Manipal University and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) are two of the finest professional institutions in India prominently known for their engineering programs. The former institution is located in Karnataka near the Swarna river, whereas the latter is situated in the Vellore city of Tamil Nadu. Being the topmost private deemed universities of South India, Manipal and VIT often fall under the comparison by students seeking admission in their preferred professional courses.
Let’s evaluate these universities based on academic structure, student capacity, campus architecture, course fees, facilities, etc., to decide which is better – Manipal or VIT.
Learning Curriculum
Both universities share a scale of similarities in course structure, and their minor specialization is one of them. Manipal University is known for offering professional exposure upfront, which is a bonus for students. Also, Manipal provides six program electives and two open electives, and every major must include a minor specialization for completing the course.
The course structure of VIT isn’t that different from Manipal, but they provide a fully flexible credit system that simplifies the concept of ‘double major’ for students. It means that you can have your major in an engineering program and a specialization in the management field. However, FFCS has always been a subject of contradiction for professional courses, and it might be a negative point for some admission seekers.
Faculty & Recognition
Manipal University is a self-funded educational institution, and its student-teacher ratio is higher than any other engineering college. On the contrary, the faculty in VIT doesn’t have that kind of reputation. Different types of students judge the faculty as per their opinion, so comparing the faculty (that changes over a fixed span) may not be the best idea.
Since these are private engineering universities, people outside India don’t recognize them. These institutions are counted amongst India’s best private engineering colleges, but international recognition hinges on the top layer of popular options.
Annual Admission Capacity
So, this is the part that gets students’ attention looking for admission to well-established private engineering colleges. Manipal University is far better than VIT in terms of faculty-to-student ratio. Manipal accepts only 1800 students every year to scale up the crowd as per their teaching staff and campus size.
On the other hand, VIT accepts 3600 admission applications each year, significantly a dense count as per their campus architecture, facilities, and faculty. If you expect a less crowded facility for professional learning, Manipal is the option for you. Though, VIT isn’t that bad either because its fees structure is slightly more convenient than Manipal, which seems like a fair deal for students’ increased capacity.
Campus & Surroundings
Manipal University ensures to simplify professional learning for students with in-campus flexibilities and educational facilities. There are no such restrictions around the place, and students are sometimes seen hanging around the beaches nearby. VIT is precisely the opposite of it as it has certain rules for students inside the campus.
The remote location of Manipal University might be a down point for some students. Mangalore is the closest city to the campus which is like 90 minutes away. Bangalore is 9 hours away from the place, so accessibility is quite time-consuming. VIT has the upper hand in this segment as it is close to Bangalore and Chennai.
Fee Structure
The fee structure of both these universities is vividly discrete, but the range somehow matches at the end of a program. Manipal University has a uniform fee arrangement which is generally high. VIT Vellore has a varying fee range for category 1 & 2 and Category 2, 4, & 5 students.
Manipal University is considerably better than VIT in terms of hostel facilities, faculty, and placements. VIT isn’t far behind either. Their program layout based on FFCS can be an advantage for many aspiring engineers.