How do career prospects compare for Metallurgical Engineering and Engineering Design at top institutes versus CSE/AI at second-tier institutes? Can students exit dual degree programs with a B.Tech?

In both the mentioned departments, there are amazing opportunities, be it for placements or higher studies. The ED curriculum is interdisciplinary and covers domains ranging from Electronics to Robotics. This opens up job as well as research opportunities in these domains. Both metallurgical engineering and engineering design also have ample job opportunities in the core sector. If the student is considering higher studies, then the top 5 IITs offer exemplary research opportunities. Students quite often go on to pursue degrees from the topmost universities in the world like MIT, Harvard, Stanford, etc. Even in the non-core sector, most companies offer SDE/AI roles are open to students from all departments. Along with that, some of the top firms in these domains prioritise recruitment from the older IITs, so this is truly the place to be at. Yes, from 2024, IIT Madras has also introduced an early exit option for students who may wish to pursue alternative paths.