Electrical Engineering at Top IITs: EE Programs Compared

A complete comparison of EE programs at the top IITs: IIT-Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, Kharagpur & Roorkee.

Introduction

Electrical Engineering (EE) is the bedrock of modern industrial infrastructure, automation, and energy systems. While its cousin ECE (Electronics and Communication) often deals with the brain and communication, EE handles the muscle and nervous system. This covers everything from large-scale Power Systems and Smart Grids to advanced Control and Automation, Robotics, and core VLSI hardware design. EE graduates often find themselves at the intersection of mechanical, computer science, and power industries. They are the backbone of PSUs, heavy manufacturing, and sophisticated control system design firms.

Just like with the ECE and ME fields, every top IIT has its own flavor of specialization in EE. Some colleges are famous for their legacy in Power Electronics, while others focus heavily on Control Systems or Microelectronics. This piece compares the EE branch across the six oldest IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee) using the trusted five-point framework to help you decide where to place your bet. We haven’t included IIT Guwahati in this list because it offers a combined Electronics and Electrical Engineering (EEE) degree, which falls outside our scope of strict branch comparison.

How we compare (5 parameters)

1. Demand: Cut-Off Ranks (based on the latest JoSAA data for the Open / General category).
2. Placements & Career Reach: Analysis based on the latest reported branch-specific and overall UG salaries.
3. Academic Strength & Research Culture: Reviewing NIRF summaries and specific departmental specializations (Power, VLSI, Control).
4. Campus life & location edge: Assessing the influence of local industry clusters and government R&D access.
5. Flexibility & interdisciplinary exposure: Looking at Minors and specialized Dual Degree options.

Section-1: Demand: JoSAA Cut-Offs (OPEN / General Category) 

Since the official 2025 Round 6 data for Electrical Engineering isn’t yet available, the table below uses the verified 2024 closing ranks as the latest competitive context for the 4-year B. Tech EE program.

IIT	Opening Rank (approx.)	Closing Rank (approx.)
IIT Bombay	106	433
IIT Madras	205	849
IIT Delhi	365	605
IIT Kanpur	798	1,146
IIT Roorkee	1,254	2,091
IIT Kharagpur	1,492	1,985

Observations:

• IIT Bombay (closing at 433) is the most competitive EE seat among all IITs, followed closely by IIT Delhi (closing at 605). These rankings show extremely high demand, putting EE right next to the top ECE spots.
• IIT Madras (closing at 849) is the next tier, maintaining its elite status. IIT Kanpur (closing at 1,146) is also highly sought after, closing just above the 1,000-rank mark.
• IIT Kharagpur (closing at 1,985) and IIT Roorkee (closing at 2,091) close later. This makes them comparatively more accessible for EE aspirants, but they remain highly selective.

Implication: For EE, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi show intense competition, reflecting their strong academic focus and industrial links in core EE domains. You’ll definitely need a very strong rank to get into the top four EE programs.

Section-2: Placements & Career Reach EE graduates 

From the top IITs are in a unique spot. Unlike ME, they directly compete with CSE & ECE students for software and finance roles, but they also have guaranteed access to the high-paying core power, control, and semiconductor sectors.

Key institute benchmarks (latest public placement reports and summaries):

• IIT Delhi: The EE average package is reported at a high ₹29.6 LPA. This figure is notably higher than the overall UG average of ₹21.9 LPA, confirming EE as a premium branch here.   
• IIT Madras: Avg. EE package is exceptionally strong at ₹27.28 LPA, with a median of ₹25.45 LPA. This high figure reflects success in both software and high-end core roles.
• IIT Bombay: Avg. package is reported at ₹23.50 LPA. This is the overall UG average, but the EE branch itself boasts a high placement percentage of 90.80%, showing top-tier hiring. Top recruiters include Analog Devices, Qualcomm, and Microsoft.
• IIT Kanpur: The EE median salary is reported at ₹19.40 LPA.
• IIT Roorkee and Kharagpur: Specific EE averages are not always published, but EE graduates’ benefit from the institutional average and strong core recruiting, often landing between ₹18–22 LPA for top performers in control and power roles.

Practical salary ranges for EE graduates (typical, campus-dependent)

• Top roles (VLSI design, high-frequency trading, software engineering): These often hit ₹35–50+ LPA in specialized firms.
• Average well-placed EE grads at top IITs: Typically, ₹20–30 LPA, reflecting the high-value pivot into software, finance, and core VLSI.
• Baseline / core PSUs: Offers generally start around ₹10–18 LPA.

Takeaway: EE salary potential is higher than ME because the skills (coding, control systems) allow a much easier switch into the highest-paying software or finance jobs, while the core sector jobs (Power, VLSI) also pay very well.

Section-3: Academic Strength & Research Culture 

In Electrical Engineering, academic strength and research culture are defined by depth in specialization. So, while comparing these IITs, we focus on their legacy pillars, Power Electronics, VLSI (Very Large-Scale Integration), and Control Systems.

