What It Does: It is a public technical university established by the government of India in Kharagpur.
Mission: To provide broad-based education, helping students hone their professional skills and acquire the best-in-class capabilities in their respective disciplines.
Motto: Excellence in action is Yoga (Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam ).
Vision: To be a centre of excellence in education and research, producing global leaders in science, technology and management.
Size & Presence: Academic staff of 809 & Administrative staff 1,500 located in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
The history of the IIT system dates back to 1946 when a committee was set up by Hon'ble Sir Jogendra Singh, Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council, Department of Education, Health and Agriculture to consider the setting up of Higher Technical Institutions for post-war industrial development in India. The 22 member committee headed by Sri N.R.Sarkar, in its report, recommended the establishment of four Higher Technical Institutions in the Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern regions, possibly on the lines of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, with a number of secondary institutions affiliated with it. The report also urged the speedy establishment of all the four institutions with the ones in the East and the West to be started immediately. The committee also felt that such institutes would not only produce undergraduates but should be engaged in research, producing research workers and technical teachers as well. The standard of the graduates should be at par with those from first class institutions abroad. They felt that the proportion of undergraduates and postgraduate students should be 2:1.
With the above recommendations of the Sarkar committee in view, the first Indian Institute of Technology was born in May 1950 in Hijli, Kharagpur, in the eastern part of India. Initially, the IIT started functioning from 5, Esplanade East, Calcutta and very soon shifted to Hijli in Sept. 1950. The present name 'Indian Institute of Technology was adopted before the formal inauguration of the Institute on August 18, 1951, by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. IIT Kharagpur started its journey in the old Hijli Detention Camp where some of our great freedom fighters toiled and sacrificed their lives for the independence of our country. The history of IIT Kharagpur is thus intimately linked with the history of the Hijli Detention Camp. This is possibly one of the very few Institutions all over the world which started life in a prison house.
IIT Kharagpur has festivals like Spring Fest and Kshitij. Spring Fest, the annual socio-cultural fest of IIT Kharagpur is the largest student-managed socio-cultural fest in Asia. It is held in January. Spring Fest includes cultural competitions in addition to stage shows (known as Star-nights) by singers and performers such as Sunidhi Chauhan, Farhan Akhtar, Salim-Sulaiman, and Vishal–Shekhar, K.K., Pritam, Kailash Kher, Shaan, Breath, Led Zepplica etc. The magnitude of Spring Fest is huge and attracts participation from more than 150 colleges across India.IIT Kharagpur organises a techno-management festival known as Kshitij. It is the biggest techno-management festival in Asia with a total budget of more than 15 million and total prize money worth ₹5 million (US$66,000). An annual techno-management festival organised in January or February, it receives participation from foreign universities as well. Events include technical workshops, seminars, and competitions. To keep students updated with modern technology and address their curiosity the institute collaborates with other institutes to organise conferences and seminars.
As one of the most respected and valued members of the IIT KGP family, you get a chance not only to work with the best of students, faculty and facilities, but also to align your goals with the needs of the country, thus becoming an inalienable part of the making of India's future! Special efforts are made to identify and induct brilliant members from industry and academia within the country and from abroad.
In accordance with the National CSR Award (NCSRA) instituted by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India, IIT KGP aims to undertake / support projects in the areas mentioned below: