Indian Institutes of Technology: Difference between revisions

| name                   = {{nowrap|Indian Institutes of Technology}}

| image                 =  

| caption               =  

| other_name             = IIT or IITs (plural)

| type                   = [[technical university|Public Technical Institute]]

| location               = 23 cities in India

| city                   =  

| language               = [[English language|English]]

| established           = {{Start date and age|df=yes|paren=yes|br=yes|1956|9|15}}

| parent                 = [[Ministry of Human Resource Development|Ministry of Education]], [[Government of India]]

| website               = {{URL|https://www.iitsystem.ac.in/}}

{{Map/Indian Institutes of Technology}}

 

The '''Indian Institutes of Technology''' ('''IITs''') are prestigious central [[government owned]] [[Institute of technology|public technical institutes]] located across [[India]]. Known for their excellence in education, they are under the [[ownership]] of the [[Ministry of Human Resource Development|Ministry of Education]] of the [[Government of India]]. They are governed by the [[Institutes of Technology Act, 1961]], declaring them as [[Institutes of National Importance]] and laying down their powers, duties, and framework for governance as the country's premier institutions in the field of technology.<ref name="IIT act" /><ref name="IIT Act As amended till 2012">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/@tamilneet|title=IIT Act (As amended till 2012|access-date=10 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203221638/http://www.iitg.ac.in/rti/links/acts_statutes_iitguwahati.pdf|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Institutes of Technology Act, 1961|The act]] currently lists twenty-three IITs.<ref name="hindustantimes.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/higherstudies/as-number-of-iits-increase-their-brand-value-diminishes/article1-1363608.aspx|title=Problem of plenty: As IITs multiply, the brand value diminishes|work=Hindustan Times|date=29 June 2015|access-date=25 July 2015|archive-date=31 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831075125/http://www.hindustantimes.com/higherstudies/as-number-of-iits-increase-their-brand-value-diminishes/article1-1363608.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Each IIT has autonomy and is linked to others through a common council called the IIT Council, which oversees their administration. The [[Minister of Education (India)|Minister of Education]] of India is the [[ex officio]] [[Chairman|Chairperson]] of the IIT Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iitsystem.ac.in/|title=IIT Council Portal|access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref>

Currently, there are 23 IITs across the country.

== List of all Indian Institutes of Technology ==

|+IITs and their locations, sorted by date of establishment <ref name="IIT act" /><ref name="IIT Act As amended till 2012" /><ref name="hindustantimes.com" /><ref name="Gazette Notification of the Bill">{{cite web |url=http://www.itbhuglobal.org/IIT-Amendment-Act-2012.pdf |title=Gazette Notification of the Bill |date=29 June 2012 |access-date=2 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405110050/http://www.itbhuglobal.org/IIT-Amendment-Act-2012.pdf |archive-date=5 April 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="IIT Kharagpur">{{cite web|url=http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/institute/history.php|title=Institute History&nbsp;– Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur|access-date=22 October 2008|publisher=IIT Kharaggpur|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080420181942/http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/institute/history.php |archive-date = 20 April 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>

|[[West Bengal]]

|1994||1995

|[[Indian Institute of Technology, BHU|IIT Varanasi]]|| IIT BHU

|[[IIT Palakkad]]|| IITPKD

|2015<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=JEE Advanced 2015: IIT Bombay announces that four new IITs will admit students from this session|url=http://www.prepsure.com/news/jee-advanced-2015-iit-bombay-announces-that-4-new-iits-will-admit-students-from-this-session/|access-date=12 June 2015|work=Prepsure.com|archive-date=27 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627021308/http://www.prepsure.com/news/jee-advanced-2015-iit-bombay-announces-that-4-new-iits-will-admit-students-from-this-session/|url-status=live}}</ref>|| 2015

|2015<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-06-25 |title=IIT Tirupati all set to begin classes from Aug. 5 |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/iit-tirupati-all-set-to-begin-classes-from-aug-5/article7355881.ece |access-date=2023-01-28 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>|| 2015

|[[IIT (ISM) Dhanbad|IIT Dhanbad]]|| IIT ISM

|2016<ref name="IndianExpress">{{cite web|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/education/chhattisgarh-to-open-iit-in-bhilai/|title=Chhattisgarh to open IIT campus in Bhilai|work=The Indian Express|date=14 January 2016|access-date=14 January 2016|archive-date=9 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209091658/https://indianexpress.com/article/education/chhattisgarh-to-open-iit-in-bhilai/|url-status=live}}</ref>