Campus highlights

• IIT Delhi – Control, Power & VLSI Excellence: IIT Delhi’s department, established back in 1961, is strong across the board in all core EE domains: Integrated electronics and circuits, Control & Automation, and Power systems & Power electronics. They have specific labs like the UG Power Electronics Lab and the Power Engineering Lab, plus the VLSI and VDTT laboratories, confirming its dominance in both hardware and systems.
• IIT Madras – Power & Microelectronics Focus: IIT Madras is heavily invested in Power Systems and Microelectronics. Their research focus areas include Electrical Drives and Power Electronics (like control of induction/permanent magnet motors) and Microelectronics & MEMs. Their location in Chennai, near industrial automation hubs, strengthens this focus.   
• IIT Kanpur – Broad Spectrum & Multidisciplinary Leader: IIT Kanpur’s department is the largest multidisciplinary department on campus, covering virtually all EE sub-disciplines. Key research areas include Power Engineering, Microelectronics or VLSI, Control and Automation, and Robotics. This breadth makes it fantastic for students who want wide exposure.
• IIT Bombay – VLSI and High-Tech Systems: While known for overall high placement, IIT Bombay has a strong focus on Robotics, Acoustics, Dynamics and Control in related departments, which crosses over heavily into the EE control and systems domain.   
• IIT Kharagpur & IIT Roorkee: These campuses offer a strong legacy in Power and Control. Roorkee has long-standing strengths in core engineering, and Kharagpur provides a massive legacy infrastructure for power systems and control.   

Takeaway:

• IIT Delhi and IIT Madras show specific, high-level research strength in Power Electronics and Microelectronics.
• IIT Kanpur offers the broadest, most multidisciplinary academic base across all EE sub-disciplines.

Section-4: Campus Life & Location Edge for EE students

The location advantage is crucial because core jobs often require physical proximity to large PSUs, manufacturing units, or R&D centers.

• IIT Delhi (NCR): Being close to the National Capital Region is a massive plus. It offers great access to PSUs, DRDO, ISRO, and many large corporate R&D centers, making it ideal for those targeting core government or high-end control engineering careers.
• IIT Madras (Chennai): Chennai’s surrounding area is a major industrial and automotive belt. This location strongly supports its academic focus on Power Electronics and Electrical Drives , allowing great industrial training and projects.   
• IIT Bombay (Mumbai): Mumbai offers the best access to the Finance and Consulting sectors, often leading to the highest-paying non-core roles for skilled EE graduates.
• IIT Kanpur, Roorkee & Kharagpur: These quieter campuses are better for students who want to focus intensely on research, deep lab work, and preparation for higher studies without the intense pressure or distractions of a massive city.

Takeaway: If your priority is Power/PSU, choose Delhi or Madras. If your goal is high finance/software pivot, Bombay is hard to beat.

Section-5: Flexibility & Interdisciplinary Exposure 

The best EE degrees allow you to legally “borrow” courses from CS, Finance, or Robotics departments. This flexibility is what guarantees high placement figures.

• IIT Bombay: Offers the Interdisciplinary Dual Degree Program (IDDDP) in AI & Data Science. This is arguably the most powerful option for BTech students, letting you graduate with a Master’s degree in AI/DS, instantly multiplying your value in the modern job market.   
• IIT Delhi: Students can opt for Minor or Interdisciplinary Specialization programs (total of 20 additional credits). This includes minors in Management (covering courses like Managerial Accounting and Marketing Management), which is fantastic for consulting roles.
• IIT Kanpur: Offers a very flexible structure for Dual Degree programs, including B. Tech – M. Tech in other departments and even B. Tech – MBA.
• IIT Madras: Students can craft their curriculum via electives, minors, and interdisciplinary dual degrees. A popular option is the Minor in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.

Summary Table EE at a Glance

IIT	Closing Rank (JoSAA OPEN)	Avg. Package (₹ LPA, EE Specific)	Academic / Lab Edge	Location / Industry Edge
Bombay	433	23.50 (UG Avg.)	VLSI, Systems, IDDDP in AI/DS	Mumbai Finance & Tech Hub
Delhi	605	29.6	VLSI, Power Systems, Control & Automation	NCR – PSUs, Control R&D Hubs
Madras	849	27.28	Power Electronics, Microelectronics	Chennai Industrial Belt, Research Park
Kanpur	1,146	19.40 (Median)	Multidisciplinary, Robotics, VLSI, Power	Broad Academic Base
Kharagpur	1,985	18–20	Legacy Power & Control Infrastructure	Broad Alumni Base
Roorkee	2,091	18–22	Control Systems, Heritage PSU links	Strong Core Engineering Focus

Note: Package averages are based on latest official institute data for the EE branch where available (Madras, Delhi, Kanpur) or overall UG placement averages (Bombay, others).

Final Thoughts: Strategic Advice The choice in Electrical Engineering is primarily about which system you want to specialize in:

• For Top-Tier Salary & Software Pivot: IIT Bombay is the best option if you want to use the IDDDP to formally specialize in AI/Data Science. IIT Delhi and IIT Madras are clear frontrunners due to their high specific EE package data.   
• For Core Power Systems & PSUs: IIT Delhi and IIT Madras have the deepest legacy and research centres in Power Electronics and Control.
• For Broad Knowledge & Control/Robotics: IIT Kanpur is an excellent, balanced choice given its massive, multidisciplinary EE department and focus on Control and Automation.
• For Focused R&D: IIT Roorkee offers strong placement in core engineering roles and government R&D projects.

FAQs: Student Queries on Electrical Engineering at Top IITs