Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Master of Technology (Research) programme at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal is a research-oriented postgraduate engineering degree offered full-time on campus across 14 engineering and science departments. The programme spans a minimum of 2 years (4 semesters) and is designed to develop deep research expertise in specialised engineering domains. Total fees for day scholars amount to approximately Rs. 2.02 lakhs for the full programme, while hostellers pay approximately Rs. 3.80 lakhs (excluding mess charges). Admission is primarily based on GATE score (70% weightage), making it one of the most sought-after research programmes at a top-ranked NIT. With a total intake of 63 seats for 2026-27 and GATE scholarship of Rs. 12,400 per month, the programme is highly popular among engineering graduates seeking research careers in academia and industry.

Admissions for the 2026-27 session are currently ongoing. The application portal opened on March 9, 2026, and the last date for online submission is April 20, 2026. Candidates must also submit hard copies by April 24, 2026. Selection tests and interviews are scheduled for May 20-22, 2026, with the provisional merit list to be published on June 1, 2026.

Key Points

NITK Surathkal is ranked among the top NITs in India and is declared an Institute of National Importance under the NIT Act 2007.
The M.Tech (Research) programme is available across 14 departments covering Engineering, Sciences, and Management disciplines with 29 specialisations.
Candidates with a valid GATE score are eligible for a monthly scholarship of Rs. 12,400 for up to 24 months, subject to maintaining a CGPA of 6.0 or above.
The programme offers three seat categories: Scholarship seats (GATE-based), Sponsored seats (full-time and part-time from industry/institutions), and Internal Registrant seats (NITK staff).
Selection is based on: Academic performance in qualifying exam (10%), GATE score (70%), Written test (10%), and Technical presentation/interview (10%).
SC/ST/PwD candidates are exempted from payment of tuition fees (not applicable to External/Internal Registrants).
The programme is offered in full-time on-campus mode at NITK Surathkal's 300-acre residential campus on the Arabian Sea coast.
NITK provides world-class research infrastructure including a Central Research Facility, Central Library with 1.5 lakh print materials and 12,045 e-journals, and campus-wide high-speed internet.

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Scholarships
Placements
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FAQs

NITK M.Tech (Research) Fees

The M.Tech (Research) programme at NITK Surathkal is competitively priced for a premier research institution. The tuition fee is Rs. 35,000 per semester, and the total day scholar fee for the first semester is Rs. 75,760, which includes one-time admission and other charges. From the second semester onwards, the fee reduces to Rs. 42,050 per semester. SC/ST/PwD candidates are exempt from tuition fees. Hostellers pay an additional Rs. 9,260 per semester as hostel rent, plus provisional mess charges of approximately Rs. 35,310 for the first semester.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Semester 1 (Rs.)	Semester 2 onwards (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	35,000	35,000
Institute Admission Fee (one-time)	1,410	-
Development Fee	2,820	2,820
Security Deposit (refundable, one-time)	7,040	-
NITK Alma Mater Endowment Contribution (one-time)	2,820	-
Convocation Fee (one-time)	3,480	-
Library Resource Fee	4,230	4,230
Career Development Fee (one-time)	2,900	-
Health Care Facility (one-time)	1,740	-
Student Activities Fee (one-time)	6,950	-
Campus Amenities (one-time)	1,740	-
Group Insurance Coverage (one-time)	1,000	-
Computing Resource Fee (one-time)	4,630	-
Day Scholar Total Fee	75,760	42,050
Hostel Rent (shared accommodation)	9,260	9,260
Hosteller Total Fee	85,020	51,310
Total Fees - Day Scholar (4 Semesters)	Rs. 2,01,910
Total Fees - Hosteller (4 Semesters, excl. mess)	Rs. 2,68,950

Security Deposit of Rs. 7,040 is refundable at the time of leaving the institute.
Mess charges are separate and provisional: approximately Rs. 35,310 for the first semester (includes Rs. 22,000 mess advance + establishment and maintenance charges).
Mess fees are subject to revision.
SC/ST/PwD candidates are exempted from tuition fee payment (exemption not applicable to External Registrants and Internal Registrants).
Part A fees (one-time charges) increase at 5% per year for each new batch.
Part B fees increase at 5% per year for all students from 2024-25 batch onwards.
Refund policy: Full refund (minus Rs. 1,000 processing fee) if withdrawal is before the closing date of admission.
Only security deposit is refunded if withdrawal is after the closing date.
No refund after joining.
No EMI options are mentioned in the official bulletin.
Fee payment is through NEFT/RTGS/IMPS/Cash Deposit/Bank Gateway.
Application fee: Rs. 500 for General/OBC/EWS candidates; Rs. 150 for SC/ST/PwD candidates.

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NITK M.Tech (Research) Admission 2026

Admissions to the M.Tech (Research) programme at NITK Surathkal for 2026-27 are currently open. The application portal opened on March 9, 2026, and the process involves online application submission followed by a written test and technical interview conducted in offline mode at NITK campus. Candidates are selected primarily on the basis of their GATE score, which carries 70% weightage in the overall evaluation.