|2016<ref name="Press Trust of India">{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/iit-jammu-to-be-set-up-at-chak-bhalwal-115042301037_1.html|title=IIT Jammu to be set up at Chak Bhalwal|newspaper=Business Standard India|date=23 April 2015|access-date=12 June 2015|archive-date=9 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209091656/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/iit-jammu-to-be-set-up-at-chak-bhalwal-115042301037_1.html|url-status=live|agency=Press Trust of India}}</ref>

|[[Indian Institute of Technology Goa|IIT Goa]]||IIT GOA

[[File:IIT Kharagpur Old Building 1951.jpg|thumb|The office of the Hijli Detention Camp served as the first academic building of [[IIT Kharagpur]].]]

The history of the IIT system nearly dates back to 1946 when [[Jogendra Singh|Sir Jogendra Singh]] of the [[Governor-General of India|Viceroy]]'s Executive Council set up a committee whose task was to consider the creation of ''Higher Technical Institutions'' for post-war industrial development in India.

The 22-member committee, headed by [[Nalini Ranjan Sarkar]], recommended the establishment of these institutions in various parts of India, along the lines of the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT), with [[Affiliated school|affiliated]] secondary institutions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/institute/history.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070813213137/http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/institute/history.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-08-13|title=Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur|date=2007-08-13|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref>

The first Indian Institute of Technology was founded in May 1950 at the site of the [[Hijli Detention Camp]] in [[Kharagpur]], [[West Bengal]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/inaugurated-in-kharagpur-in-1951-the-first-indian-institute-of-technology-turns-66-today-328052.html|title=Inaugurated In Kharagpur In 1951, The First Indian Institute of Technology Turns 66 Today|work=The Times of India|access-date=2017-12-18|language=en}}</ref> The name "Indian Institute of Technology" was adopted before the formal inauguration of the institute on 18 August 1951 by [[Maulana Abul Kalam Azad]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/inaugurated-in-kharagpur-in-1951-the-first-indian-institute-of-technology-turns-66-today-328052.html|title=Inaugurated In Kharagpur In 1951, The First Indian Institute of Technology Turns 66 Today|date=2017-08-18|website=The Times of India|language=en|access-date=2019-09-07}}</ref>

On 15 September 1956, the [[Parliament of India]] passed the ''[[IIT Kharagpur|Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur) Act]]'', declaring it as an [[Institutes of National Importance|Institute of National Importance]]. [[Jawaharlal Nehru]], first [[Prime Minister of India]], in the first convocation address of IIT Kharagpur in 1956, said:<ref name="Nehru speech">{{cite web | date = 14 May 2006 | url = http://www.iitkgp.ernet.in/institute/history.php | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060708041546/http://www.iitkgp.ernet.in/institute/history.php | archive-date = 8 July 2006 | title = Institute History | access-date =14 May 2006 }}</ref>

On the recommendations of the Sarkar Committee, four campuses were established at [[Bombay]] (1958), [[Madras]] (1959), [[Kanpur]] (1959), and [[Delhi]] (1961). The location of these campuses was chosen to be scattered throughout India to prevent regional imbalance.<ref>See "more IIT" in references below. Under "Final selection", the third paragraph</ref> The ''Indian Institutes of Technology Act'' was amended to reflect the addition of new IITs.<ref name="IIT act">{{cite web| date = 24 May 2005 | url = https://www.youtube.com/@tamilneet | title = The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961

| publisher = Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay | access-date =14 May 2006}}</ref>

Student agitations in the state of [[Assam]] made Prime Minister [[Rajiv Gandhi]] promise the creation of a new IIT in Assam. This led to the establishment of a sixth institution at [[Guwahati]] under the [[Assam Agitation|Assam Accord]] in 1994.

 

 

 

The entire allocation by the central government for 2017-18 budget for all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) was slightly over {{INRConvert|70|b}}. However, the aggregate money spent by Indian students for tertiary education in the United States was about six times more than what the central government spends on all IITs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/@tamilneet-economy/economy/article/indian-students-spend-usd-654-billion-in-us-near-three-times-more-than-fdi-flow-from-north-america/127565|title=Indian students spend USD 6.54 billion in US, near three times more than FDI flow from North America {{!}} Business News|website=www.youtube.com/@tamilneet|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>

