Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur)

About IIT Kharagpur

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP) is the oldest IIT in the country, established in 1951 in the Hijli Detention Camp — a former British-era prison in West Bengal. It was the first in the chain of IITs set up by the Government of India, and the one that laid the groundwork for technical education across the nation.

Spread across a massive 2,100-acre campus — the largest among all IITs — the institute has over 22,000 students, 700+ faculty members, and runs 19 academic departments along with 9 centres of excellence. IIT Kharagpur is known for its emphasis on interdisciplinary research, and it was the first IIT to start departments in subjects like Architecture, Law, and Medical Science.

This article covers everything about IIT Kharagpur — admission process, courses, fees, placements, campus life, and more.

Key Highlights of IIT Kharagpur 2026

• Established: 1951 — the first IIT in India, founded inside the Hijli Detention Camp.
• Campus: 2,100 acres — the largest campus among all IITs and one of the biggest university campuses in Asia.
• NIRF Ranking: Consistently ranked in the top 5 engineering institutes (NIRF 2024: Rank 6 in Engineering).
• Accreditation: Institute of National Importance, NAAC A++ accredited.
• Unique Departments: First IIT to introduce Law (Rajiv Gandhi School of IP Law), Medical Science, and Architecture departments.
• Placement Record: Average B.Tech package around Rs. 16-20 LPA with highest offers crossing Rs. 1 Crore.
• Notable Alumni: Sundar Pichai (CEO, Google/Alphabet), Arvind Krishna (CEO, IBM), and several other industry leaders.

Courses Offered at IIT Kharagpur

IIT Kharagpur has the widest academic portfolio among all IITs. It offers B.Tech in over 20 branches, Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech) programmes, standalone M.Tech in 50+ specializations, MBA, M.Sc, and a large doctoral research programme.

Popular B.Tech branches include Computer Science, Electronics, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Aerospace, and Agricultural Engineering. The Vinod Gupta School of Management (VGSoM) runs an MBA programme that ranks among the top 20 in the country. The institute also offers a 5-year integrated M.Sc programme and a unique Dual Degree in Law and Technology.

Admission Process

B.Tech admission happens through JEE Advanced followed by JoSAA counselling. The Computer Science cutoff is usually within the top 200 ranks in the General category. For M.Tech, admission is through GATE score. MBA at VGSoM accepts CAT scores, and M.Sc admissions happen via IIT JAM.

Placements at IIT Kharagpur

IIT Kharagpur sees participation from 300+ companies during the placement season. The average B.Tech package is around Rs. 16-20 LPA, with the highest domestic offers exceeding Rs. 1 Crore. Top recruiters include Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, McKinsey, Schlumberger, Shell, Tata Steel, and Texas Instruments. A large number of students also receive pre-placement offers (PPOs) through internships.

Campus and Student Life

The IIT Kharagpur campus is practically a small town. With 22 hostels (called halls of residence), each with its own identity and traditions, the hostel culture here is legendary. The campus has its own hospital (B.C. Roy Technology Hospital), shopping centre, gymnasium, Olympic-size swimming pool, and multiple sports grounds.

The annual tech fest — Kshitij — and the spring festival — Spring Fest — are among the largest student-organized events in Asia. Student societies like the Technology Robotix Society, Gopali Youth Welfare Society, and Kharagpur Open Source Society are well known nationally. The campus also has a strong entrepreneurship ecosystem with its E-Cell and incubation centre supporting student startups.