NITK M.Tech (Research) Admission Calendar 2026-27

Event	Date
Opening of Application Portal	March 9, 2026 (Monday)
Last Date for Online Submission of Applications	April 20, 2026 (Monday), 23:59 hours
Last Date for Hard Copy of Applications to Reach NITK	April 24, 2026 (Friday), 17:00 hours
Dispatch of Call Letters to Shortlisted Candidates	May 4, 2026 (Monday)
Selection Test and/or Interview (Offline at NITK)	May 20-22, 2026 (Wednesday to Friday)
Last Date for Sending Merit List by Departments	May 25, 2026 (Monday)
Publication of Provisional Selection/Merit List	June 1, 2026 (Monday)
Online Fee Payment for Selected Candidates	June 2-12, 2026
Last Date for Admission Offer to Waitlisted Candidates	To be announced
Physical Reporting and Document Verification	To be announced
Class Start Date	To be announced

GATE 2026 Exam Dates (Primary Qualifying Exam for M.Tech Research Admission)

Event	Date
GATE 2026 Registration	August 28 - October 13, 2025
GATE 2026 Admit Card Release	January 13, 2026
GATE 2026 Exam	February 7, 8, 14, 15, 2026
GATE 2026 Answer Key Release	February 19, 2026
GATE 2026 Result	March 19, 2026

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must have passed B.E./B.Tech. or equivalent degree with a minimum CGPA of 6.5 (on a 10-point scale) or 60% aggregate marks. For SC/ST/PwD candidates, the minimum is CGPA 6.0 or 55% marks.
A valid GATE score is mandatory for scholarship seats. Candidates without GATE may apply for sponsored/non-scholarship seats with a minimum of 2 years of full-time work experience in the sponsoring organisation.
The qualifying degree must be in a relevant engineering/science discipline as specified by the respective department's DPGC (Department Post Graduate Committee).

Admission Process:

Register and submit the online application through the IRIS portal at iris.nitk.ac.in by April 20, 2026, and pay the application fee (Rs. 500 for General/OBC/EWS; Rs. 150 for SC/ST/PwD).
Send the hard copy of the completed application form along with payment receipts and supporting documents to the Assistant Registrar (Academic), NITK Surathkal, to reach by April 24, 2026.
Shortlisted candidates will receive call letters by email by May 4, 2026.
Appear for the offline written test and/or technical interview at NITK Surathkal campus between May 20-22, 2026 (at candidate's own cost).
Selection is based on: Academic performance in qualifying exam (10%), GATE score (70%), Written test (10%), Technical presentation/interview (10%).
Provisional merit list will be published on June 1, 2026. Selected candidates must complete online fee payment between June 2-12, 2026.
Submit original documents and report physically for admission as per the schedule announced later.
Note: Candidates applying to more than one department/specialisation must submit separate applications with separate application fees for each.

NIT Surathkal: Students' Opinion

AI-Generated Summary based on 1 Reviews

From their final year, students can participate in campus placements, attracting top companies from the engineering and IT sectors. The highest salary package offered is a CTC of 24 lakhs per annum, and nearly 90% of students secure placements each year. The tuition fee is set according to AICTE standards. Some banks provide student loans with zero interest. Internships are available in the third year, depending on students' performance, but there are no job opportunities on campus.

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NITK M.Tech (Research) Scholarships 2026

NITK Surathkal offers a significant GATE-based scholarship for M.Tech (Research) students, making the programme financially accessible for meritorious candidates. In addition to the institute scholarship, students can avail several external scholarships from government bodies, PSUs, and private organisations. The GATE scholarship alone can offset a substantial portion of the total programme fees, making the net cost of the programme very low for scholarship holders.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship	Amount	Eligibility	Duration
GATE Scholarship (MoE/NITK)	Rs. 12,400 per month	Valid GATE score; CGPA 6.0 or above; Indian Nationals only	Up to 24 months (4 semesters)
Reliance Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship	Up to Rs. 2 Lakhs per year	Merit-based; PG students in STEM	1 year (renewable)
IndiaAI Fellowship	As per scheme	UG/PG/PhD students in AI-related fields	As per scheme
TCS Research Scholar Programme	Rs. 91,000 per month (PhD); varies for PG	Research scholars; merit-based	As per scheme
SC/ST Financial Assistance (NITK)	As per scheme	SC/ST students	Annual
NSP Scholarship (National Scholarship Portal)	As per government norms	SC/ST students	Annual
PM YASASVI Scholarship	As per government norms	OBC/EBC/DNT students	Annual
Vidyalakshmi Scholarship Scheme	As per scheme	Merit-cum-means basis	Annual

The GATE scholarship is the primary and most significant scholarship for M.Tech (Research) students at NITK.
It is subject to maintaining a CGPA of 6.0 or above and passing all registered courses.
The scholarship will be stopped if the student receives an FF/FA/N grade in any subject until the subject is cleared.
Students receiving the GATE scholarship cannot receive any other salary or stipend from any other source simultaneously.
GATE scholarship holders must undertake 8-10 hours per week of teaching/research assistance work as assigned by the institute.
External scholarships have their own application deadlines and eligibility criteria.
Students are advised to check the NITK Scholarships page (nitk.ac.in/Scholarships) for updated listings each academic year.
SC/ST/PwD students are additionally exempt from tuition fee payment.

