Go for the NITs - You can get into an NIT with a relatively lower JEE score if you do not wish to waste a year.
Give a State-level Engineering Entrance Exam - You can even get into some best engineering branches through state-level exams.
Grab the Seats in Private Colleges - You can opt for private engineering institutes and choose your desired engineering branches.
Re-Appear for JEE Main with Better Preparation - If you cannot clear your JEE main exam in attempt 1, you still have another chance.
The reputation of The College - Is your college accredited by the NBA or NAAC? If yes, it has an Academic delivery Standard and is the right college for you.
Curriculum - The engineering institute must offer a curriculum as per the industry demands & norms. If not, skip it. Also, make sure a University approves it.
Faculty - Once you are sure of the curriculum of the college, learn about its faculty. After all, they will be responsible for teaching you.
Placement Record - Once the engineering institute fulfills all the above criteria, consider its placement record.
Infrastructure - Make sure that your college has all the things an ideal engineering student will need like laboratory equipment, computer labs, libraries, etc.