The [[President of India]] is the [[ex officio]] [[Visitor]],<ref name="Visitor">{{cite web|url= http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/visitor.html|title= Visitor of the Institute|access-date=7 January 2007|date= 18 November 2005|publisher= IIT Kharagpur|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070922000123/http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/visitor.html |archive-date = 22 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> and has [[residual power]]s. Directly under the President is the IIT Council, comprising minister-in-charge of technical education in the Union Government, the Chairmen of all IITs, the Directors of all IITs, the Chairman of the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]], the Director General of [[CSIR India|CSIR]], the Chairman of [[IISc]], the Director of IISc, three members of Parliament, the Joint Council Secretary of Ministry of Education, and three appointees each of the Union Government, [[All India Council for Technical Education|AICTE]], and the Visitor.<ref name="IIT Council">{{cite web|url= http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/council.html|title= IIT-Council|access-date=7 January 2007|date= 18 November 2005|publisher= IIT Kharagpur|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070921225014/http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/council.html |archive-date = 21 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Under the IIT Council is the ''Board of Governors'' of each IIT. Under the Board of Governors is the ''Director'', who is the chief academic and executive officer of the IIT.<ref name="Org">{{cite web|url= http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/stru1.html|title= Organisational Structure|access-date=7 January 2007|date= 18 November 2005|publisher= IIT Kharagpur|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070922000243/http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/stru1.html |archive-date = 22 September 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> Under the Director, in the organisational structure, comes the ''Deputy Director''. Under the Director and the deputy director, come the [[Dean (education)|Deans]], Heads of Departments, [[Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India|Registrar]], President of the Students' Council, and Chairman of the Hall Management Committee. The ''Registrar'' is the chief administrative officer of the IIT and overviews the day-to-day operations.<ref name="Org"/> Below the Heads of Department (HOD) are the faculty members (Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors). The ''Wardens'' come under the Chairman of the Hall Management Committee.<ref name="org">{{cite web |date=3 March 2006 |url=http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/stru1.html |title=Organizational Structure |publisher=Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur |access-date=14 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070922000243/http://iitkgp.ac.in/rti/stru1.html |archive-date=22 September 2007}}</ref>

=== The Institutes of Technology Act ===

The Institute of Technology act (parliamentary legislation) gives legal status, including degree granting powers, to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). It was notified in the gazette as Act number 59 of 1961 on 20 December 1961 and came into effect on 1 April 1962. The Act also declares these institutes as '''Institutes of National Importance'''.

== Academics ==

The IITs receive comparatively higher grants than other engineering colleges in India.<ref name="funding">{{cite web | date = 10 February 2004 | url = http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/feb102004/369.pdf | title = Performance based funding of IITs | page = 3 | publisher = [[IISc]] | access-date = 14 May 2006 | archive-date = 13 November 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181113032608/http://www.iisc.ernet.in/currsci/feb102004/369.pdf | url-status = live}}</ref> While the total government funding to most other engineering colleges is around {{INR}} 100–200 million (${{To USD|100|IND|year=2002|round=yes}}–{{To USD|200|IND|year=2002|round=yes}} million) per year, the amount varies between {{INR}} 900–1300 million (${{To USD|900|IND|year=2002|round=yes}}–{{To USD|1300|IND|year=2002|round=yes}} million) per year for each IIT.<ref name="seven colleges"/> Other sources of funds include student fees and research funding from industry and contributions from the alumni. The faculty-to-student ratio in the IITs is between 1:6 and 1:8.<ref name="Faculty ratio">{{cite web|url=http://www.littleindia.com/january2003/Dream%20Team.htm |title=What makes the IITs so chic |access-date=27 August 2006 |last=Rajguru |first=Suvarna |date=30 December 2005 |publisher=LittleINDIA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903055838/http://littleindia.com/january2003/Dream%20Team.htm |archive-date=3 September 2006 }}</ref> The Standing Committee of IIT Council (SCIC) prescribes the lower limit for faculty-to-student ratio as 1:9, applied department wise. The IITs subsidize undergraduate student fees by approximately 80% and provide scholarships to all ''[[Master of Engineering|Master of Technology]]'' students and ''[[Doctor of Philosophy|Research Scholars (PhD)]]'' in order to encourage students for higher studies, per the recommendations of the Thacker Committee (1959–1961).<ref name="Scholarships">{{cite web|url= http://www.cags.ca/conference/2005/pdf/2005_Natarajan_R.pdf|title= The Evolution of Postgraduate Engineering Education and Research in India|access-date=27 August 2006|last= Natarajan|first= R|work= CAGS 2005 Conference|publisher= Canadian Association for Graduate Studies|page= 12|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060921144431/http://www.cags.ca/conference/2005/pdf/2005_Natarajan_R.pdf |archive-date = 21 September 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref> The cost borne by undergraduate students is around {{INR|180000}} per year.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/kakodkar-panel-suggests-steep-hike-in-tuition-fee-at-iits/790547/ |title=Kakodkar panel suggests steep hike in tuition fee at IITs |work=The Indian Express  |date=14 May 2011 |access-date=31 May 2011}}</ref> Students from the [[Other Backward Class|OBC]], [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes|ST, SC]] categories, female students as well as [[Physical disability|physically challenged]] students are also entitled to scholarships.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IIT fee more than doubled; total waiver for SC/ST, disabled, poor - The Economic Times |url=https://m.economictimes.com/industry/services/education/iit-fee-more-than-doubled-total-waiver-for-sc/st-disabled-poor/amp_articleshow/51726245.cms |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=m.economictimes.com}}</ref>[https://m.economictimes.com/industry/services/education/iit-fee-more-than-doubled-total-waiver-for-sc/st-disabled-poor/amp_articleshow/51726245.cms]

