Best M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India 2026: Fees, Admission, Eligibility & Placements

India has over 150+ specialized institutions offering the M.Tech Data Science or closely related programs (AI/ML), including top-tier institutes like IISc Bangalore, IIT Hyderabad, and IIIT Bangalore. The total fees for these best M.Tech Data Science colleges typically range from ₹1.5 Lakh to ₹5 Lakh for the two-year program, and admission is overwhelmingly based on a valid GATE score followed by a centralized counselling process. Graduates from these premier institutes command starting salaries between ₹12 LPA and ₹28 LPA, offering exceptional Return on Investment (ROI).

Best M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India (Quick List)

IISc Bangalore: The absolute best for research-focused Data Science and AI programs with the highest average placement package.
IIT Hyderabad (IITH): A leader in modern specializations, offering M.Tech in Data Science with strong industry ties and a top-tier placement record.
IIIT Bangalore (IIIT-B): Known for its rigorous, industry-aligned M.Tech in Data Science and AI programs, resulting in premium salaries.
IIT Madras (IITM): Offers highly reputed M.Tech specializations in Computer Science with a strong focus on Data Analytics and Machine Learning.
BITS Pilani: Top private choice with a flexible curriculum, excellent residential programs, and high-paying campus placements.
NIT Trichy (NITT): Premier Government choice outside the IITs, offering value for money with high placement rates in IT and Analytics firms.

List of Best M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India (2026)

Our ranking methodology places strong emphasis on institutions offering a dedicated M.Tech specialization in Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, or Machine Learning, along with high NIRF/NAAC ratings, an excellent faculty-to-student ratio, and consistent placement records in core Data Science roles. Based on these parameters, the top M.Tech Data Science colleges are listed below.

College Name	Ownership	Total Fees
IISc Bangalore	Government (Central)	₹1.5 Lakh – ₹2.5 Lakh
IIT Hyderabad	Government (Central)	₹2.5 Lakh – ₹4.0 Lakh
IIIT Bangalore	Semi-Government	₹9.2 Lakh (Tuition only)
IIT Madras	Government (Central)	₹1.0 Lakh – ₹3.0 Lakh
BITS Pilani	Private	₹4.5 Lakh – ₹5.5 Lakh
NIT Tiruchirappalli (NITT)	Government (Central)	₹1.4 Lakh – ₹1.8 Lakh
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	Private	₹3.5 Lakh – ₹4.5 Lakh
DTU (Delhi Technological University)	Government (State)	₹2.0 Lakh – ₹3.0 Lakh

Top Government M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India

Government institutions—especially IITs and NITs—deliver the strongest return on investment, thanks to their significantly subsidized fees and exceptional placement reputation.

College Name	Total Fees (2 Years)	Exams Accepted
IISc Bangalore	₹1.5 Lakh – ₹2.5 Lakh	GATE
IIT Hyderabad	₹2.5 Lakh – ₹4.0 Lakh	GATE
IIT Delhi	₹1.6 Lakh – ₹2.0 Lakh	GATE
IIT Bombay	₹1.5 Lakh – ₹2.0 Lakh	GATE
NIT Trichy	₹1.4 Lakh – ₹1.8 Lakh	GATE (CCMT)
Jadavpur University	₹10,000 – ₹30,000	GATE

Top Private M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India

The top private colleges compete strongly with government institutes by offering modern, specialized curricula, often in partnership with global tech companies, ensuring high placement salaries.

College Name	Total Fees	Exams Accepted
IIIT Bangalore	₹9.2 Lakh (Tuition only)	GATE
BITS Pilani	₹4.5 Lakh – ₹5.5 Lakh	GATE / BITS HD
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	₹3.5 Lakh – ₹4.5 Lakh	GATE / Amrita Entrance
VIT Vellore	₹3.0 Lakh – ₹4.0 Lakh	VITMEE / GATE
Manipal Institute of Technology	₹4.6 Lakh – ₹5.6 Lakh	MET (PG) / GATE

Fees for M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India

The tuition fees for M.Tech Data Science vary significantly between the subsidized government colleges and the high-end private universities. Candidates securing a valid GATE score are often eligible for the AICTE Stipend.

