I am currently pursuing engineering in computer science and nowadays.  There's a lot of news about how computer science engineers from top institute like IIT's bag highly paid jobs, so what one can do to land on those jobs, if I'm not from an IIT?

Well the best way is to prove that you are talented. For computer science engineers its pretty simple. Solve a lot of problems in the coding platforms like: 1> Topcoder 2> Spoj 3> Interviewstreet Take part in the ACM ICPC and other international coding competitions. If you do well enough you gain visibility amongst other good coders in the community. Win some programming competitions. Then apply to the companies online (if they don't visit your campus). Solve the puzzles on their website and they will notice you. Once you get an interview, then the above practiced problems will definitely help you. Well, but to begin with, make sure you have your fundamentals clear. I assume you already have had a course in Algorithms/Data-structures. If not start with Cormen/Klenberg-Tardos's algorithms book. Happy Coding!

one answer: CODE IMHO the key to getting these kinds of jobs is your ability to code, hard and big problems in as less time as possible. You can start doing that from the 1st year or whenever from the online programming contest sites like: CodChef TopCoder Codeforces InterviewStreet SPOJ ACM ICPC problems etc... They have a varied set of problems and if you are able to solve them then you have the insight of a true programmer. after that you just need to be able to speak good enough during an interview. They may even hire you based on your contest performance and the reputations you acquire on these sites. but usually you do have to go through a rigorous interview process. but trust me if you able to solve the hardest problems on these sites. then the interview questions and puzzels that they ask are walk in a garden. These sites also have lots of material about approaching and thinking about problems and eventually solving them. but you do need to have a text book study to know about the topic landscape. Good Luck, and Start Early and be focused, its a long journey :)

No dude, Just to let you know that you are not better than those IIT's boy or let's say any other boy. The fact that you are posting this question instead of doing something about not being at IIT proves it. I have seen people getting still better jobs not because they are from IIT's but they did something interesting and posting such questions on quora is definitely not one of them There are lot of other ways to prove your worth to any hotshot company. Just so you are interested go spend some time on these or something which really interests in computer science field 1. http://kaggle.com 2. google code jam 3. http://codechef.com 4. Facebook hacker's cup 5. Google summer of code

College/University/Institutes teach us a prescribed course for a specific/general stream of education e.g. Computer Science, Electronics or Mathematics. In some ways that college education made us like – how to survive in this world ? To earn the living, It’s something like  to provide the services by offering the skills we have. It starts from the beginner level and move to advanced level. But other than that : Why Google will not hire you ?, Here Google doesn't mean the Google, it means any company which is very creative to introduce the computer science related products e.g. Google, Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, ..or any one else which you feel to be a reasonable fit Please see the attached ppt, that provide few points that might be helpful to plan the missing things around you If exist. http://www.slideshare.net/esumit/why-googlewillnothireyou-24thmay2013sumitarora

Don't worry bro. Just learn. If programming is your passion then u will love everything about it.i had same question in my mind few months ago. I was doing BCA 1st semester. They were not teaching good so I dropped out and now i m self learning programming through Internet and I have no worries coz I m not studying to get job in fb, google. I m studying to create something new different by myself. Don't study to get jobs in fb, Google. Just study to be a good programmer and Facebook will automatically hire u. Enjoy don't run behind job.

Learn skills/specialties and earn certifications in related fields. See http://www.payscale.com/rcsearch.aspx?category=&str=computer+engineer&CountryName=United+States&SourceId=