9 Engineering Courses Without JEE

Engineering is a popular career choice in India. It offers a wealth of streams, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and civil engineering. More niche options are also available, such as aeronautical engineering, biotechnical engineering, and computer engineering. The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is the go-to exam for people in India looking to start a career in an engineering field, as it grants access to some of the top engineering colleges in the country. However, it isn’t the only option. Many engineering colleges grant access without requiring you to sit the JEE exam, with some of these ranking highly.

Discover colleges that accept students for undergraduate engineering courses without JEE and the entry requirements they stipulate instead.

What is JEE?

The JEE is an entrance examination to help determine admission to various undergraduate courses, including engineering. You’ll find two separate JEE exams: JEE Main and JEE Advanced. The JEE Main comes first; if you pass it, you can take the JEE Advanced exam. Passing the JEE Main exam grants admission to many BTech, BE, BArch, and BPlanning courses, including courses at some top institutions. If you choose to progress from JEE Main to JEE Advanced, a passing score allows you to apply for some of the most prestigious institutes of technology in India, along with postgraduate courses. 

JEE Main is a computer-based exam, and you are eligible once you finish Class 12 with an aggregate of 75 percent marks. JEE Advanced, meanwhile, includes two papers covering mathematics, chemistry, and physics. You must be among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates in the JEE Main exam to be eligible. 

9 engineering courses without JEE

While JEE has a name for being the exam to take if you want to access a degree in engineering, it isn’t the only way. Many colleges offer courses without requiring you to pass this well-known exam, making it entirely possible to have an engineering career without JEE. Look at some in detail, along with the alternative entrance requirements they ask for. 

1. Manipal Institute of Technology

The Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) in Manipal and Bengaluru offers both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering on a full-time and part-time basis. Entrance to courses is dependent on your Manipal Entrance Test (MET) score; this exam is open to Indian citizens who pass 10+2. 

2. SRM Institute of Science and Technology

The SRM Institute of Science and Technology, with campuses in and around Chennai, Tiruchirappalli, and Delhi, is one of the top engineering courses in the country that you can access without JEE. To secure a place on a BTech course at this institute, you must pass 10+2 with a 60 percent aggregate and earn a passing score on the university’s SRMJEEE entrance exam. 

3. Birla Institute of Technology and Science

Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, selects candidates based on the BITSAT entrance exam. It is a computer-based exam, taken at various testing centres across the country, available for candidates after studying 10+2 with an aggregate score of 75 percent or higher in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.

4. B.M.S College of Engineering 

B.M.S College of Engineering (BMSCE) in Karnataka is a highly regarded engineering school that you might apply for without passing JEE. The college runs admissions through completion of the KEA/COMED-K exams. 

5. Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology

The Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) offers admission to students based on the KIITEE entrance exam to access BTech courses. KIITEE is held online, covering chemistry, physics, and mathematics, and you can complete it at multiple test centres. 

6. RV College of Engineering

The RV College of Engineering, near Bangalore, is a leading not-for-profit technical institution. Admission can be through KCET or COMED-K admission tests rather than JEE. 

7. College of Engineering Pune Technological University

Admission to the College of Engineering Pune Technological University (COEP Tech) is merit-based. While a good JEE score can work in your favour, the college accepts scores on other entrance exams, including the MHT CET, the common entrance test. 

8. Symbiosis Institute of Technology

The Symbiosis Institute of Technology (SIT) is a flagship institute and is one of the top engineering colleges available to apply to without JEE. SIT has its own entrance exam, the SITEEE, a computer-based test that you can take at locations across India.

9. Vellore Institute of Technology

To study at the Vellore Institute of Technology, JEE is not necessary. This institute also has its own entrance exam called VITEEE, which is the criteria for undergraduate study. The paper is multiple choice, and you can take it at various centres in India. 

Engineering exam options for studying abroad

If you plan to study engineering or work in engineering abroad, you’ll find numerous suitable exam options to consider. These allow you to demonstrate your analytical, maths, reasoning, technical skills, and language abilities. Some examples include:

GRE: The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) supports applications to study abroad for several courses, especially postgraduate courses.

GMAT: The General Management Admission Test (GMAT) is widely taken by engineering students and others who want to work at the management level. 

TOEFL: The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) demonstrates your knowledge of English, which is important when studying in some countries. 

IELTS: The International English Language Testing System is another popular exam that demonstrates your English language abilities. 

Improve your engineering knowledge with Coursera

JEE is a popular exam for those wanting to study engineering at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. However, it is notoriously challenging. If this exam isn’t for you, attending an engineering college without JEE is possible. Many institutes and colleges accept other engineering entrance exams, including some that have their own. 

If you’d like to begin studying for one of these engineering entrance exams, online courses are a great way to upgrade your knowledge and help with exam preparation. Look at the Engineering Project Management Specialisation, delivered by Rice University, or the Mathematics for Engineers Specialisation from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, both listed on Coursera.