Find Top IIT Colleges and Courses in India As Per NIRF Ranking
The IIT colleges in India are among the most prestigious engineering institutions in the world. Established under the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, the Indian Institutes of Technology are designated as Institutes of National Importance by the Government of India. Governed by the Ministry of Education and overseen by the IIT Council, chaired by the Minister of Education, these institutions set the global benchmark for engineering, science, and technology education. This guide covers everything about the top IIT colleges in India complete list, NIRF rankings, history, admission, fees, placements, and campus life.
How Many IIT Colleges are there in India?
There are currently 23 IIT colleges in India, all functioning under the Institutes of Technology Act and funded by the central government. The total IIT colleges in India span 23 cities, with two additional overseas campuses one in Zanzibar, Tanzania (a satellite campus of IIT Madras, launched in 2023) and one in the UAE. The combined budget allocation for all IITs in FY2026–27 is approximately ₹12,123 crore (about USD 1.34 billion).
Complete List of IIT Colleges in India: Sorted by Year of Establishment
Here is the official list of IIT colleges in India with founding year, location, student strength, and faculty count:
History of IIT Colleges in India
Understanding the history behind IIT colleges in India adds important context to their prestige and scale today.
1940s: The Sarkar Committee: In the late 1940s, a 22-member committee led by Nalini Ranjan Sarkar recommended establishing engineering institutions across India modelled on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. This became the founding vision for what we now know as IITs.
1950–1951: First IIT: The first IIT college in India was established in May 1950 at the site of the Hijli Detention Camp in Kharagpur, West Bengal. It was formally inaugurated on 18 August 1951 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. On 15 September 1956, Parliament declared it an Institute of National Importance. At its first convocation in 1956, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru called it "a fine monument of India, representing India's urges, India's future in the making."
1958–1961: The Original Five: Based on the Sarkar Committee recommendations, four more IITs were established: IIT Bombay (1958), IIT Madras (1959), IIT Kanpur (1959), and IIT Delhi (1961): strategically distributed across the country to prevent regional imbalance.
1994: IIT Guwahati: Student agitations in Assam led Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to promise a new IIT in the state, resulting in IIT Guwahati being established under the Assam Accord in 1994.
2001–2003: IIT Roorkee: The University of Roorkee: one of Asia's oldest technical institutions founded in 1847: was converted into IIT Roorkee in 2001. In 2003, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced plans to create more IITs by upgrading promising existing institutions.
2008–2009: Eight New IITs: Eight new IIT colleges were set up in Gandhinagar, Jodhpur, Hyderabad, Indore, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Ropar, and Mandi as part of the 11th Five Year Plan.
2012: IIT (BHU) Varanasi: The Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University: originally founded in 1919: was formally converted into IIT (BHU) Varanasi in 2012 after decades of discussions dating back to 1972.
2015–2016: Six More IITs: IITs in Tirupati, Palakkad, Dharwad, Bhilai, Goa, and Jammu were established, along with the conversion of Indian School of Mines Dhanbad into IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, bringing the total IIT colleges in India to 23.
2023: First Overseas Campus: India's first foreign IIT campus was announced in Zanzibar, Tanzania as a satellite campus of IIT Madras, marking a historic internationalisation of Indian higher education.
Top 10 IIT Colleges in India Rank Wise: NIRF 2025
The NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework), published by the Ministry of Education, ranks institutions on Teaching & Learning, Research, Graduation Outcomes, Outreach, and Perception. Here are the top 10 IIT colleges in India rank wise for 2025:
In the 2025 NIRF rankings, IITs dominate across all categories: holding 9 of the top 10 spots in Engineering, 8 of 10 in Innovation, 7 of 10 in Research, and 6 of 10 in the Overall category.
Top 1 IIT College in India: IIT Madras
IIT Madras is the undisputed top 1 IIT college in India, ranked #1 by NIRF for ten consecutive years in the Engineering category and seven consecutive years in the Overall category. It leads in research output, innovation, industry collaboration, and placements (average package: INR 37.5 LPA). IIT Madras is also home to India's first and largest on-campus research park.
Top 5 IIT Colleges in India and their Avg Package
Global Rankings of Top IIT Colleges in India: QS 2026
The best IIT colleges in India are also globally ranked. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings:
Five IITs are ranked within the Top 100 globally in QS Engineering rankings, making them genuinely world-class institutions.
Top 10 Government IIT Colleges in India: Fees & Seat Intake
All 23 IITs are centrally funded government IIT colleges in India. The table below covers the top 10:
The government subsidises undergraduate fees by approximately 80%, and all MTech and PhD students receive scholarships. The annual cost borne by undergraduate students is around ₹2.8 lakh per year. SC/ST, OBC, female, and differently-abled students are entitled to additional fee waivers and scholarships. The faculty-to-student ratio across IITs is maintained between 1:6 and 1:8, well above the SCIC prescribed minimum of 1:9.
