The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur started in 1951. A forerunner of the other IITs, and in many ways a role model for them, IIT Kharagpur has been producing scientists and technologists of the highest calibre who continue to provide leadership in education, research, industry, and management. Many of its alumni are illustrious men and women whose achievements command admiration and respect everywhere and evoke a just sense of pride in the IIT community.
IIT Kharagpur has two fully operational extension centres, one at Kolkata and the other at Bhubaneswar, besides the main campus at Kharagpur, which is the largest in the country. The Institute has completed construction of a first-of-its-kind research and innovation park at Rajarhat. The Park will have facilities to house collaborative research laboratories of partner organisations, incubation units and other academic and research facilities, amenities and utility units. These will be connected with the main campus at Kharagpur to enable e-facilities for conduction of academic and research activities. IIT Kharagpur has the largest number of PG and UG programmes and has a large number of doctoral research scholars. It offers 21 under graduate (B.Tech., B.Arch., B.S., LLB (IP Laws)), 87 postgraduate (M. Tech., Dual Degree, M.C.P., MBA, MHRM, MMST, LLM) and research (M.S., Ph.D., D.Sc.) programmes.
IIT Kharagpur has been a prime mover in the modernization of technical education in independent India. Excellent research facilities and support in the frontier areas of science and technology are available at IIT Kharagpur, which includes some of the most advanced laboratories and the largest technical library in the country housing a state-of-the-art electronic library. All the departments and centres are equipped with modern instruments. Central Research Facility caters to the special needs of all including outside organizations. The Central Library of IIT Kharagpur is one of the largest and finest technical libraries in Asia. It has been catering to the needs of the twelve thousand students of undergraduates, postgraduates, research scholar, seven hundred faculty members and more than thousand staff members. The Institute also houses an Astronomical Observatory set up by the Positional Astronomy Centre, Government of India. A well-equipped centre for Education Technology, and Language and Psychology laboratories are additional assets.
Many special purpose top rung laboratories have been created in IIT Kharagpur out of the R&D grants received from Industries, Government, Defence and from Alumni Contributors. A large Computer and Informatics Centre, a new wing for Information Technology, free wireless internet throughout the campus, computer network for halls of residence, students’ hostels rooms and a capacious lecture hall complex are fully operational. Some of the laboratories are: a world class VLSI Design Laboratory, Communication Empowerment Laboratory, Media Lab Asia, Microsoft Laboratory, Motorola Laboratory, Centre for Excellence in Composite Technology, Ocean Science and Technology Cell, Advanced Technology Development Centre, Space Technology Cell, etc. Vinod Gupta School of Management (VGSOM) and G S Sanyal School of Telecommunications (GSST), School of Infrastructure Design and Management, School of Intellectual Property Law offering LLB and LLM programs are the first of their kinds in the IIT system, owe their existence to the generous contributions from its alumni. IIT Kharagpur is the first to plan establishment of multi-speciality hospital and Medical School and would be offering MBBS programs in the near future.
IIT Kharagpur has switched over to a more flexible academic system aiming at capability-based learning where students would get wider options to exercise and brighter students would be able to achieve more. Over and above receiving a B.Tech.(Hons.) Degree, a B.Arch. (Hons.) Degree, a Dual Degree or a B.S. Degree, for which he/ she has registered, a student depending on his/her performance and availability would have the option to earn additional credits across disciplines. On accumulation of sufficient prescribed credits, a student would be able to earn a MINOR in a discipline other than the degree for which he/she has registered. For example, a student in Electrical Engineering (EE), say, would obtain a B.Tech. (Hons.) degree in EE and can earn a MINOR in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) or Mechanical Engineering (ME), or even a MINOR in a science / finance discipline. Provisions have been kept in the curricula so that a student has the freedom to pursue and sustain multidisciplinary interest. The Institute follows a ten-point grading system with letter grades (Ex, A, B, C, D and P) corresponding grade points (10 to 5) per credit. The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is computed at the end of each semester. The CGPA secured by a student reflects his/her cumulative performance.
The institute is fully residential. Students are accommodated in 22 Halls of Residence, 16 for boys and 6 for girls and one for Research Scholars with family. A boys’ hostel with 2000 capacity is fully operational now. A new boy’s hostel with 1600 capacity and a new girl’s hostel with 800 capacities are operational. Research personnel working in sponsored and projects are accommodated in a Residential Complex. Two multi-storeyed housing are under construction for project employees and Post Doctoral Fellows. The halls have 24 hours internet connectivity. All the Halls of Residence have regular catering facilities. Some additional food outlets are located within the campus; a few late evening canteens are available as well in some of the halls of residence. Several restaurants including air-conditioned ones and a Cafe Coffee Day unit are located in the campus, particularly in the hostel area. Outlet of Subway is operational at Nalanda Complex inside the campus. For daily necessities and groceries, one can walk down to the Tech Market within the campus. A larger market, Gole Bazaar, is about 5 km from the Campus. Three banks with ATM facility are located inside the Campus. The State Bank of India branch with core banking services is in the campus close to the Institute Main building and it provides foreign exchange facilities as well. An extension counter of Syndicate Bank is situated on the first floor of the Institute main building. A branch of Punjab National Bank is situated in the Tech Market. In addition, an Axis Bank ATM is available as well inside the Gymkhana premises. The Post Office is located close to the State Bank branch. Outlets of a few courier services are also available within the campus. South Eastern Railway has been operating a counter in the Institute Main Building area extending Railway ticket booking facilities especially to the students and the campus residents. There are also a few privately run outlets in the campus to cater facilities for railway ticket booking, air ticket booking, car rental, and STD/ISD phone calls.
IIT Kharagpur aims at the all-round development of personality, with emphasis on physical, socio-cultural and value-oriented education. In the rich tapestry of culture that marks this IIT, students play a vital role. They participate in almost all decision-making bodies of the Institute, starting from hostel administration to Senate, and organize cultural and techno-management activities throughout the year, culminating in the Spring Fest and Kshitij. Technology Students’ Gymkhana, along with the newly expanded Students’ Activity Centre is the nerve centre for sports, cultural and social activities and puts a premium on creativity and teamwork. It has a number of outdoor and indoor stadia for sports and games, a modern swimming pool and a gymnasium. Photography Club, Fine Arts Club, Publicity Club, Music Club, Yoga Club, Film Society, Dramatics Society, Aquatics Society, Astronomy Club and many more special interest groups are supported by the Gymkhana. The students are also participating Inter-IIT Sports Meet held every year in one IIT in rotation. Lately a large number of technology and social service focused student societies have been formed, quite often the local chapter of an international body. The halls of residence also offer a few in-house sports facilities in addition to the central facilities. The hall of residence also organizes Rangoli and Illumination during Diwali.
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