Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology
A 70-year-old private engineering university in Patiala with ABET-accredited B.E. degrees and JEE Main-based entry.
- Students
- 12,013
- 10,096 undergraduates
- International
- 2%
- of students
- Tuition
- ₹497.2K
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1956
About TIET (Thapar)
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), known for years as Thapar University, was founded in 1956 in Patiala with support from industrialist Karam Chand Thapar, and is now a private deemed-to-be university. Its main campus covers 250 acres, and it marks 70 years in 2026. It holds an A++ grade from NAAC, and eight of its B.E. programmes, including Computer, Mechanical, Electrical, Civil and Electronics and Communication Engineering, carry US ABET accreditation.
Engineering dominates: TIET offers 18 B.E./B.Tech programmes with 3,390 first-year seats for 2026-27, including 960 in Computer Engineering alone, plus newer programmes in AI and Data Science, Robotics and AI, and VLSI design. Departments cover the core engineering disciplines, sciences and mathematics, and there are schools of Humanities and Social Sciences, Liberal Arts and Science, and the LM Thapar School of Management at Dera Bassi.
In its NIRF 2026 data TIET reported about 10,100 undergraduates on four-year programmes, 1,120 students on two-year master's programmes and 795 PhD scholars. It suits students with good JEE Main ranks who want a large, well-resourced private engineering campus in north India, with an International Engineering Programme that lets some students finish their degree at partner universities abroad.
Why students choose TIET (Thapar)
Eight B.E. programmes are accredited by ABET, the US engineering accreditor, and the institute holds NAAC's A++ grade.
Admission for most programmes is on JEE Main rank, and core branches such as Mechanical, Civil and Electrical also consider 10+2 PCM marks.
Merit scholarships waive tuition and development fees for the top 50 JEE Main rankers admitted, and tuition for the next 60.
According to its NIRF 2026 data, 1,900 of 2,205 four-year UG graduates in 2024-25 were placed, at a median salary of Rs 10 lakh, and 140 went on to higher studies.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (details shown are from the 2026-27 admissions cycle)
Selectivity
TIET does not publish an acceptance rate. B.E./B.Tech seats are filled in merit order by JEE Main All India Rank (and, for some branches, 10+2 PCM or NEET), through several rounds of online counselling; round-by-round cut-offs are published on the admissions portal.
Typical entry requirements
| Indian Class XII | At least 60% (55% for SC/ST) in physics, mathematics and one of chemistry, biology, biotechnology or a technical vocational subject, plus JEE Main; programmes 1-9 (e.g. Computer Engineering, CSE, AI and Data Science, ECE) admit on JEE Main rank only |
|---|---|
| Foreign nationals, PIO and NRIs (FN/NRI) | At least 60% in physics, mathematics and one of chemistry, biology, biotechnology or a vocational subject; no entrance test; admission on 10+2 merit to supernumerary seats (15% over and above each programme), with an AIU equivalence certificate for foreign qualifications |
| English language | Teaching is in English. No English test score is published for FN/NRI undergraduate admission. |
Deadlines
- B.E./B.Tech application, lower fee (2026 cycle, reference) Non-binding Passed11 May 2026
Previous cycle; application fee Rs 1,500 until this date and Rs 2,000 after.
- FN/NRI applications, all programmes (2026 cycle, reference) Non-binding Passed31 July 2026
Previous cycle; provisional admission on payment of US$100.
These are 2026-27 cycle dates from TIET's prospectus. Dates for 2027-28 had not been published on the pages checked.
How to apply
Fill in TIET's single online application form on the admissions portal (Rs 1,500 until 11 May 2026, Rs 2,000 after), then take part in the online counselling rounds based on JEE Main rank or 10+2 marks. FN/NRI candidates apply by 31 July, pay a US$100 provisional admission fee and complete admission with passport, visa and AIU equivalence.
What admissions looks for
- A strong JEE Main All India Rank, which decides admission to the computing and electronics branches.
- At least 60% in PCM (or the equivalent subject combination) at 10+2.
- For FN/NRI applicants, 10+2 merit in the qualifying subjects and valid passport and visa documents.
Tips for applying to TIET (Thapar)
- 1 Check the published cut-offs from each counselling round: they show the JEE Main ranks at which each branch filled in 2026.
- 2 Core branches (Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Instrumentation, Mechanical, Mechatronics) offer 20-30% tuition waivers for 75-80%+ PCM, renewable with an 8.5 AGPA.
- 3 The International Engineering Programme lets students spend the last two years at a partner university abroad, at 1.5 times the normal fee for the first two years.
- 4 FN/NRI students pay in US dollars (US$10,000 a year for B.E.) but are given a scholarship at admission.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in INR
Merit scholarships based on JEE Main rank waive tuition and development fees for the first 50 admitted students (with more than 95% at 10+2) and tuition for the next 60, with further awards for the top 10% in each discipline; they renew with a CGPA of 8.5 and no backlogs. Core engineering branches offer 20-30% tuition waivers for high PCM scores. FN/NRI students pay US dollar fees and are given a scholarship at admission.