Admission to IIT Colleges in India 2026
Latest Update: JEE Main 2026 Session 2 is scheduled from April 2 to April 9, 2026.
JEE Advanced is widely considered one of the hardest entrance examinations in the world. As co-founder of Sun Microsystems Vinod Khosla once noted in a CBS documentary, IITs are "probably the hardest schools in the world to get into." Approximately 95% of successful JEE Advanced candidates have attended coaching classes. The exam is currently conducted in English and Hindi only.
Reservation Policy: Around 50% of seats are reserved for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS categories, 20% for female students, 5% for students with benchmark disability, and 10% of general category seats are reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Courses Offered by IIT Colleges in India
Here are all three programme categories in clean tables:
Undergraduate Programmes Offered at IIT Colleges in India
Postgraduate Programmes Offered at IIT Colleges in India
Specialised Programmes at Select IIT Colleges in India
Note: Programme availability, duration, and admission criteria may vary across IITs. Always verify with the official website of the respective IIT before applying.
Some IITs, including IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Hyderabad, and IIT Gandhinagar, also offer double major degrees, undergraduate minors, and honours programmes, allowing students to graduate with expertise across multiple disciplines.
Placements at Top IIT Colleges in India
Top IIT colleges in India attract global recruiters including Google, Microsoft, Meta, Adobe, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey. Average packages across top IITs range from INR 17 LPA to INR 37.5 LPA.
Note: According to RTI data, approximately 38% of IIT graduates from the class of 2024 did not secure placements through campus drives: the highest in three years. Many of these students pursue higher education, government roles, or entrepreneurship rather than campus placements.
Campus Life at IIT Colleges in India
All IITs provide on-campus residential facilities for students, research scholars, and faculty. Campus life is rich with:
Sports: Basketball, cricket, football, hockey, volleyball, tennis, badminton, swimming, and the annual Inter IIT Sports Meet across all 23 IITs
Technical Festivals: Techfest (IIT Bombay, UNESCO patronage), Shaastra (IIT Madras, ISO 9001 certified), Kshitij (IIT Kharagpur), Techkriti (IIT Kanpur), Tryst (IIT Delhi), and more
Cultural Festivals: Mood Indigo (IIT Bombay), Saarang (IIT Madras), Spring Fest (IIT Kharagpur), Antaragni (IIT Kanpur), Rendezvous (IIT Delhi), Alcheringa (IIT Guwahati), and more
NCC / NSS / NSO: All first-year students must participate in one of these three national programmes
Best IIT Colleges in India: Category Wise
FAQs on Top IIT Colleges in India 2026: List, Rankings, Fees, Placements & Admission
1. How many IIT colleges are there in India in 2026?
There are 23 IIT colleges in India as of 2026, all recognised as Institutes of National Importance and funded by the central government under the Ministry of Education.
2. Which is the top 1 IIT college in India?
IIT Madras is the top 1 IIT college in India, ranked #1 in NIRF Engineering for ten consecutive years and #1 in NIRF Overall for seven consecutive years.
3. What are the top 5 IIT colleges in India?
As per NIRF 2025, the top 5 IIT colleges in India are IIT Madras (Rank 1), IIT Delhi (Rank 2), IIT Bombay (Rank 3), IIT Kanpur (Rank 4), and IIT Kharagpur (Rank 5).
4. What are the top 10 IIT colleges in India rank wise?
IIT Madras (1), IIT Delhi (2), IIT Bombay (3), IIT Kanpur (4), IIT Kharagpur (5), IIT Roorkee (6), IIT Hyderabad (7), IIT Guwahati (8), IIT (BHU) Varanasi (10), and IIT Indore (12) as per NIRF 2025.
5. Which is the oldest IIT college in India?
IIT Kharagpur, established in 1951, is the oldest IIT college in India. It was set up at the site of the Hijli Detention Camp in West Bengal and was formally inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on 18 August 1951.
6. Which is the newest IIT college in India?
Six IITs were established in 2016 — IIT Bhilai, IIT Dharwad, IIT Jammu, IIT Goa, IIT Tirupati, and IIT Palakkad — making them the newest IIT colleges in India.
7. Which is the largest IIT in India by student strength?
IIT Kharagpur has the largest student body with over 15,862 students, followed by IIT Bombay (12,976) and IIT Delhi (12,543).
8. Which is the largest IIT in India by faculty strength?
IIT Kharagpur also has the largest faculty with 928 members, followed by IIT Bombay (759) and IIT Delhi (687).
9. Are all IIT colleges in India government colleges?
Yes, all 23 IITs are centrally funded government IIT colleges in India under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. They are not private institutions.
