Hi Aatifh, Mechanical engineering would be the more practical branch to take for doing a Bachelors. Mechanical would introduce you to a wider range of topics including Mechatronics and strengthen your foundation.Also, finding a placement is easier if you are from a Mechanical stream than from Mechatronics in India. You will not be able to sit for GATE or state technical exams in Mechatronics because only Mechanical is the option provided there. After doing Bachelors in Mechanical, you can specialise in Mechatronics later if you still have the interest in it. However, if you lose your interest in Mechatronics towards your third or fourth year, you would not have any other stream to escape to.However, the call is always yours. If you have a passion for Mechatronics- want to design robots, work in the production process of space shuttles and develop futuristic gadgets and machines, take mechatronics but do prove your mettle in it. I personally know a guy who became well-acclaimed for making robots and started his own robotics firm, already earning in crores and demonstrating the future of Mechatronics and Robotics in such countries like Germany while he was still in his fourth year. You have two roads, my friend, ahead of you. One is the practical one and the other is the one of passion. Choose whichever leaves you with the least regret for the rest of your life. Best wishes :)