The mining branch in IIT BHU is one of the ancillary branches(along with ceramics and Pharmaceutical Engineering) which most students often refrain from. Students often opt for the branch just with the hope of getting a better branch through branch change. Besides, the curriculum is very tough and it requires a humongous effort to get a decent CGPA in the mining branch. 
Also, the branch doesn’t attract noteworthy companies for placements. Students are thus left with the sole option of getting acquainted with the coding culture for securing placements. Furthermore, the branch of Mining Engineering in India is not fully in consonance with the curriculum taught in foreign universities. However, it is pertinent to note that the branch does have considerable scope in many Coal and Mining companies.
So, if you have a profound interest in the branch, only then you should opt for it in IIT BHU Mining. Don’t just go for the IIT tag and choose a branch that offers ample opportunities, both in jobs as well as in further studies.

Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) is a public engineering university, situated in Varanasi. The institute has tie-ups with the University of Cambridge (UK), University of Oxford (UK), University of Sheffield (UK). IIT BHU has been ranked 10th and 11th in the categories engineering and overall by the NIRF rankings in 2019. 

Course details

• The institute offers B.Tech in Mining Engineering as a full-time four-year course at a fee of Rs 8.62 Lakhs for the full period. 
• The course has 112 seats available at the institute. 
• It also offers an integrated B.Tech + M.Tech course in Mining Engineering as a full-time five-year course at a fee of Rs 10.75 lakhs for the full period. 
• This course has 25 seats available at the institute.

Admission Procedure

• The basic admission criteria for B.Tech in Mining is having scored 75% percent in your 10+2 examinations. 
• Further, students are shortlisted on the basis of JEE Advanced scores which is followed by JoSAA counseling.

Facilities

• The institute is built over a massive 1300-acre campus. The institute is home to a well-equipped library which includes journals, study material, magazines, and various e-learning facilities. 
• It has separate boys and girls hostels on-campus. 
• The institute has top-class sporting facilities and various sporting grounds available. The institute also has a number of laboratories. 
• Other facilities such as an auditorium, recreation rooms, gym, and cafeterias are also provided.

Placements

• The course has a great placement rate of approximately 90%. 
• Companies such as Tata Steel, CIL, Jindal Steel, and Amex are some of the top recruiters which visit the campus for the placement season. 
• The lowest salary offered is 6LPA, while the average salary offered is an impressive 10.6LPA. 
• The highest package offered at the institute is 32 LPA.

IIT BHU provides top-class infrastructure and facilities, with the availability of laboratories which make the course curriculum industry-driven. Students are given an enriched learning experience and are given hands-on experience through internships. The placement scenario of the course is also very good, with students landing great placements. Students with interest in the subject should opt for the course at IIT BHU.

IIEST Shibpurholds rank #21 in India by NIRF Rankings in 2020. Admission is based on the rank scored inJEE Mainand for the M.Tech courses, admission is based onGATE results. The total course fee is around 5.48 lakhs with a total of 30 seats.

Admission process

• Admissions are fully based on the results of JEE Mains.With this students are also required to complete 12th with at least 75%.
• The whole application process is online. The application fee for general is 1,500 and for reserved students, it is 1,000 INR.
• In all courses, 50% of the seats are reserved for people outside the West Bengal, and 50% is reserved for the students of West Bengal.
• 3% seats are reserved for physically challenged students and with this 3 seats are also reserved under the defence quota.
• This Institute conducts a separate entrance test and interview for Ph.D. students.

Placements

• The highest package offered to the students is 39.12 lakhs.
• Last year, this Institute break it’s own record in terms of placements. Total 462 offers were made to students and out of them, about 311 got placements.
• Companies like Accenture, Delloite, Infosys, CTS, Wipro, and so on visit campus every year.

The institute offers world-class facilities to students to provide them with great exposure to the industry. Faculty are highly qualified and have great experience in their respective fields.

NIT Durgapur and IIEST Shibpur both are excellent universities for pursuing Bachelor's and Master's in Engineering. Both institutes are located in different parts of West Bengal in famous areas. NIT Durgapur has been ranked and 46th in Engineering Category by the NIRF Rankings in India. It does carry a reputation value to the degree by being a premier institute of Engineering. IIEST is a lesser-known institute but well advanced in their research faculty and content.