10. Does India have any IIT campus outside the country?
Yes. IIT Madras established India's first overseas IIT campus in Zanzibar, Tanzania in 2023. A campus in the UAE is also in progress.
11. What is the eligibility for BTech admission at IIT colleges in India?
Candidates must have passed Class 12 with a minimum of 75% aggregate (65% for SC/ST) from a recognised board, and must qualify both JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Age limit for the general category is born on or after October 1, 2001.
12. How do I get admission into IIT colleges in India in 2026?
For BTech, clear JEE Main 2026 (Session 2: April 2–9, 2026) to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026. JEE Advanced is the final gateway to all 23 IIT colleges in India. For MTech, appear in GATE; for MSc, appear in IIT JAM; for MBA, appear in CAT; for Design programmes, appear in UCEED or CEED.
13. How many attempts are allowed for JEE Advanced?
Candidates can attempt JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in consecutive years.
14. What is the JEE Main 2026 exam date?
JEE Main 2026 Session 2 is scheduled from April 2 to April 9, 2026. Session 1 was held in January–February 2026.
15. How many students appear for JEE every year?
Over 10 lakh (1 million) students appear for JEE Main every year. Of these, only the top 2.5 lakh qualifiers are eligible to appear for JEE Advanced.
16. Is there any reservation in IIT colleges in India?
Yes. Approximately 50% of seats are reserved for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS categories. Additionally, 20% of seats are reserved for female students, 5% for students with benchmark disability, and 10% of general category seats are reserved for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
17. Can I get admission to IIT without JEE?
Yes, for programmes other than BTech. MTech admissions use GATE, MSc uses IIT JAM, MBA uses CAT, and Design programmes use UCEED (UG) or CEED (PG). PhD admissions do not always require GATE — many IITs now allow direct PhD admission via interviews.
18. What is the minimum percentage required for IIT admission?
For BTech at IITs, candidates need a minimum of 75% aggregate in Class 12 (65% for SC/ST candidates) along with qualifying JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
19. Is coaching necessary to get into IIT?
While not mandatory, approximately 95% of successful JEE Advanced candidates have attended coaching classes. However, self-study with the right resources is also a viable path.
20. What is JEE Advanced and how is it different from JEE Main?
JEE Main is the first stage exam conducted by NTA, qualifying for NITs, IIITs, and IIT Advanced eligibility. JEE Advanced is the second and final stage conducted by IITs themselves, and is the sole gateway for BTech admission at all 23 IIT colleges. JEE Advanced is widely regarded as one of the toughest entrance exams in the world.
21. What is the total fee for BTech at IIT colleges in India?
The total BTech tuition fee at most top IIT colleges in India is approximately INR 8 Lakh for the full 4-year programme. The government subsidises around 80% of the actual cost.
22. What is the annual fee at IIT colleges in India?
The annual cost borne by BTech students at IITs is approximately INR 2.8 lakh per year, inclusive of tuition, hostel, and other charges. This varies slightly across IITs.
23. Are there scholarships available at IIT colleges in India?
Yes. All MTech students and PhD research scholars receive scholarships and stipends to encourage higher studies. SC/ST, OBC, female, and differently-abled students are entitled to additional fee waivers. Students from economically weaker sections also receive financial assistance.
24. Do IIT students pay for hostel accommodation?
All IITs provide on-campus residential facilities (hostels/halls) for students throughout their study period. Hostel fees are included in the overall cost structure and are subsidised.
25. Which IIT offers the best return on investment (ROI)?
IIT (BHU) Varanasi is frequently cited for the best ROI, followed by IIT Delhi, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, and IIT Bombay — all offering high average placement packages relative to the uniform INR 8 Lakh fee.
26. How does IIT fee compare to private engineering colleges?
IIT fees are significantly lower than most private engineering colleges in India. While top private colleges charge INR 10–20 lakh per year, IITs charge approximately INR 2.8 lakh per year — making them the most affordable world-class engineering education available in the country.
27. Which IIT has the highest placement package?
IIT Madras leads with an average annual placement package of INR 37.5 LPA, followed by IIT Delhi (INR 20 LPA), IIT Kharagpur (INR 19.7 LPA), IIT Kanpur (INR 19.4 LPA), IIT Bombay (INR 18 LPA), and IIT Roorkee (INR 17 LPA).
28. What is the average salary of an IIT graduate?
The average salary for IIT graduates ranges from INR 8 LPA to INR 40+ LPA depending on the branch, IIT, and role. Top roles in technology, consulting, and finance can command packages well above INR 50 LPA.
29. Which companies recruit from IIT colleges in India?
Top recruiters at IIT colleges include Google, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Adobe, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, Deutsche Bank, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, ISRO, DRDO, and several leading Indian startups and MNCs.
