Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) show a clear shift in student preferences for admissions. More engineering aspirants now choose Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science programs. This trend moves away from traditional core engineering fields, including electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineering.
Computer Science Engineering (CSE) remains the top choice for high-ranking candidates. However, AI admissions among mid-rank holders indicate changing career path trends. The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced results confirm these shifts.
JEE Advanced Qualification Rates Rise
The JEE Advanced saw 54,378 candidates qualify for IIT admissions this year. This number increased from previous years. A total of 180,422 candidates appeared for the exam. The qualifying cut-off for the Common Rank List (CRL) was 20.56%.
The number of students on the CRL also rose. In 2025, 28,481 students were listed in CRL. This compares to 25,778 students in CRL 2024.
AI and Data Science Courses Gain Demand
AI and Data Science courses are increasingly popular among mid-rank JEE Advanced candidates. IIT Madras, ranked India’s top engineering institute, launched its BTech Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics program last year. This program enrolled 19 CRL students in both 2024 and 2025. These students held CRL ranks between 102 and 1140.
Other IITs also saw increased interest in AI and Data Science. IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, IIT Mandi, and IIT Bhilai attracted 69 CRL students for their Data Science and AI programs. This number is up from 46 in 2024. Candidates in these programs held ranks between 564 and 13039.
Fifty students with CRL ranks from 461 to 5962 chose BTech in AI at IIT Kharagpur, IIT Hyderabad, and IIT Gandhinagar. IIT Ropar’s BTech AI and Data Engineering program was selected by 30 candidates with ranks between 2558 and 8247. This specific course had only seven CRL students in 2024, demonstrating a sharp rise in demand. IIT Patna also collaborated with IIM Bodh Gaya to offer an integrated AI and Data Science – MBA program, chosen by five candidates.
AI Course Selections by IIT and Rank
| AI Course / IIT | Number of Candidates | JEE Advanced CRL: Opening and Closing Ranks |
|---|---|---|
| 412L Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics – IIT Madras | 19 | CRL 102 to 1140 |
| 411G Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering – IIT Ropar | 30 | CRL rank 2558 – 8247 |
| 4181 Data Science and Artificial Intelligence – IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, IIT Mandi, IIT Bhilai | 69 | CRL rank 564 – 13039 |
| 4185 Artificial Intelligence – IIT Kharagpur, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Gandhinagar | 50 | CRL 461 to 5962 |
Top Ranks Still Favor Computer Science Engineering
Among top JEE Advanced rank holders, preferences remain consistent. IIT Bombay attracted 73 of the top 100 candidates. It also attracted 105 of the top 200. IIT Delhi and IIT Madras followed these trends. Almost all these seats went to CSE programs. This indicates CSE’s continued dominance among top engineering aspirants.
Core engineering branches show a decline in preference among high performers. Electrical engineering choices appeared only from CRL 106. Mechanical engineering was not chosen before CRL 490. The first AI course selection appeared at CRL 102, ahead of mechanical and chemical engineering. This suggests AI and Data Science programs now serve as preferred alternatives for candidates not securing CSE at top IITs.
Top Candidate Enrollment by IIT
| Institute Name | Top 100 | Top 200 | Top 500 | Top 1000 | Top 2000 | Top 5000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay | 73 | 105 | 183 | 252 | 414 | 755 |
| IIT Delhi | 19 | 44 | 114 | 196 | 303 | 577 |
| IIT Madras | 6 | 35 | 77 | 152 | 224 | 478 |
| IIT Kanpur | 0 | 12 | 40 | 124 | 184 | 448 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 0 | 0 | 47 | 85 | 225 | 517 |
| IIT Roorkee | 0 | 0 | 19 | 50 | 178 | 429 |
| IIT Guwahati | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 145 | 305 |
| IIT Hyderabad | 0 | 0 | 4 | 42 | 111 | 222 |
| IIT (BHU) Varanasi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 81 | 258 |
| IIT Mandi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 |
| IIT Gandhinagar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 87 |
| IIT Indore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 109 |
| IIT Jodhpur | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 |
| IIT Patna | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 75 |
| IIT Ropar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 120 |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| IIT Bhilai | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| IIT Goa | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| IIT Palakkad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| IIT Tirupati | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14 |
| IIT Jammu | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| IIT Dharwad | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 98 | 196 | 484 | 958 | 1,921 | 4,661 |
For future IIT admissions, students must qualify for JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026 .