The various IITs function autonomously, and their special status as ''Institutes of National Importance'' facilitates the smooth running of IITs, virtually free from both regional as well as student politics. Such autonomy means that IITs can create their own curricula and adapt rapidly to the changes in educational requirements, free from bureaucratic hurdles. The government has no direct control over internal policy decisions of IITs (like faculty recruitment and curricula) but has representation on the ''IIT Council''. The medium of instruction in all IITs is English.<ref name="BTP1">{{cite web |url=https://www.iitm.ac.in/content/BTech-ordinances |title=B.Tech Ordinances |publisher=iitm.ac.in |access-date=7 April 2016 }}

</ref> The electronic libraries allow students to access on-line journals and periodicals. The IITs and [[Indian Institute of Science|IISc, Bengaluru]] have taken an initiative along with [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education]] to provide free online videos of actual lectures of different disciplines under [[National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning]]. This initiative is undertaken to make quality education accessible to all students.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.hindu.com/edu/2009/03/09/stories/2009030950040200.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130125045328/http://www.hindu.com/edu/2009/03/09/stories/2009030950040200.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=25 January 2013 | title=NPTEL | access-date=14 December 2011 | location=Chennai, India | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=9 March 2009}}</ref>

The [[Bachelor of Technology]] (BTech) degree is the most common undergraduate degree in the IITs in terms of student enrollment,{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} although Bachelor of Science (BS) degree, dual degrees integrating [[Master of Science]] or [[Master of Arts]] are also offered. The BTech course is based on a 4-year program with eight semesters,<ref name="BTP2">{{cite web|url=http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |title=Structure of B. Tech Programme (Ordinance No.3) |access-date=7 January 2007 |work=Ordinances |publisher=IIT Madras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622005229/http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |archive-date=22 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> while the Dual Degree and Integrated courses are 5-year programs with ten semesters. In all IITs, the first year of BTech and Dual Degree courses are marked by a common course structure for all the students, though in some IITs, a single department introduction related course is also included.<ref name="BTP7">{{cite web|url=http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |title=Structure of B. Tech Programme (Ordinance under R.4.2:Class Committee) |access-date=7 January 2007 |work=Ordinances |publisher=IIT Madras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622005229/http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |archive-date=22 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The common courses include the basics from most of the departments like Computers, Electronics, Mechanics, Chemistry, Electrical and Physics. At the end of first year (the end of first semester at IIT Madras, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Bhilai, IIT Palakkad, and IIT Roorkee), an option to change departments is given to meritorious students on the basis of their performance in the first two semesters.<ref name="BTP4">{{cite web|title= Structure of B. Tech Programme (Ordinance under R.5.0:Change of Branch)|access-date= 7 January 2007|work= Ordinances|publisher= IIT Madras|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070622005229/http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html|archive-date= 22 June 2007|url-status= dead|url= http://www.urdupost.net/category/urdu-tutorials|df= dmy-all}}</ref> Few such changes ultimately take place as the criteria for them are usually strict,<ref name="BTP4"/> limited to the most meritorious students.