College	Annual Fees	Total Fees	Hostel Fees
IIT Delhi	₹80,000 – ₹1.0 Lakh	₹1.6 Lakh – ₹2.0 Lakh	₹30,000 – ₹60,000
NIT Trichy	₹70,000 – ₹90,000	₹1.4 Lakh – ₹1.8 Lakh	₹15,000 – ₹30,000
IIIT Bangalore	₹4.6 Lakh (Per Year)	₹9.2 Lakh	₹80,000 – ₹1.2 Lakh
BITS Pilani	₹2.25 Lakh – ₹2.75 Lakh	₹4.5 Lakh – ₹5.5 Lakh	₹40,000 – ₹60,000
Jadavpur University	₹5,000 – ₹15,000	₹10,000 – ₹30,000	₹1,000 – ₹3,000

Eligibility for M.Tech Data Science in India

The eligibility requirements are stringent, demanding a strong technical background and a minimum academic benchmark, often with the compulsory requirement of a GATE score.

Education: B.E./B.Tech. in Computer Science/IT/ECE/EE, or a Master’s degree (M.Sc./MCA) in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or an equivalent discipline.
Minimum Marks: Minimum 60% marks or a CGPA of 6.0/10 in the qualifying undergraduate degree (55% or 5.5 CGPA for SC/ST/PwD).
Entrance Exam Requirement: A valid, non-expired GATE Score is mandatory for admission to all major government colleges (IITs/NITs) and many private institutions.
Subjects: A background in Mathematics and basic Programming (Python/R) is highly preferred and sometimes mandatory.
Age: No strict upper age limit is typically specified for the M.Tech program.

Admission Process for M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India

Admission is predominantly Entrance-based, relying heavily on the GATE score, which is a key differentiator for high-quality intake.

Valid GATE Score: Candidates must secure a valid GATE score in relevant papers (CS, DA, EC, EE, MA, ST, or XE).
COAP Registration: Apply through the centralized counseling portal, COAP (Common Offer Acceptance Portal), for IITs.
CCMT Counselling: Apply through the CCMT (Centralized Counselling for M.Tech/M.Arch/M.Plan) for NITs, IIITs (Non-IIT), and GFTIs.
Institute Application: Fill out the individual institute application form after meeting the minimum GATE cut-off.
Interview/Written Test: Many premier institutes (e.g., IISc, IITs) conduct a mandatory Written Test and/or Interview for final selection.
Final Merit List: Selection is based on the weighted average of the GATE score, academic performance, and interview score.

Entrance Exams for M.Tech Data Science in India

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is the single most important exam for admission to the top M.Tech Data Science colleges.

Exam Name	Conducting Body	Accepted By / Relevance
GATE	IISc & IITs	Mandatory for all top Government colleges (IITs, NITs, IIITs) and AICTE scholarship.
BITS HD	BITS Pilani	University-level test for M.Tech at BITS Pilani campuses.
VITMEE	VIT University	University-level test for M.Tech at VIT campuses.
SRMJEEE (PG)	SRMIST	University-level test for M.Tech at SRMIST.
University/Institute Test	IISc, IIIT Bangalore	Some institutes conduct their own screening test/interview after shortlisting based on GATE.

M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India Without Entrance Exam

Direct admission without a major entrance exam like GATE is exceptionally rare in premier Government colleges. However, some private universities offer admission based on academic merit or their own PG entrance test, which is a lower barrier than GATE.

College Name	Admission Mode	Fees (Range)
Amity University, Noida	Merit in B.Tech + Interview/Amity JEE (PG)	₹3.5 Lakh – ₹5.0 Lakh
Manipal Institute of Technology	Manipal Entrance Test (MET PG) + Interview	₹4.6 Lakh – ₹5.6 Lakh
VIT Vellore	VITMEE (University Exam) / GATE	₹3.0 Lakh – ₹4.0 Lakh

Placements for M.Tech Data Science Colleges in India

M.Tech Data Science placements are among the highest in the engineering domain, driven by the massive demand for specialized talent in AI, ML, and Big Data.

