Quick Verdict
IIT Delhi (Delhi, India's capital) is the tougher institute to get into overall — even its easiest branch (Design) closed at a JEE Advanced (Joint Entrance Examination Advanced, the exam used for IIT admissions) rank of 12,244 in JoSAA 2026 Round 2, while IIT Hyderabad's (Hyderabad, capital of the Indian state of Telangana) easiest branch closed tighter, at rank 8,675. That said, the sourced facts only give detailed, branch-by-branch cutoff data for IIT Delhi — for IIT Hyderabad, only a single institute-wide "easiest branch" figure is available, so a full branch-by-branch comparison (e.g. CSE-to-CSE, Mechanical-to-Mechanical) isn't possible with the data on hand.
Snapshot
| Branch | IIT Delhi (JoSAA 2026 Round 2, Open category, Opening–Closing Rank) | IIT Hyderabad |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science and Engineering (4 Years, Bachelor of Technology) | 35–123 (collegedost.in) | Not available in sourced facts |
| Electrical Engineering (4 Years, Bachelor of Technology) | 403–593 (collegedost.in) | Not available in sourced facts |
| Mechanical Engineering (4 Years, Bachelor of Technology) | 861–2131 (collegedost.in) | Not available in sourced facts |
| Civil Engineering (4 Years, Bachelor of Technology) | 179–4798 (collegedost.in) | Not available in sourced facts |
| Easiest branch institute-wide (2026 last closing rank) | Design: closing rank 12,244 (careers360) | Biotechnology and Bioinformatics: closing rank 8,675 (careers360) |
Detailed Analysis
For IIT Delhi, the sourced JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority, the body that runs centralized counselling for IITs) Round 2 2026 data shows a wide spread across branches. Computer Science and Engineering is by far the most competitive, closing at rank 123 (opening at 35), with the dual-degree CSE variant close behind at 132–211 (collegedost.in). Mathematics and Computing (137–320) and Electrical Engineering (403–805 across its variants) are the next tier down. Civil Engineering has an unusually wide band — opening at rank 179 but closing all the way out at 4,798 — reflecting how a single branch can span a huge range of category- and quota-driven allotments. Textile Technology (5,007–6,151) and Design (4,492–12,244) sit at the lenient end, with Design recording the single widest closing rank of any IIT Delhi program in the 2026 data (collegedost.in).
For IIT Hyderabad, the sourced facts don't include a comparable branch-by-branch breakdown. What is available is a single, institute-wide data point: across all its programs, IIT Hyderabad's most lenient closing rank in 2026 was 8,675, for Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (careers360). Comparing that to IIT Delhi's most lenient branch (Design, closing at 12,244) tells us that even IIT Hyderabad's easiest-to-enter program is more competitive than IIT Delhi's easiest-to-enter program — a useful, if partial, signal that IIT Hyderabad's overall cutoff floor sits higher (i.e., tougher) than IIT Delhi's.
The year-over-year trend is also informative and moves in opposite directions for the two institutes. IIT Delhi's institute-wide last closing rank rose from 10,036 in 2025 to 12,244 in 2026 — a jump of 2,208 ranks, placing it among the ten IITs with the largest such increases, meaning admission there became somewhat easier (careers360). IIT Hyderabad moved the other way, tightening from 9,220 in 2025 to 8,675 in 2026, meaning it became more competitive rather than less (careers360). IIT Delhi also added a new program in 2026 — Abu Dhabi Campus Electrical Engineering — though the sourced facts don't include a cutoff figure for it yet, since it's a newly introduced course (careers360).
Verdict
Winner (harder to get into, i.e. the more selective institute overall): IIT Delhi — even though its cutoffs eased slightly in 2026, its top branches like CSE remain far more selective in absolute rank terms than any figure available for IIT Hyderabad, and IIT Hyderabad's easiest branch is still tighter than IIT Delhi's easiest branch. The one condition under which this comparison should be read cautiously: IIT Hyderabad's branch-wise cutoffs simply aren't in the sourced data here, so this verdict rests on institute-wide "floor" cutoffs rather than a true branch-to-branch comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the CSE cutoff at IIT Delhi?
In JoSAA 2026 Round 2, IIT Delhi's Computer Science and Engineering program opened at rank 35 and closed at rank 123 for the open category (collegedost.in).
Q: What is the CSE cutoff at IIT Hyderabad?
Not available in the sourced facts for this comparison — no branch-wise CSE cutoff figure for IIT Hyderabad was captured in the research for this pair.
Q: Which institute is easier to get into overall?
Based on each institute's most lenient closing rank in 2026, IIT Delhi is easier: its widest closing rank was 12,244 (Design), compared to IIT Hyderabad's 8,675 (Biotechnology and Bioinformatics) (careers360).
Q: Did cutoffs get easier or harder at these two IITs in 2026?
IIT Delhi's cutoffs eased (its last closing rank moved from 10,036 to 12,244), while IIT Hyderabad's tightened (from 9,220 to 8,675) (careers360).
Q: What is the easiest branch to get into at IIT Delhi?
Design, which closed at rank 12,244 in JoSAA 2026 Round 2, the widest closing rank of any IIT Delhi program that year (collegedost.in).
Q: What is the easiest branch to get into at IIT Hyderabad?
Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, which closed at rank 8,675 in 2026 — the institute's most lenient closing rank that year (careers360).
Q: What is the Electrical Engineering cutoff at IIT Delhi?
403–593 (opening–closing rank) in JoSAA 2026 Round 2 for the core program, with a separate Power and Automation variant at 599–805 (collegedost.in).
Q: Is Civil Engineering competitive at IIT Delhi?
It has an unusually wide range — opening at rank 179 but closing as far out as 4,798 — so its competitiveness depends heavily on category and round (collegedost.in).
Related
For the complete picture beyond Branch Cutoffs -- placements, academics, campus life, and more -- see the full IIT Delhi vs IIT Hyderabad comparison.