From the second year onward, the students study subjects exclusively from their respective departments.<ref name="BTP5">{{cite web|url=http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |title=Structure of B. Tech Programme (Ordinance under R.2.0 (ii)) |access-date=7 January 2007 |work=Ordinances |publisher=IIT Madras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622005229/http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |archive-date=22 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In addition to these, the students have to take compulsory advanced courses from other departments in order to broaden their education. Separate compulsory courses from [[humanities]] and [[social sciences]] department, and sometimes management courses are also enforced.<ref name="BTP6">{{cite web|url=http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |title=Structure of B. Tech Programme (Ordinance under R.2.0 (iii)) |access-date=7 January 2007 |work=Ordinances |publisher=IIT Madras |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070622005229/http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech |archive-date=22 June 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the last year of their studies, most of the students are placed into industries and organisations via the placement process of the respective IIT, though some students opt out of this either when going for higher studies or when they take up jobs by applying to the companies directly.<ref name="Ordinance">{{cite web | url = http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech | title = BTech Ordinances | work = Senate Ordinances | publisher = IIT Madras | access-date =26 May 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060517063550/http://www.iitm.ac.in/Academics/Ordinances.html#BTech  |archive-date = 17 May 2006}}</ref>

The IITs offer a number of postgraduate programs including [[Master of Technology|Master of Technology (MTech)]], [[Master of Business Administration|Master of Business Administration (MBA)]], and [[Master of Science|Master of Science (MSc)]]. Some IITs offer specialised graduate programmes such as [[Master of Design|Master of Design (M.Des.)]], the Post Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (PGDIT), [[Masters in Medical Science and technology|Masters in Medical Science and Technology]] ([[MMST (IIT Kharagpur)|MMST]]), [[Masters in City Planning]] (MCP), [[Master of Arts]] (MA), Postgraduate Diploma in [[intellectual property]] Law (PGDIPL), and the Postgraduate Diploma in Maritime Operation & Management (PGDMOM).

=== Doctoral ===

The IITs also offer the Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) as part of their [[Doctorate|doctoral education programme]]. In it, the candidates are given a topic of academic interest by the ins or have to work on a consultancy project given by the industries. The duration of the program is usually unspecified and depends on the specific discipline. PhD candidates have to submit a [[dissertation]] as well as provide an oral defence for their thesis. [[Teaching assistant|Teaching Assistantships]] (TA) and [[research assistant|Research Assistantships]] (RA) are often provided.

All IITs organize annual technical festivals, typically lasting three or four days. The technical festivals are [[Shaastra]] (IIT Madras), Kshitij (IIT Kharagpur), [[Techfest]] (IIT Bombay), Technex (IIT-BHU Varanasi), Cognizance (IIT Roorkee), Concetto ([[Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad|IIT-ISM Dhanbad]]), Tirutsava ([[ IIT Tirupati]]), Nvision (IIT Hyderabad), Meraz (IIT Bhilai), Amalthea, (IIT Gandhinagar), [[Techkriti]] (IIT Kanpur), Tryst (IIT Delhi), [[Techniche]] (IIT Guwahati), [[Wissenaire]] (IIT Bhubaneswar), Technunctus (IIT Jammu), [[Exodia]] (IIT Mandi), Fluxus (IIT Indore), Celesta (IIT Patna) and [[IIT Jodhpur#IGNUS|IGNUS]] (IIT Jodhpur). Most of them are organized in the months of January or March. Techfest (IIT Bombay) is also one of the most popular and largest technical festivals in Asia in terms of participants and prize money involved. It has been granted patronage from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation ([[UNESCO]]) for providing a platform for students to showcase their talent in science and technology. Shaastra holds the distinction of being the first student-managed event in the world to implement a formal [[Quality Management System]], earning [[ISO 9001:2000]] certification.<ref name="ISO">{{cite web | date = 8 May 2005 | url = http://www.iitm.ac.in/attachments/Directors-report.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060515151948/http://www.iitm.ac.in/attachments/Directors-report.pdf | archive-date = 15 May 2006| title = Director's Report | page = 36 | publisher = IIT Madras | access-date =26 May 2006}}</ref> Kshitij, which is branded as a techno-management festival due to its emphasis on both technology and management, is the largest of these festivals by sponsorship money.

Annual [[Cultural festival (India)|cultural festivals]] are also organized by the IITs and last three to four days. These include [[Thomso (festival)|Thomso]] (IIT Roorkee), Kashiyatra (IIT BHU Varanasi), [[Alcheringa (festival)|Alcheringa]] (IIT Guwahati), [[Exodia]] (IIT Mandi), [[Saarang]] and [https://www.instagram.com/paradox_iitmadras/ Paradox] (annual fests of IIT Madras BTech and BS Degree respectively), [[Spring Fest]] (IIT Kharagpur, also known as SF), [[Rendezvous (culfest)|Rendezvous]] (IIT Delhi), Meraz (IIT Bhilai), Tirutsava (IIT Tirupati), Srijan, (earlier known as Saturnalia, IIT Dhanbad), Tarang (culfest) (previously Rave), [[Anwesha]] (IIT Patna), SPANDAN (IIT Jodhpur), Renao (IIT Jammu), Petrichor (IIT Palakkad), [[Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar#Blithchron|Blithchron]] (IIT Gandhinagar), ELAN (IIT Hyderabad), [[Alma Fiesta]] (IIT Bhubaneswar), [[Mood Indigo (culfest)|Mood Indigo]] (IIT Bombay, also known as Mood-I), [[Antaragni]] (IIT Kanpur) and Zeitgeist (IIT Ropar).

