ac.in
- https://www.iitm.ac.in/sites/default/files/NIRF/NIRF_Overall_2026.pdf
- https://josaa.admissions.nic.in/applicant/seatmatrix/openingclosingrankarchieve.aspx
- https://josaa.admissions.nic.in/applicant/SeatAllotmentResult/CurrentORCR.aspx
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