IIT Kharagpur vs IIT BHU Varanasi: The Complete Comparison

This guide is for a student or parent deciding between IIT Kharagpur (IIT KGP, the oldest Indian Institute of Technology, founded in 1951 in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India) and IIT (BHU) Varanasi (the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, founded in 1919 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, and made a full member of the IIT system in 2012 (source)).

Quick Comparison Table

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IIT Kharagpur if:

Choose IIT (BHU) Varanasi if:

Placements

Snapshot

Analysis

IIT Kharagpur reports a higher average package (₹24.30 L) and a substantially higher highest package (₹2.14 crore) than the figures available for IIT BHU Varanasi (source). One direct comparison source states this plainly: "IIT Kharagpur reports higher average and median packages" (source) — though it's worth noting that source compares IIT Kharagpur's *average* package against IIT BHU's *median* package (₹20.00 L), which are not strictly the same statistic, so the comparison should be read as directional rather than exact.

IIT BHU Varanasi's own placement data shows a positive trend: its 2024 report recorded 352 companies visiting campus, 1,123 students placed, a highest salary of Rs 1.68 crore, and an average salary of Rs 22.56 LPA (source). For the 2025-26 cycle, the same source reports 1,228 students placed and an average package of Rs 29 LPA (source) — a rise in both average package and placement volume year over year, though this later figure isn't directly comparable to IIT Kharagpur's ₹24.30 L average since that figure isn't dated to the same cycle in the researched facts.

No sourced data names specific top recruiters at either institute, so that comparison can't be made without speculating.

Verdict

Winner: IIT Kharagpur — its reported average and highest packages are higher than the comparable IIT BHU figures, though IIT BHU's most recent (2025-26) average package trend is worth watching.

Academics

Snapshot

Discussion

IIT Kharagpur has more than double IIT BHU Varanasi's faculty count (928 vs. 381) and roughly double the course catalog (202 courses vs. 87) (source) (source). Dividing the sourced student and faculty counts gives Kharagpur a faculty-to-student ratio of roughly 1:17, somewhat tighter than IIT BHU's roughly 1:21. On curriculum flexibility, Wikipedia notes IIT Kharagpur is among the IITs that have "abolished the practice of branch-change to reduce stress" and also among those offering students the option to pursue a double major degree (source) — the researched facts don't confirm whether IIT BHU Varanasi follows either policy, so no comparison can be made there. On national rankings, sources show some disagreement on the exact current figures: one 2025 NIRF Engineering ranking table places Kharagpur at rank 3 (score 83.91) and IIT (BHU) Varanasi at rank 14 (score 74.39) (source), while a separate comparison tool reports "NIRF 2026" figures of Engineering rank 5 / Overall rank 6 for Kharagpur and Engineering rank 10 / Overall rank 10 for IIT BHU (source). Both sources agree Kharagpur ranks meaningfully higher than IIT BHU, even if the precise rank numbers differ by source and year.

Verdict

Winner: IIT Kharagpur, on faculty scale, course breadth, and a consistently higher NIRF standing across both cited rankings.

Branch Cutoffs

The researched facts for this pair do not include branch-by-branch cutoffs (such as separate CSE, Electrical, Mechanical, or Civil rank cutoffs) for either institute — only overall JEE Advanced 2025 rank ranges by category are available:

(source)

Cutoffs differ mainly because IIT Kharagpur is older, larger, and more highly ranked, which drives higher (i.e., tougher, lower-numbered) demand at the top end of its rank range across categories, while IIT BHU Varanasi's wider range — as one source notes, "cutoff ranges are similar, with variations by branch and category" (source) — reflects a broader spread of seats across its programs. Note that in the ST category, IIT BHU's best (lowest) rank of 155 is actually higher-numbered (i.e., slightly less tight) than Kharagpur's 68, but its range extends to a better closing rank (1,989) than Kharagpur's (2,103) — so the two institutes are close in that category specifically.