IITs have generally ranked above other all other engineering colleges in India for Engineering. According to ''[[Outlook India]]''{{'s}} Top Engineering Colleges of 2017, the top four engineering colleges within India were IITs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/top-100-engineering-colleges-in-2017/298916|title=Top 100 Engineering Colleges in 2017|date=6 July 2017|publisher=[[Outlook India]]|access-date=2 June 2018}}</ref> In the 2019 [[QS World University Rankings|QS World University Ranking]], IIT Bombay ranked highest at 162, followed by IIT Delhi (172), IIT Madras (264), IIT Kanpur (283), IIT Kharagpur (295), IIT Roorkee (381) and IIT Guwahati (472).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/|title=Top Universities|website=Top Universities|language=en|access-date=2019-01-06|archive-date=21 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621140551/https://www.topuniversities.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2022 [[National Institutional Ranking Framework|NIRF]] rankings published by [[Ministry of Education (India)|Ministry of Education, India]], '''IIT Madras has been ranked 1st''' for seven consecutive years in the Engineering Category and for four consecutive years in the Overall Category.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-15 |title=IIT Madras emerges as the Undisputed Leader in Higher Education in India |url=https://www.iitm.ac.in/happenings/press-releases-and-coverages/iit-madras-emerges-undisputed-leader-higher-education-india |url-status=live |access-date=2022-07-22 |website=IIT-Madras (Press and News)}}</ref>

|+National and World Rankings of all IITs

![[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times World]]<ref name="Search">{{Cite web|title=Search|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/search|access-date=2021-12-10|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en}}</ref>

![[Times Higher Education World University Rankings|Times Asia]]<ref name="Search"/>

|-

|IIT Madras

|1

|1

|1

|1

|250

|255

|275

|271

|54

|4

|601-800 (2020)

|125 (2020)

|-

|IIT Delhi

|3

|174

|-

|IIT Kharagpur

|5

|5

|270

|-

|384

|14

|16

| colspan="3" rowspan="7" |N/A

|IIT (BHU) Varanasi

|396

|IIT Mandi

|N/A

|22

|31

|IIT Gandhinagar

|23

|33

|-

|54

|58

|N/A

|-

|IIT Bhubaneswar

|36

|56

|46

|801-1000

| colspan="11" |N/A

|-

|IIT Bhilai

|-

|IIT Dharwad

| colspan="12" |N/A

|IIT Goa

| colspan="12" |N/A

The IITs have faced criticism from within and outside academia. Major concerns include allegations that they encourage [[brain drain]] and that their stringent entrance examinations encourage coaching colleges and put heavy pressure on the student's body. Recently some prominent IITians have also questioned the quality of teaching and research in IITs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.indiaeducationreview.com/news/iit-iim-faculty-not-world-class-jairam-ramesh|title=IIT, IIM faculty not world-class: Jairam Ramesh|work=India Education Review|date=24 May 2011|access-date=12 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150614002903/http://www.indiaeducationreview.com/news/iit-iim-faculty-not-world-class-jairam-ramesh|archive-date=14 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://twocircles.net/2011oct25/what_ails_iits.html|title=What ails the IITs; Anil K Rajvanshi|date=25 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Poor-quality-of-students-entering-IITs-Narayana-Murthy/articleshow/10217469.cms | work=The Times of India | title=Poor quality of students entering IITs: Narayana Murthy - The Times of India}}</ref>

 

 

In the recent past, the number of student suicides has attracted significant attention.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/news/9403-suicides-iits-not-due-academic-stress-alone | title=Suicides at IITS not due to academic stress alone| date=2017-05-13}}</ref>

