Established in 1959, IIT Kanpur is a public technical and research university located in Kanpur, recognized as an Institute of National Importance. It is known for its research and innovation in engineering and sciences.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, IIT Kanpur, is a public technical university founded in 1959 in Kanpur, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It has about 8,000 students, around nine hundred faculty and staff members, and about 50,000 graduates. The campus covers more than a thousand acres in the Kalyanpur district, with a lake, an airstrip for flight training and large green areas.
The institute was built with help from a consortium of American universities in the Kanpur Indo-American Programme, which set up laboratories and sent professors in the early 1960s. It also had one of the first university computers in India, an IBM machine installed in 1963, and the computer science department grew out of this early work. The physicist H. C. Verma, whose textbooks are widely used by Indian students, is a faculty member.
Engineering, science, humanities and management are taught across departments such as aerospace, electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical and materials engineering, and physics, chemistry and mathematics. The Department of Aerospace Engineering is a national leader in aircraft design, and the institute builds on strengths in materials science, nanotechnology, earth sciences and computing. Rajeev Motwani, the Stanford computer scientist who advised the founders of Google, studied here.
Admission to the bachelor’s programmes is through JEE Main and JEE Advanced, with seats allocated by the JoSAA process. Master’s degrees use the GATE exam, and doctoral programmes recruit by interview. International students may apply under the DASA scheme or through scholarship routes. Tuition fees are set by the institute and the government, so check the current tariff.
Teaching is in English, and nearly all students live in campus hostels. Kanpur is an industrial city on the Ganges, and the campus is quiet and self-contained, which suits students who prefer a focused environment.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Partnerships with international universities for joint degree programs and research. Collaborations with industry for sponsored projects and technology transfer. Home to SIDBI Innovation and Incubation Centre.
Research:
Pioneering research in aerospace engineering, computer science (cybersecurity, AI), materials science, chemical engineering, and environmental science. Strong focus on fundamental and applied research.
Famous Alumnis:
N.R. Narayana Murthy, Arvind Krishna, Satyendra Dubey, Ashoke Sen, Jitendra Malik
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
900
Current students***:
8000
Foreign students***:
1%
Cumulative former students***:
50000
Pros
Excellent research infrastructure and faculty, strong alumni network, renowned for its rigorous academic programs, particularly in CSE and Aerospace.
Cons
Located in a smaller industrial city (Kanpur), perception of being more isolated than IITs in metro cities, very demanding curriculum.
Best For
Students aiming for a rigorous and research-oriented education in engineering or sciences, particularly in computer science or aerospace, valuing academic excellence and innovation.
On content, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and this school are close, as both teach mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials; it is slightly larger, at about 11,000 students against roughly 8,000 here, and is also a public institution.
For students who like the electrical and electronics, materials and AI and machine learning focus of this institution but want another option nearby, National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli fits well: it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers civil engineering and manufacturing as well.
Both schools build their programmes around mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and AI and machine learning, and Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad is the one to compare first within the country, since it is slightly smaller, at about 5,500 students against roughly 8,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Indian Institute of Technology Dhanbad (IIT ) is the closest domestic counterpart for materials, AI and machine learning and software engineering; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers geotechnics as well.
Both schools build their programmes around materials, AI and machine learning and software engineering, and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur is the one to compare first within the country, since it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers agriculture and food science as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Students considering a move abroad can look at Polytechnique Montréal in Canada, where aerospace, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics also form the core, and it also offers certificate programmes, and is slightly larger, at about 9,500 students against roughly 8,000 here.
Looking internationally, South Ural State University in Russia is where aerospace, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics get a comparable treatment; it is far larger, with about 27,000 students against roughly 8,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, National Technical University Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute (Ukraine) is a close relative on subject matter, since mechanical engineering, electrical and electronics and materials are central to both, and it is also a public institution and does not run the mba programmes found here.
Novosibirsk State Technical University in Russia pursues a similar profile in aerospace, mechanical engineering and electrical and electronics, and it is larger, enrolling about 14,000 students against roughly 8,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is IIT Kanpur?
In Kalyanpur, Kanpur, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.
When was it founded?
In 1959.
How large is it?
About 8,000 students and around nine hundred faculty and staff members.
What is the Kanpur Indo-American Programme?
A consortium of American universities that helped to set up laboratories and sent professors to the institute in the early 1960s.
What is IIT Kanpur best known for?
Aerospace engineering, computer science, materials science, physics and earth sciences.
Who is a well-known alumnus?
Rajeev Motwani, the Stanford computer scientist, studied there.
How do you enter the bachelor's programmes?
Through JEE Main and JEE Advanced, with seats allocated by the JoSAA process.
Can international students apply?
Yes, under the DASA scheme or through scholarship routes.
What does it cost?
Tuition fees are set by the institute and the government. Check the current tariff.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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