NITK M.Tech (Research) Placement 2026

The M.Tech (Research) programme at NITK Surathkal has a strong placement record, particularly for research-oriented roles in top technology companies and R&D organisations. While placement data specific to M.Tech (Research) across all departments is not separately published, department-level data is available. For instance, the M.Tech (IT) programme at NITK recorded a highest package of Rs. 32.57 LPA and an average package of Rs. 15.46 LPA in 2024-25, with 30 out of 32 eligible students placed. M.Tech (Research) graduates are also well-positioned for academic careers, higher studies (PhD), and research roles in PSUs and MNCs. The institute's Career Development Centre (CDC) actively facilitates placements for all PG programmes.

M.Tech (IT) Placement Statistics

Placement Metric	M.Tech (IT) 2024-25	M.Tech (IT) 2023-24
Eligible Students	32	34
Students Placed	30 + 2 (off-campus)	26
Highest Package	Rs. 32.57 LPA	Rs. 34.10 LPA
Average Package	Rs. 15.46 LPA	Rs. 15.00 LPA

The above data is specific to M.Tech (IT) at NITK.
Placement statistics for M.Tech (Research) across all departments are not separately published by the institute.
M.Tech (Research) graduates typically pursue roles in R&D, academia, and senior technical positions in industry.

NIT Surathkal M.Tech Research Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#12 out of 500 in India 2025

#1st in Karnataka

NIRF Ranking

#17 out of 300 in India 2025

#1st in Karnataka

Outlook Ranking

#8 out of 25 in Top Public Colleges in India 2025

IIRF Ranking

#32 out of 160 in Top Public Colleges in India 2025

#1st in Karnataka

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NITK M.Tech (Research) FAQs

Ques. Is GATE mandatory for admission to M.Tech (Research) at NITK Surathkal?

Ans. A GATE score is mandatory for scholarship seats (B.1 category) and carries 70% weightage in the selection process. However, candidates can also apply for non-scholarship sponsored seats (B.2.1 and B.2.3 categories) without a GATE score, provided they have a minimum of 2 years of full-time work experience in the sponsoring organisation. Internal NITK staff can apply under the Internal Registrant category (B.2.2) without GATE.

Ques. What is the difference between M.Tech (Research) and the regular M.Tech at NITK?

Ans. The M.Tech (Research) is a research-focused programme where the primary output is a research thesis, and students work closely with faculty on original research problems. The regular M.Tech (offered through CCMT/GATE counselling) is a coursework-heavy programme with a project component. M.Tech (Research) students are more likely to pursue PhD or R&D careers, while regular M.Tech graduates typically enter industry directly. The fee structure and scholarship amounts are the same for both programmes.

Ques. Can I apply to multiple departments/specialisations for M.Tech (Research) at NITK?

Ans. Yes, you can apply to more than one department or specialisation. However, you must submit a separate application form along with a separate application fee payment for each department/specialisation you wish to apply to.

Ques. What is the monthly stipend for M.Tech (Research) students at NITK, and for how long is it paid?

Ans. Students with a valid GATE score receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 12,400 for up to 24 months (4 semesters). The stipend is subject to maintaining a CGPA of 6.0 or above and passing all registered courses. If a student receives an FF/FA/N grade in any subject, the scholarship is stopped until the subject is cleared. Students must also undertake 8-10 hours per week of teaching/research assistance work.

Ques. What are the part-time options available in M.Tech (Research) at NITK?

Ans. NITK offers two part-time categories under M.Tech (Research): Internal Registrants (B.2.2) who are sponsored institute or project staff of NITK, and External Registrants (B.2.3) who are sponsored by industry, educational institutes, or other organisations. External registrants must have a minimum of 2 years of full-time work experience in the sponsoring organisation. They can carry out research work in their parent organisation after fulfilling certain prerequisites at NITK, and residential requirements may be waived for them.

Ques. How competitive is the M.Tech (Research) admission at NITK Surathkal, and what GATE score is typically required?

Ans. NITK Surathkal is one of the top-ranked NITs in India, and competition for M.Tech (Research) seats is significant. The total intake for 2026-27 is 63 seats across all departments. Since GATE score carries 70% weightage, a high GATE score is critical. While NITK does not publish specific GATE cutoffs for M.Tech (Research), candidates with GATE scores above 600-650 (out of 1000) in their respective papers generally have a good chance, though this varies by department and category. Candidates are advised to check department-specific requirements and previous year trends before applying.

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Fees and Financial Aid:

The tuition fee is as per the AICTE standards. Some banks provide student loans with zero interest. Internships are provided in the 3rd year. Internships will be conducted on students' performance. There are no campus jobs.

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