- US$10,000 a year (US$40,000 for four years) plus US$500 admission fee; hostel fees as for Indian students
- FN/NRI fee, B.E./B.Tech (2026-27)
- Tuition and development fee waived
- Merit Scholarship I (top 50 JEE Main rankers admitted, >95% at 10+2)
- Tuition fee waived
- Merit Scholarship II (next 60, >90% at 10+2)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (credit-based, with a summer semester)
B.E. Computer Engineering
The largest programme, with 960 first-year seats in 2026-27 and ABET accreditation.
B.E. Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
240 seats, admitted on JEE Main rank.
B.E. Electronics and Communication Engineering
ABET-accredited; Honeywell CEO Vimal Kapur studied electronics and instrumentation at Thapar.
B.E. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
Offered jointly by the Mechanical and Computer Science departments.
B.E. Mechanical Engineering
ABET-accredited; admits on JEE Main rank or 10+2 PCM, with 20-30% tuition waivers for high PCM scores.
International Engineering Programme
Two years at TIET followed by two years at a partner university abroad.
Research
- TIET received about Rs 20.9 crore for 57 sponsored research projects in 2024-25 (Rs 34 crore for 43 projects in 2023-24), according to its NIRF 2026 data.
- It hosts a Centre of Relevance and Excellence in Agro and Industrial Biotechnology and a Science and Technology Entrepreneurs' Park.
- It had 795 PhD scholars (690 full-time, 105 part-time) in 2024-25 and awarded 96 PhDs that year.
Schools & faculties
- Chemical Engineering Department
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
- Civil Engineering Department
- Computer Science and Engineering Department
- Department of Biotechnology
- Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering Department
- Electronics and Communication Engineering Department
- Department of Energy and Environment
- Department of Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering Department
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences
- LM Thapar School of Management
NIRF 2026 data: of 2,205 students graduating from 4-year UG programmes in 2024-25, 1,900 were placed at a median salary of Rs 10,00,000 (ten lakh rupees) a year, and 140 went on to higher studies. On 2-year PG programmes, 322 of 503 graduates were placed (median Rs 7,93,448).
Student life
TIET is a large residential campus in Patiala, with around 17 hostel blocks ranging from four-sharing non-AC rooms to single AC rooms with attached washrooms, and free laundry for hostel students. Hostel and mess fees are the same for Indian and international students. First-year students begin with a freshmen bootcamp, and the institute's centres for training and placement run employability and soft-skills programmes alongside the academic timetable. The LM Thapar School of Management has its own campus and hostels at Dera Bassi.
- Around 17 hostel blocks on the Patiala campus, with AC and non-AC options.
- Free laundry service for hostel students.
- Separate hostels and a mess at the LM Thapar School of Management campus in Dera Bassi.
- A freshmen bootcamp for new B.E./B.Tech students.
Housing. Hostel rooms are allotted by programme and year by the Dean of Student Affairs; semester fees run from Rs 34,600 to Rs 78,500 plus a Rs 26,900 mess fee.
Location
Patiala, in south-eastern Punjab, is the state's fourth-largest city and the former capital of the princely Patiala State, built around the 18th-century Qila Mubarak fort and known as the Royal City. It is linked by national highways to Delhi and by rail across north India, and the campus lies within the city.
Nearest airport: Chandigarh International Airport (IXC)
Notable alumni
- VK Vimal KapurCEO of Honeywell; electronics engineering (instrumentation) graduate, 1986
- RR Robin RainaCEO of Ebix and founder of the Robin Raina Foundation; industrial engineering graduate, 1989
- AA Aditi AvasthiFounder and CEO of the edtech company Embibe; engineering graduate, 2003
- AK Anoop Kumar MittalFormer chairman and managing director of NBCC; civil engineering graduate
- RB Romesh BatraUniversity Distinguished Professor of engineering science and mechanics at Virginia Tech; mechanical engineering graduate
- DV Deepak VinayakMelbourne engineer and community leader, appointed People of Australia Ambassador; B.Tech in civil engineering
Frequently asked questions
How do I get admission to Thapar (TIET)?
Apply on TIET's admissions portal and take part in its online counselling. Computing and electronics branches admit on JEE Main rank; core branches also admit on 10+2 PCM marks. FN/NRI candidates are admitted on 10+2 merit without an entrance test.
What are Thapar's B.Tech fees?
For students admitted in 2026-27, the programme fee is Rs 4,97,200 a year for most branches and Rs 6,50,000 a year for Computer Engineering, CSE and AI programmes, plus a Rs 30,000 admission fee. Hostel and mess cost roughly Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 2.1 lakh a year.
What are Thapar's fees for international and NRI students?
FN/NRI students pay US$10,000 a year for B.E./B.Tech plus a US$500 admission fee, and are given a scholarship at admission. Hostel fees are the same as for Indian students.
Is Thapar a good university?
It is in the 701-710 band of the QS World University Rankings 2027, 29th in India for engineering in NIRF 2025, and has NAAC A++ and ABET accreditation for eight B.E. programmes.
Does Thapar offer scholarships?
Yes. The top 50 JEE Main rankers admitted get tuition and development fees waived and the next 60 get tuition waived, and core branches offer 20-30% tuition waivers for high PCM marks.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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