Elliot Hartwell
IIT Search & Comparison Tool
Matching IITs
When you’re staring at the JEE Advanced admit card, the first thing you wonder is: IITs in India - how many actually exist? The answer isn’t static; it’s grown over the last decade as the government added new campuses to meet demand. In this guide we’ll break down the exact count as of October 2025, list every institute with its city and year of start‑up, and give you quick pointers on how each fits into a JEE aspirant’s strategy.
What exactly is an IIT?
Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) are a network of autonomous public technical universities, each declared an "Institute of National Importance" by the Ministry of Education. They specialize in engineering, technology, and sciences, and they admit students exclusively through the highly competitive JEE Advanced exam. The IIT brand is synonymous with rigorous academics, strong industry ties, and a powerful alumni network that includes CEOs, Nobel laureates, and leading researchers.
Current total: 23 IITs across India
As of the 2025 academic year, India has 23 operational IITs. The count rose from 20 in 2016 when the last three were inaugurated. The expansion reflects the government's push to decentralize elite engineering education and provide regional access.
Full list of IITs - location, year, and flagship programs
| Institute | City / State | Year Started | Notable Programs |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Kharagpur | Kharagpur, West Bengal | 1951 | Computer Science, Mechanical, Agricultural Engineering |
| IIT Bombay | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 1958 | Electrical, Data Science, Chemical |
| IIT Delhi | New Delhi | 1961 | Electronics, Management, Bioengineering |
| IIT Madras | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | 1959 | Robotics, Materials Science, AI |
| IIT Kanpur | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh | 1959 | Physics, Computer Architecture, Energy |
| IIT Guwahati | Guwahati, Assam | 1994 | Ocean Engineering, Data Analytics |
| IIT Roorkee | Roorkee, Uttarakhand | 1847 (as Roorkee College) | Civil, Water Resources, Embedded Systems |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar, Odisha | 2008 | Environmental Engineering, AI |
| IIT Ropar | Rupnagar, Punjab | 2008 | Biotechnology, Computer Engineering |
| IIT Gandhinagar | Gandhinagar, Gujarat | 2008 | Nanotechnology, Electrical |
| IIT Hyderabad | Hyderabad, Telangana | 2008 | AI, Robotics, Materials |
| IIT Indore | Indore, Madhya Pradesh | 2009 | Data Science, Sustainable Energy |
| IIT (BHU) Varanasi | Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | 1919 (as Banaras Engineering College) | Electrical, Aerospace |
| IIT Patna | Patna, Bihar | 2008 | Mechanical, Computer Science |
| IIT Jodhpur | Jodhpur, Rajasthan | 2008 | Energy, Materials, AI |
| IIT Bhilai | Bhilai, Chhattisgarh | 2008 | Manufacturing, Electronics |
| IIT Goa | Goa | 2016 | Computer Science, Ocean Engineering |
| IIT Tirupati | Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh | 2015 | Civil, Renewable Energy |
| IIT Dhanbad (ISM) | Dhanbad, Jharkhand | 2016 (as IIT Dhanbad) | Mining, Metallurgy, Data Analytics |
| IIT Palakkad | Palakkad, Kerala | 2015 | Electrical, Computer Engineering |
| IIT Dharwad | Dharwad, Karnataka | 2016 | Artifical Intelligence, Electrical |
| IIT Bhubaneswar - Extension (IIIT) | Rourkela, Odisha (IIIT) | 2020 | Information Technology |
| IIT Jammu | Jammu, Jammu & Kashmir | 2020 | Computer Science, Materials |
How the count grew - a quick timeline
- 1951‑1961: The original five - Kharagpur, Bombay, Delhi, Madras, Kanpur.
- 1994: Guwahati became the 6th, expanding into the Northeast.
- 2001‑2009: Roorkee (upgraded), Varanasi, and a wave of eight new IITs (Bh, Ropar, Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Indore, Patna, Jodhpur, Bhilai).
- 2015‑2020: Goa, Tirupati, Palakkad, Dharwad, Jammu, plus ISM‑Dhanbad conversion. This added seven more, pushing the total to 23.
Each new campus follows a similar model: a temporary campus in a host institute, then a permanent campus on dedicated land. Funding comes from the central government, often supplemented by industry partnerships.
Why the number matters for JEE aspirants
If you’re staring at JEE‑Advanced rank lists, knowing there are 23 IITs changes how you plan your preferences. Here’s a quick cheat‑sheet:
- Geography matters. Students from the South often pick IIT Madras or Hyderabad because of proximity and climate comfort.
- Specialization focus. If you love AI, IIT Hyderabad and IIT Guwahati have dedicated AI labs; for mining, ISM‑Dhanbad stands out.
- Seat matrix. Older IITs have larger B.Tech seats; newer ones may have tighter intake but newer facilities.
- Industry links. IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi boast the strongest startup ecosystems, helpful for internships.
Understanding these nuances lets you rank‑list smarter and avoid the “I’ll apply to all IITs” trap that wastes your chance to craft a compelling statements of purpose.
Decision‑making checklist for selecting the right IIT
- Location preference - distance from home, climate, language.
- Desired branch - match the institute’s flagship labs.
- Campus age - newer campuses may have modern labs but fewer alumni networks.
- Placement statistics - look at NIRF rankings and recent placement packages.
- Hostel & extracurricular culture - some IITs excel in sports, others in cultural fests.
Write down your top three criteria, compare against the table above, and you’ll see which IITs fit your profile.
Common misconceptions about the IIT count
1. All IITs are equal. While they share the same governing council, resources differ widely. 2. Newer IITs have lower tuition. Tuition is set centrally; the cost is the same across all campuses. 3. Every IIT offers the same courses. Some newer IITs still lack a full suite of Ph.D. programs in niche fields.
Staying up‑to‑date - where to check for future changes
The Council of Indian Institute of Technology publishes annual updates on new campuses. Follow their press releases on the Ministry of Education portal, and keep an eye on the JEE Advanced official website for any alterations to seat allocation.
Quick reference: TL;DR
- Total IITs in India (2025): 23.
- Oldest: IIT Kharagpur (1951). Newest: IIT Jammu (2020).
- Key decision factors: location, branch strength, campus age, placement record.
- Official source for updates: Council of IITs & Ministry of Education.
How many IITs were there before 2020?
Before 2020, India had 20 IITs. The three most recent additions-IIT Jammu, IIT Dharwad, and the ISM‑Dhanbad conversion-raised the total to 23.
Which IIT has the strongest AI research?
IIT Hyderabad leads in AI with its Center for Artificial Intelligence, followed closely by IIT Guwahati and IIT Kharagpur, both of which host dedicated AI labs and industry collaborations.
Do all IITs offer the same B.Tech branches?
No. While core branches like Computer Science, Electrical, and Mechanical are common, some IITs have unique offerings-mining at ISM‑Dhanbad, ocean engineering at IIT Goa, and biotechnology at IIT Ropar.
Are the newer IITs as good for placements as the older ones?
Placement records for newer IITs are improving fast. IIT Hyderabad, for example, matches older IITs in average salary packages, thanks to its strong industry ties in tech hubs.
Where can I find the latest official list of IITs?
Visit the Council of Indian Institute of Technology’s site (councilofiit.org) or the Ministry of Education’s portal. Both publish up‑to‑date PDFs of all recognized IITs.
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