About Indian Institute of Technology - IIT Kharagpur

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 to it. With the 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.

Transportation -

Kharagpur can be reached in about 2.5 hrs from the Howrah railway station of Calcutta. Kharagpur is also connected by direct train services to most major cities of the country. The Institute is about 10 minutes drive (5km) from the Kharagpur railway station. Private taxi, auto-rickshaw or cycle rickshaw can be hired to reach the Institute.

Departments

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Agricultural & Food Engineering.
• Architecture & Regional Planning.
• Chemical Engineering.
• Chemistry.
• Civil Engineering.
• Computer Science & Engineering.
• Electrical Engineering.
• Electronics & Electrical Communication Engineering.
• Geology & Geophysics.
• Humanities & Social Sciences.
• Industrial Engineering & Management.
• Mathematics.
• Mechanical Engineering.
• Metallurgical & Materials Engineering.
• Mining Engineering.
• Ocean Engineering & Naval Architecture.
• Physics & Meteorology.

Institute Centres

• Biotechnology.
• Oceans, Rivers, Atmosphere and Land Sciences.
• Centre for Educational Technology.
• Cryogenic Engineering.
• Materials Science.
• Reliability Engineering Centre.
• Rubber Technology Centre.
• Rural Development Centre.

Institute Schools

• G S Sanyal School of Telecommunications.
• Medical Science & Technology.
• Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law.
• Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management.
• Information Technology.
• School of Water Resources.
• Vinod Gupta School of Management.

Facilities

Hostels - There are 18 student hostels located on either side of Scholars Avenue, which extends from the institute gate to the B. C. Roy Technology Hospital. The three earliest halls — Patel, Azad and Nehru — together constitute the PAN loop or Old Campus, which is located just next to Scholar's Avenue. There are eight hostels for undergraduate male students and one for undergraduate female students. Another hostel for women has quite recently been constructed. In addition, there are a few post-graduate students' hostels including two for women and a separate hostel for scholars from the armed forces.

Central Library - The Library resources stand at about 3,00,000 volumes including books, back- volumes of periodicals, micro forms, video forms, theses, patents and standards. The journal subscription goes beyond 1000. While all journal subscriptions are available in the present form, some are available in CD ROM form also. The Central Library is the first in the country to register for the Internet service through the ERNET project.

QIP - Quality Improvement Programmes( Q.I.P), is funded by A.I.C.T.E. and provides opportunities for teachers sponsored by AICTE approved Engineering Colleges to improve their qualification by acquiring M.Tech and Ph.D Degrees from some of the reputed institutions in the country. Admitted candidates are paid scholarship, in addition to the salary from the sponsoring colleges. Since its inception in 1978 a large number of faculty members from engineering institutions all over the country have benefited from this scheme. A recent addition to AICTE supported programmes to attract bright young students in teaching profession of engineering institutions is the Early Faculty Induction Programme (EFIP).

Extension Centres - The extension campuses provide venue for continuing education programmes, distance learning courses (e.g. PGDIT) and guest house accommodation. The two extension campuses are:

• Bhubhaneshwar Extension Centre

Address :
IIT Kharagpur Extension Centre,
Mouza Samantapuri (Near Swosti Plaza),
Bhubaneswar 751013.

• Calcutta Extension Centre

Address :
IIT Kharagpur Extension Centre,
HC Block, Sector – III,
Salt Lake City,
Calcutta – 700106.

Research

1. Advanced Technology Development Centre
2. Computer & Informatics Centre - http://www.cic.iitkgp.ernet.in/
3. Central Research Facility.
4. Central Workshop & Instruments Service.
5. Media Lab Asia Research Laboratory
6. The VEICET  - Vodafone Essar-IIT Centre of Excellence in Telecommunications signed a MOU between the IIT Kharagpur, Vodafone-Essar Ltd. The TCOE is a part of G S Sanyal School of Telecommunications (GSSST) with faculty from the Institute. Know more -  http://www.iitkgp.ac.in/veicet/home.htm

Electronic Recording of Classroom Attendances - Classroom attendances are being recorded electronically for laboratory classes.

Nehru Museum of Science and Technology  - It is located in the old building of IIT Kharagpur - a historic building - the infamous Hijli Detention Camp of the pre-Independence era. In the 50th year of India's independence, on 16th September, 1997, it was renamed as "Hijli Shahid Bhavan" to commemorate the martyrdom of two freedom fighters at the Hijli Detention Camp in September 1931. The museum was established in this building in 1990 with the objective of providing a historical perspective to the advancement of Science and Technology through models, demonstrations, experiments, manuscripts, photographs. It was also the aim to present the developments in diverse areas of science and technology through models and images. A large number of technical models donated by various institutes and organizations in India and abroad have been collected for exhibition in the museum. An archive has been established for preserving documents pertaining to the history of IIT Kharagpur and Hijli Detention Camp much of which has been also digitally preserved.

Students Safety Insurance Policy - Students can avail the insurance facility by their Institute Identity card.

The policy consists of three aspects:

• Accidental Coverage: Rs. 3.0 lacs and cost of study (total fees and mess charges for the balance period i.e., 50,000 per semester approx.) in the event of accidental death of the paying parent/guardian. Rs. 2.0 lacs for the family of the student in case of his/her accidental death or incapacitation /permanent disability.
• Medical Coverage: Rs. 50,000 as medical expenses per annum for students. (Indoor treatment, any type of Accidental treatment / test required followed by / following hospitalization). Cashless hospitalization facility is available in empanelled hospital. Reimbursement up to Rs. 50, 000 for hospitalization in any hospital / nursing home in the country. Coverage upto Rs. 3 lacs per annum for 0.1% students.
• Baggage / Pedal Cycle Theft Coverage: Rs. 5,000 as the cover for loss of baggage / personal belongings of the student during transit to and fro from home, bonafide travel for industrial training / field visits / project etc., or during stay in hostel premises. Rs. 1,000/- as the cover for loss or theft of pedal cycle.

Campus Placement Program - The final placements of students graduating in June, 2010 will commence from December 1, 2009 and continue till April 15, 2010. Kindly note that by December 1, 2009 all our students seeking placements in 2010 should have completed their pre-final semester. Arrangements for Pre-Placement Talks, Written Tests, Interviews, Group Discussions etc. are made as per the requirements of the Organizations. The section also arranges for summer practical training for all pre-final year B.Tech. (Hons.) students and third year students of 5 Year dual degree M.Tech courses.

Alumni - The Alumni Network is a student body in IIT Kharagpur with the aim to foster and bridge the interaction between the institute and its alumni. IIT Kharagpur has always maintained strong alumni–institute relation. In addition to the regular assistance for the alumni to be in touch with their alma mater, the network conducts annual alumni meets.

Sports - IIT Kharagpur has common sports grounds for cricket, football, hockey, volleyball, lawn tennis, badminton, and athletics; and swimming pools for aquatic events. Most of the hostels have their own sports grounds.

Guest Houses - The Institute hosts all visitors in four guest houses, three in Campus and one at Kolkata. These are as follows : Technology Guest House, Visveswaraya Guest House, Asutosh Mukherjee Guest House and IIT Kharagpur Kolkata Campus.

Information compiled from: Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur - Website