Among the criticisms of the IIT system by the media and academia, a common notion is that it encourages [[brain drain]]. This trend has been reversed somewhat (dubbed the [[reverse brain drain]]) as hundreds of IIT graduates, who have pursued further studies in the US, started returning to India in the 1990s.<ref name="brain drain"/> Additionally, IIT alumni are giving back generously to their parent institutions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-05 |title=How IITs are tapping into their robust alumni network for funding |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/education/story/how-iits-are-tapping-into-their-robust-alumni-network-for-funding-328664-2022-04-05 |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=Business Today |language=hi}}</ref> Until [[liberalisation]] started in the early 1990s, India experienced large scale emigration of IIT graduates to developed countries, especially to the United States. Since 1953, nearly twenty-five thousand IIT graduates have settled in the US.<ref name="The World is Flat">{{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Thomas L.|author-link=Thomas Friedman|title=The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century|year=2006|publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux|location=USA|isbn=0-374-29288-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/worldisflatbri00frie/page/104 104–105]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/worldisflatbri00frie/page/104}}</ref> Since the US benefited from subsidized education in IITs at the cost of Indian taxpayers' money, critics say that subsidising education in IITs is useless. Others support the emigration of graduates, arguing that the capital sent home by the IIT graduates has been a major source of the expansion of [[Foreign exchange market|foreign exchange]] reserves for India, which, until the 1990s, had a substantial [[trade deficit]].{{citation needed|date=February 2019}}

The extent of intellectual loss receded substantially over the 1990s and 2000s, with the percentage of students going abroad dropping from as high as 70% at one time to around 30% in 2005.<ref name="brain drain">{{cite news|agency = Indo-Asian News Service | url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-998814451.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121026092518/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-998814451.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 26 October 2012 | title = Trend of brain drain on reverse to India | work=Hindustan Times | date = 7 March 2006 | access-date =17 March 2009}}</ref> This is largely attributed to the liberalization of the [[Economy of India|Indian economy]] and the opening of previously closed markets. Government initiatives are encouraging IIT students into entrepreneurship programs and are increasing foreign investment. Emerging scientific and manufacturing industries, and [[Business process outsourcing|outsourcing]] of technical jobs from North America and Western Europe have created opportunities for aspiring graduates in India. Many undergraduates go abroad to pursue further studies, such as MS, MBA, and PhD.

The highly competitive examination in the form of [[Joint Entrance Examination|IIT-JEE]] has led to the establishment of a large number of coaching institutes throughout the country that provide intensive, and specific preparation for the IIT-JEE for substantial fees. It is argued that this favours students from specific regions and richer backgrounds. Some coaching institutes say that they have individually coached nearly 800 successful candidates year after year.<ref name="coaching">{{cite web | url = http://www.brilliant-tutorials.com/courses/iit/iitjee05winnersnew.shtml | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070421124433/http://www.brilliant-tutorials.com/courses/iit/iitjee05winnersnew.shtml | archive-date=21 April 2007 | title = Successful students in IIT-JEE 2005| publisher = Brilliant Tutorials | access-date =14 May 2006

| first = V G| last = Idichandy| url = http://www.rediff.com/money/2005/oct/11inter.htm | title = Why the IIT-JEE pattern was changed | work = [[Rediff.com]] | date = 11 October 2005 | access-date =14 May 2006}}</ref> Indeed, this was the case regarding preparation for IIT entrance exams even decades ago. In a January 2010 lecture at the [[Indian Institute of Science]], the 2009 Nobel laureate in Chemistry, [[Venkatraman Ramakrishnan]] revealed that he failed to get a seat at any of the Indian engineering and medical colleges.<ref name="indiatimes1">{{cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-05/india/28132308_1_entrance-tests-coaching-classes-iits|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811025813/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-01-05/india/28132308_1_entrance-tests-coaching-classes-iits|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 August 2011|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Nobel laureate Venkat Ramakrishnan failed IIT, medical entrance tests|access-date=12 June 2015}}</ref> He also said that his parents, being old-fashioned, did not believe in coaching classes to prepare for the IIT entrance exam and considered them to be "nonsense".<ref name="indiatimes1"/>

In a documentary aired by [[CBS]], [[Vinod Khosla]], co-founder of [[Sun Microsystems]] states, "The IITs probably are the hardest schools in the world to get into, to the best of my knowledge".<ref name="CBS Documentary">{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/imported-from-india/|title = Imported from India|website = [[CBS News]]}}</ref> The documentary further concludes, "Put [[Harvard]], [[MIT]], and [[Princeton University|Princeton]] together, and you begin to get an idea of the status of IIT in India" to depict the competition as well as demand for the elite institutes.