In a nutshell:

Courses:

• Metallurgy or Biotechnology at NIT can only be selected after the first year depending on the marks scored by the candidate. Since it is a premier institute, it will be relatively difficult to get the subject of your choice.
• At IIEST, metallurgy is offered in B.Tech however, mining engineering is only offered in the dual program of B.Tech + M.Tech. Thus students who wish to pursue mining engineering at IIEST Shibpur will have to go for the dual degree program.

Admission:

Admission at NIT would be much more competitive than IIEST. It requires a higher JEE mains rank. The choice of the subject involves even more competitiveness as it is done at the end of the first year based on CGPA. Most students who get selected at NIT do not wish to go for metallurgy, however, if you are interested, then it is one of the best institutes. IIEST is relatively easy when it comes to admissions and choice of subjects.

Placements:

• At IIEST metallurgy and mining are considered as research-based subjects and thus do not have high paid placements at the start. However, the mining course does offer better placements and opportunities to study at other premium and specific institutes in India which can land a good job in the future.
• NIT Durgapur, on the other hand, can provide better placements due to its reputation standard.

The B.Tech. program at IIEST may not hold much value, but it is supplemented by excellent research professors who encourage students to take part in national missions and research projects. The competitiveness at NIT won’t provide that opportunity to every student.

Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur (IIEST Shibpur) is the second oldest engineering college in India. It offers 45 courses in Engineering, Management, Science, and Architecture. Admissions are conducted through central exams conducted by UGC like JEE, XAM, etc. IIEST has over 250 faculty members including regular guest faculty. It hosts 4000 students every year for their higher education. Even though the institute is engaged in a number of fields, it is most famous for its B.Tech and M.Tech course of Engineering.

Civil Engineering Department:

The Department of Civil Engineering is one of the oldest departments at IIEST Shibpur. The Civil Engineering course mainly deals with Structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, water resource engineering, environmental engineering, and transportation engineering.

Mining Engineering Department:

The Department of Mining Engineering at IIEST, Shibpur was the pioneer in imparting Mining Engineering education in the country. Today, it stands as one of the most diverse and vibrant departments encompassing all disciplines within Mining Engineering and associates areas.

Opportunities:

• The Department of Civil Engineering is one of the Government of India recognized Quality Improved Programme Centres associated with research and development activities. The Department undertakes sponsored research from the AICTE, MHRD, UGO, CSIR etc.
• The Department of Mechanical Engineering has regular intense interactions with the industries, which help the students to get abreast of the latest developments.

Courses and Duration:

• The Department of Civil Engineering offers the normal 4-semester daytime course. It also runs a 6-semester self-financed course in Structural, Geotechnical, and Environmental Engineering for those currently working. These courses are conducted in the evening.
• The Department of Mechanical Engineering offers a regular 4-semester course. However, there are a number of other courses provided by the college for students who wish to pursue further studies.

Faculty:

• The faculty at the Department of Civil Engineering is exceptional in the terms that they provide students with the knowledge and opportunities required for their career. Many professors have published research papers or are pursuing further research.
• The faculty of Mining Engineering as well is known for its multidisciplinary research skills. They have conducted research in Geometrics, gas extraction, Ergonomics, Remote Sensing, and Mineral Beneficiation. They have also secured research grants over the last few years and look to expand their research by involving students as well.

The table given below gives a brief overview of both the institutes:

Thus it depends entirely upon the student and their interest in Civil or Mechanical Engineering that will help them choose a course. While it is important to mark these differences, any course or college can be the best for the student if he/she knows how to utilize the opportunity completely.

The placements in Mining are moderate with a decent number of students securing placements.

Even though it is the responsibility of the individual to decide as per what they want to opt for, yet in terms of statistics for a particular year is as briefed below:

1. The Average LPA is as mentioned: 4.27, while in terms of the total LPA of IIEST for all the departments of a singular year was 4.38 LPA
2.  Yet, you should not always go as per the average. Some of the students of this institute got placed in Coal India Limited at good packages as well. There were specific 5–6 students who got packages that almost were ranging from 9–10 LPA.
3. The total number of students placed from the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur in certain years were: 18 out of 28.
4. The few other noteworthy companies where students had been seen to get placed, especially in the Mining Department, were: Accenture, Deloitte, Infosys, CTS, Wipro.

The Mining Department of IIEST, Shibpur is nominated by the Government of India as one of the Govt. Agencies, mainly out of five, for verification of Mine Closure Activity. The institute has been the first DST FIST sponsored department as well.