College	Average Package (Range)	Highest Package	Top Recruiters (Sector Examples)
IISc Bangalore	₹22 LPA – ₹28 LPA	₹60+ LPA	Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Goldman Sachs
IIIT Bangalore	₹20 LPA – ₹25 LPA	₹45 LPA	Adobe, Dell, Cisco, Flipkart, Walmart Labs
IIT Hyderabad	₹18 LPA – ₹24 LPA	₹65 LPA	TCS Research, Samsung, Salesforce, JP Morgan
BITS Pilani	₹15 LPA – ₹20 LPA	₹40 LPA	Fidelity, Oracle, IBM, Morgan Stanley
NIT Trichy	₹10 LPA – ₹14 LPA	₹25 LPA	Accenture, Cognizant, Wipro, L&T Technology Services

Top Recruiters for M.Tech Data Science Graduates

The hiring landscape is dominated by multinational technology firms, global consultancy services, and the financial technology (FinTech) sector.

Tech Giants & Product Companies: Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Adobe, Samsung, Salesforce, Dell Technologies.
Consulting & IT Services: Accenture, TCS, Wipro, Cognizant, IBM, Deloitte, Capgemini, Infosys.
Finance & Investment Banks (FinTech): Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Fidelity Investments, Citi.
E-commerce & Analytics: Flipkart, Amazon, Ola, Uber, Mu Sigma, Fractal Analytics, Tiger Analytics.
Research & Government: DRDO, ISRO, TCS Research, Various IIT Research Parks (Data Scientist, Machine Learning Engineer roles).

How to Choose the Best M.Tech Data Science College in India

Selecting the right institution is critical, especially given the rapid pace of change in the Data Science field. Prioritize core faculty, research output, and industry collaboration.

GATE Cut-off: A higher GATE cut-off usually indicates a stronger student cohort and a more competitive learning environment.
Curriculum Focus: Check if the curriculum covers modern topics like Deep Learning, NLP, Big Data technologies (e.g., Apache Spark), and Cloud Platforms (AWS/Azure).
Faculty & Research: Look for faculty with strong publication records (Scopus/Google Scholar) in AI, Machine Learning, and Computational Statistics.
Labs & Computing Infrastructure: Ensure access to high-performance computing (HPC) labs, GPU clusters, and specialized software for Big Data processing.
Placements & Alumni Network: Prioritize colleges with demonstrated placement history in pure Data Scientist/ML Engineer roles, not just generic software jobs.
Industry Collaboration: Look for formal tie-ups, industry-sponsored labs, and mandatory industrial internship components.

FAQs

Q: What is the average salary for an M.Tech Data Science graduate in India?

A: The average starting salary for M.Tech Data Science graduates from top colleges ranges from ₹12 LPA to ₹28 LPA, with the overall industry average being around ₹15.1 LPA for experienced professionals.

Q: Is a GATE score mandatory for M.Tech Data Science admission in IITs?

A: Yes, a valid GATE score (Computer Science, Data Science & AI, or related papers) is mandatory for regular admission and for securing the AICTE fellowship in all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Q: Which M.Tech Data Science colleges offer the best ROI?

A: Government institutions like IISc Bangalore, IIT Hyderabad, and Jadavpur University offer the best ROI due to their low tuition fees and high placement packages.

Q: What is the eligibility for M.Tech Data Science?

A: Candidates must have a B.E./B.Tech (CSE/IT/ECE/EE) or M.Sc. (CS/Math/Stat) degree with a minimum of 60% marks and a valid GATE score.

Q: Are there M.Tech Data Science programs without a GATE score?

A: Yes, some private colleges like Amity and VIT offer admission through their own entrance exams or based on academic merit, but this forfeits the AICTE scholarship.

Q: What are the top recruiting companies for M.Tech Data Science?

A: Top recruiters include tech giants and product companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Adobe, and financial firms like Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.

Q: What is the total fee for M.Tech Data Science at an IIT?

A: The total tuition fee for M.Tech Data Science in IITs is generally low, ranging from ₹1.5 Lakh to ₹3.0 Lakh for the entire two-year duration, not including hostel and mess charges.

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