Which are the best engineering courses besides IITs which are at par with them as far as the academics and placements are concerned?

No doubt, IITs are the best, but some colleges under COMEDK are at par with IITs, like RV College of engineering, PES College, M.S Ramaiah and also Dhirubhai Ambani College in Gujrat and VJTI Mumbai. These are some of the colleges which is good in placement and academics.

Except IIIT Hyderabad for CSE, BITS Pilani in some of its courses. No other college is comparable to an IIT. Though, there are many good colleges but you can keep them in competition with good NITs but never against IITs.