Campus Life

IIT Kharagpur

Pros:

Cons:

IIT (BHU) Varanasi

Pros:

Cons:

Verdict: IIT Kharagpur, on the strength of its larger scale and stronger rankings, though the sourced facts don't offer enough granular campus-life detail (hostels, clubs, day-to-day student experience) to make this a fully data-driven call.

Research Opportunities

The researched facts offer limited detail on research infrastructure for either institute. IIT Kharagpur's larger faculty base (928) and larger annual budget (₹1,302.45 crore, or about US$140 million) (source) suggest greater overall research capacity than IIT BHU Varanasi, for which no budget figure is available in the sourced material (source). Kharagpur is also specifically noted for strength in Mining and Ocean Engineering as a specialisation (source). No sourced facts cover publication counts, number of labs, international collaborations, or PhD program specifics for either institute, so a detailed research-ecosystem comparison beyond faculty size and budget isn't possible from the available data.

Verdict: IIT Kharagpur, based on its larger faculty base and budget — though this is an inference from scale rather than a direct measure of research output for either institute.

Alumni Network

The researched facts for this comparison do not include specific, sourced alumni data for either institute, so this table cannot be filled in without fabricating names or figures.

Student Perspective

Pros and Cons

Final Verdict

Across every metric with comparable sourced data — faculty size, course count, NIRF Engineering ranking, and reported placement packages — IIT Kharagpur comes out ahead of IIT (BHU) Varanasi. It should be the default choice for a student optimizing for institutional scale, ranking, and reported placement outcomes. That said, a student should still consider IIT BHU Varanasi if a wider (more attainable) JEE Advanced rank range matters, if the historic Banaras Hindu University setting appeals, or if the most recent placement trend data (a reported Rs 29 LPA average for 2025-26) continues to hold up — since on that one data point, IIT BHU's most recent figure is not clearly behind Kharagpur's.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which is ranked higher, IIT Kharagpur or IIT BHU Varanasi?

A: IIT Kharagpur — for example, at NIRF Engineering rank 3 (score 83.91) versus IIT BHU's rank 14 (score 74.39) in the same 2025 dataset (source).

Q: Which institute pays more on placement, on average?

A: IIT Kharagpur's reported average package (₹24.30 L) is higher than IIT BHU's 2024 average (₹22.56 LPA), though IIT BHU's reported 2025-26 average (Rs 29 LPA) is higher still, from a different placement cycle (source) (source).

Q: How many courses does each institute offer?

A: IIT Kharagpur offers 202 courses versus IIT BHU's 87 (source).

Q: Is IIT BHU Varanasi older than IIT Kharagpur?

A: Yes, as an institution — it traces back to 1919 as the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, though it only became a formal IIT in 2012, while IIT Kharagpur was founded as an IIT in 1951 (source).

Q: Is branch-level cutoff data available for this pair?

A: No — the researched facts only include overall JEE Advanced 2025 rank ranges by category, not specific branch (e.g., CSE, Mechanical) cutoffs for this pair (source).

Q: What is IIT Kharagpur's highest reported package?

A: ₹2.14 crore, versus IIT BHU's reported 2024 highest of ₹1.68 crore (source) (source).

Q: How big is IIT BHU Varanasi's campus?

A: About 400 acres, per one comparison source (source). A comparable acreage figure for IIT Kharagpur is not present in these researched facts.

Q: Does IIT Kharagpur allow branch changes?

A: No — Wikipedia lists IIT Kharagpur among IITs that have abolished branch-change to reduce student stress (source). No comparable policy detail is sourced for IIT BHU.

Q: Is there sourced data on notable alumni for either institute?

A: No — the researched facts don't include specific alumni names, startup founders, or global-presence data for either institute.

Q: Which institute has more faculty per student?

A: IIT Kharagpur, with a calculated ratio of roughly 1 faculty per 17 students versus roughly 1 per 21 at IIT BHU, based on the sourced faculty and student counts (source).

At a Glance

Sources