5 Toughest Engineering Branches in India

The top 5 toughest engineering branches in India are Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Nuclear Engineering and Electrical Engineering. Students willing to gain admission to any of these branches should achieve more than 75% in 10+2 and a high percentile in entrance examinations like JEE Main, BITSAT, IES and more.

Admission to these engineering branches may seem difficult, but they offer dynamic and promising career opportunities. Students can expect lucrative salaries ranging from INR 8 Lakh to INR 65 Lakh.

Thus, interested students must learn about these engineering programmes. This article will provide all the information on the toughest branches of engineering in India.

Exploring the Toughest Engineering Branches in India

Engineering is one of the most popular career choices for students in India. Hiring managers from across industries seek skilled and professional engineers with a knack for learning.

However, engineers from certain in-demand and tough engineering branches are preferred over others. The top 5 toughest engineering branches in India 2025 are discussed below in detail:

1. Aerospace Engineering
2. Nuclear Engineering
3. Electrical Engineering
4. Chemical Engineering
5. Mechanical Engineering

1. Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace engineering mainly deals with the designing, development and maintenance of satellites, aircraft and spacecraft. Aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering are two important branches of aerospace engineering.

Aerospace engineers work in various industries, like aerospace manufacturing, defence, government research and development, commercial aviation, space exploration, etc.

Also Read: Aeronautical Engineering vs Aerospace Engineering

2. Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear Engineering is one of the toughest branches of engineering in India, which includes the study of designs and systems that utilise energy from nuclear processes. Nuclear engineers are often engaged in building, maintaining and sustaining the nuclear facilities while ensuring safety and efficiency in power generation and waste management.

Nuclear engineers work in numerous industries, including radiation safety, Nuclear weapons development and testing, nuclear research and more.

3. Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is the field of education that studies, designs, and develops electrical systems. The theoretical knowledge is applied to create electrical systems, devices, and equipment.

Electrical engineers work on various projects, from power generation and distribution to telecommunications and electronics.

Also Read: Career Scope of Electrical Engineering in Future

4. Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering is also one of the most difficult branches of engineering, requiring a thorough knowledge of chemistry and physics. Students learn about chemical properties, bonds, atomic properties, thermodynamics, chemical reactions, etc, which form the core of chemical engineering.

The engineers are involved in the invention and production of various chemical products. They also design, develop, and operate chemical plants and processes. Chemical engineers plan and work in chemical plants and chemical processes.

5. Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering is also one of the toughest branches of engineering that combines the study of physics, mathematics and material science to design, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems. Mechanical engineers build complex machinery and equipment and collaborate with architects and computer scientists to work on projects.

Also Read: Tier 1 Engineering Colleges in India 2025

Entrance Exams in India for Top Branches in Engineering

To gain admission to the toughest branch in engineering in India, aspirants must appear for several national, state and university-level entrance tests. Engineering entrance exams are considered tough, and the cutoffs are high.

Here are 5 top engineering entrance exams in India that offer admission to the toughest engineering branches:

1. JEE Main

JEE Main stands for Joint Entrance Examination, which is held by the NTA (National Testing Agency) to admit students to B.Tech, B.Plan, and B.Arch programs. Candidates who secure a good percentile in JEE Mains can expect admission to IITs, top NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and other top engineering colleges in the country.

2. JEE Advanced

JEE Advanced is the next step after JEE Main for admission to the toughest engineering branches in India. Students with 90 per cent and above in JEE Main can only apply for JEE Advanced. Top-tier colleges, including IITs, participate in the admission process.

The cutoffs are generally high, and seats are limited for admissions.

3. GATE

Graduate Aptitude Test for Engineering is the abbreviation for GATE. As the name suggests, this exam is conducted for admission into M.Tech and PhD courses.

The GATE examination is difficult to pass, as the competition is fierce. However, students with excellent knowledge of their respective subjects can pass it.

4. IES

IES is the short form of Indian Engineering Services. The exam is conducted by the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) to recruit candidates for various engineering positions in the Indian Government.

Students applying for this examination are high, and only a few students can serve the government.

5. BITSAT

Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test, popularly known as BITSAT. It is a university-level examination.

The questions for the entrance examination are almost parallel to JEE Mains. Hence making it hard to crack.

Scope of Engineering

Students are often confused about whether admission to the toughest engineering branches is worth the cost. A career as an engineer is promising.

Let's have a look at the bright side of being an engineer:

• Engineers can apply in various fields of employment based on their area of interest.
• They usually research, develop, and launch new products and services.
• Further, all new inventions in the field of science and technology are promoted by engineers.
• Engineers can also work as researchers to contribute more to society.
• Lastly, engineers can also become scientists by researching their field of interest more.

Also Read: Engineering Courses After 12th