IIT

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are a group of autonomous public technical universities in India, established to train engineers and technologists and to conduct basic and applied research. Administered by the federal government, the IITs are among the most prestigious engineering institutions in India and internationally. There are 23 IITs located in various cities, each operating under the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, as bodies corporate with full autonomy in academic matters.

The first IIT was IIT Kharagpur, established in 1951. Subsequent IITs were founded in cities such as Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur, and Guwahati during the 1950s and 1960s, with further expansions and new campuses in later decades. In 1961 the IIT Council was formed to coordinate policy across the institutes. From the 2000s onward, several new IITs were established and existing ones expanded, leading to the current network of institutions.

Admission to undergraduate programs is primarily through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), with performance in JEE Advanced typically determining entry to most BTech programs. In addition to undergraduate degrees, IITs offer Master of Technology (MTech), Master of Science (MSc), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Doctoral (PhD) programs, along with dual-degree and interdisciplinary options. Each IIT is led by a Director and operates under a governance framework that includes a Board of Governors and a Senate; the President of India serves as the Visitor to all IITs.

Academically, IITs emphasize science, engineering, and technology research, supported by strong faculty, laboratories, and industry collaborations. They contribute a large share of India's engineering graduates and researchers and maintain extensive national and international partnerships. Notable alumni include leaders in technology and industry, such as Sundar Pichai (IIT Kharagpur) and Nandan Nilekani (IIT Bombay).