Not all children are of a similar aptitude level and may be skilled in different paradigms and fields. This has led to criticism of the way the examinations are conducted and the way a student is forced in the Indian community. The IIT-JEE format was restructured in 2006 following these complaints.<ref name="jee restucturing">{{cite web| url = http://news.education4india.com/902/change-in-iit-jee-pattern-from-academic-year-2006/| title = Change in IIT-JEE pattern from academic year 2006| publisher = Education4India.com| access-date = 14 May 2006 | archive-date = 21 February 2006| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060221021144/http://news.education4india.com/902/change-in-iit-jee-pattern-from-academic-year-2006/| url-status = live}}</ref>

After the change to the objective pattern of questioning, even the students who initially considered themselves not fit for subjective pattern of IIT-JEE decided to take the examination. Though the restructuring was meant to reduce the dependence of students on coaching classes, it led to an increase in students registering for coaching classes.<ref name="jee students 2006">{{cite news | author = Rukmini Shrinivasan & Hemali Chhapia | url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-31/mumbai/27830928_1_iit-entry-lakh-students-joint-entrance-examination | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103193954/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2006-03-31/mumbai/27830928_1_iit-entry-lakh-students-joint-entrance-examination | url-status = dead| archive-date = 3 November 2012| title = 3 lakh students to vie for IIT entry this year| date = 31 March 2006| work = [[The Times of India]]| access-date =14 May 2006}}</ref> Some people (mostly IIT graduates) have criticized the changed pattern of the IIT-JEE. Their reasoning is that while IIT-JEE traditionally used to test students understanding of fundamentals and ability to apply them to solve tough unseen problems, the current pattern does not stress much on the application part and might lead to a reduced quality of students.<ref name="too easy JEE">{{cite news| author = Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey| url = http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-05-04/india/27846683_1_iit-jee-iit-entrance-test-union-hrd-ministry

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121103194001/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2005-05-04/india/27846683_1_iit-jee-iit-entrance-test-union-hrd-ministry | url-status = dead | archive-date = 3 November 2012| title = Crack the IIT code, it's too easy| date = 4 May 2005| work = [[The Times of India]]| access-date =30 May 2006}}</ref>

IIT-JEE is conducted only in English and [[Hindi language|Hindi]], making it harder for students with regional languages as their main language. In September 2011, the [[Gujarat High Court]] has acted on a [[Public Interest Litigation]] by the [[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]], for conducting the exams in Gujarati.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-21/education/30184151_1_regional-languages-entrance-tests-raghuveer-chaudhary |title=Sahitya Parishad demands entrance tests in Gujarati |access-date=28 October 2011 |date=21 September 2011 |archive-date=23 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623155222/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/Sahitya-Parishad-demands-entrance-tests-in-Gujarati/articleshow/10059681.cms?referral=PM |work=[[The Times of India]] |url-status=live }}</ref> A second petition was made in October by Navsari's Sayaji Vaibhav Sarvajanik Pustakalaya Trust.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-21/ahmedabad/30306229_1_entrance-tests-regional-language-gujarati-language |title=Another PIL seeks entrance tests in Gujarati |access-date=28 October 2011 |date=21 October 2011 |archive-date=7 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107191535/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-21/ahmedabad/30306229_1_entrance-tests-regional-language-gujarati-language |work=[[The Times of India]] |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another petition was made at the Madras High Court for conducting the exam in Tamil. In the petition it was claimed that not conducting the exam in the regional languages is in violation of article 14 of the [[Constitution of India]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/plea-write-iit-entrance-tamil-866 |title=Plea to write IIT entrance in Tamil |work=Deccan Chronicle |access-date=20 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120110221016/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/plea-write-iit-entrance-tamil-866 |archive-date=10 January 2012 }}</ref> IIT council recommended major changes in entrance examination structure which is effective from 2017 onwards.<ref>{{cite web |title= Changes in IIT Entrance Examination Structure |url=http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/committee-recommends-major-changes-in-iit-entrance-examination-1241216}}</ref>

IITs have many alumni.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=45899|title=PM's inaugural address at the 'PAN IIT-2008' – IIT Alumni Global Conference|date=19 December 2008|publisher=Press Information Bureau|access-date=8 August 2009|archive-date=2 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102224516/https://pib.gov.in/release/release.asp?relid=45899|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iitsystem.ac.in/?q=aboutiit/view|title=Student statistics}}</ref>

* [[Indian Institutes of Management]](IIMs)

* [[Indian Institutes of Information Technology]] (IIITs)

* [[National Institutes of Technology]](NITs)

* [[National Institute of Design]](NID)

{{Reflist|30em}}