Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT System)
भारतीय प्रौद्योगिकी संस्थान
The IIT system comprises 23 premier engineering and technology institutions established across India, recognized as world-class centers for technical education and research. These institutes are autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Education (MoE) and conduct the highly competitive Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admissions.
Key facts
- First IIT established in Bombay in 1958
- Currently comprises 23 IITs spread across India
- Over 16,000 students per year across undergraduate and postgraduate programs
- JEE-Advanced exam with less than 1% selection rate
- Autonomous institutions funded by Government of India
Details
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) system represents India's premier engineering education ecosystem. IIT Bombay, the oldest and most prestigious, was founded in 1958 as Bombay Institute of Technology. The IIT Council governs all 23 institutes which operate as autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Education. Each IIT offers undergraduate BTech programs, postgraduate MTech and MSc programs, and doctoral PhD opportunities across engineering, sciences, and management disciplines. The institutes are located strategically across major cities and regions including Delhi, Kharagpur, Kanpur, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and newer locations like Indore, Tirupati, and Palakkad. Admission to IIT undergraduate programs is exclusively through the JEE-Advanced examination, with over 10 lakh candidates competing for approximately 16,000 seats annually, making it one of the world's most competitive engineering entrance exams.