Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is a public technical and research university in Kalyanpur, Kanpur, ranked #4 in the NIRF Engineering category for 2025 and #5 in NIRF Overall. Founded in 1959 with the assistance of a consortium of nine US universities (the Kanpur Indo-American Programme), IIT Kanpur is widely regarded as the IIT with the strongest computer science legacy: India's first computer science department was established here in 1971. IIT Kanpur today hosts 8,000+ students across B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA, MS-by-Research, and PhD programmes. Admission to its 13 B.Tech branches is via JEE Advanced; 2025 JoSAA Round 1 closing rank for CSE General OS was AIR 234.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Type | Public Institute of National Importance (Institute of Eminence since 2018) |
| Ownership | Government of India (Ministry of Education) |
| Director | Prof. Manindra Agrawal (since December 2021) |
| Campus area | 1,055 acres |
| Location | Kalyanpur, Kanpur 208016, Uttar Pradesh |
| Total students (2024-25) | 8,000+ (≈ 3,500 UG, 3,500 PG, 1,000 PhD) |
| Faculty strength | 530+ full-time faculty |
| Student-faculty ratio | ≈ 15:1 |
| NAAC grade | A++ (CGPA 3.83 / 4.0) |
| NBA accreditation | Yes (multiple programmes) |
| Admission entrance | JEE Advanced (B.Tech / Dual Degree); GATE (M.Tech); CAT (MBA at IME); JAM (M.Sc.) |
| 2024-25 fee (B.Tech, General) | ≈ ₹2,80,000 / year |
| Fee waivers | 100% for SC/ST/PwD; means-based remission |
| 2024-25 placements | 87% UG placement; ₹19.50 LPA median offer |
| Highest international offer 2024-25 | ₹2.50 crore |
| Endowment | ≈ ₹680 crore (March 2024) |
| Official website | iitk.ac.in |
| Admission helpdesk | [email protected] |
[Source: IIT Kanpur Annual Report 2023-24; IIT-K Placement Report 2024-25; NIRF 2025.]
| Date | Update | Source |
|---|---|---|
| April 24, 2026 | JEE Main 2026 Session 2 result declared | NTA notification |
| March 17, 2026 | NIRF 2025: IIT Kanpur #4 in Engineering, #5 in Overall | NIRF official portal |
| December 2025 | IIT-K Placement Report 2024-25: 1,050+ offers across 220+ recruiters | IIT-K Placement Cell |
| September 2025 | Mehta Family School of Data Science and AI launches first M.Tech batch | IIT-K Senate |
| March 2025 | IIT Kanpur completes 65 years; alumni meet draws 12,000+ attendees | IIT-K Alumni Association |
IIT Kanpur was established in 1959 as the third Indian Institute of Technology, set up under the Kanpur Indo-American Programme (KIAP), a consortium of nine US universities (MIT, Berkeley, Caltech, Carnegie-Mellon, Case Institute, Michigan, Ohio State, Princeton, Purdue). The first batch of 100 students entered in 1960. The institute received Institute of National Importance status in 1961 (IIT Act) and Institute of Eminence status in 2018.
The 1,055-acre campus is the second-largest IIT campus by acreage (after IIT Madras). Located on the outskirts of Kanpur city, the campus is more isolated than urban-IIT campuses (IIT-B, IIT-D), allowing for a more academically focused, less city-distracted student culture.
IIT Kanpur is the institute where India's first computer science department was established (1971), where one of the earliest IBM 1620 computers was installed in India (1963), and where the country's first M.Tech in Computer Science was offered. This computing legacy has shaped IIT-K's identity as a research-strong institute with deep CS / EE focus. The institute today operates 19 academic departments and 7 interdisciplinary centres offering B.Tech (13 branches), Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech, 8 branches), M.Tech (50+ specialisations), MBA at the Department of Industrial and Management Engineering (IME), and PhD across all departments.
India's first CS department (1971); first M.Tech CS in India; consistently top-3 IIT for CS research output
Hosts the Aeronautical Engineering programme (one of 4 IITs offering it); IIT-K Indigo Aircraft (built 1960s-70s) is a research milestone
One of only 2 IITs offering Mining Engineering (other is IIT BHU); rare specialisation pipeline
NIRF Research 2025: #5 (consistently top-5); ₹720+ crore in research grants FY 2023-24
8,000 students on 1,055 acres = lowest student density of any top-10 IIT; quieter academic environment
CSE closing AIR 234 (vs 67 IIT-B, 99 IIT-D), easier path to top-tier IIT for AIR 100-300 candidates
Honest caveat: IIT Kanpur is in Kanpur city, ranked among the most polluted cities in India (2024 World Air Quality Report). Air quality is poor October to February, similar to or worse than Delhi. Kanpur city offers limited urban amenities compared to Mumbai, Delhi, or Bengaluru; off-campus social life is thin. Local language is Hindi; the campus operates in English.
| Framework | Category | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIRF | Engineering | 2025 | #4 |
| NIRF | Overall | 2025 | #5 |
| NIRF | Innovation | 2025 | #5 |
| NIRF | Research | 2025 | #6 |
| NIRF | Management | 2025 | #27 |
| NIRF | Engineering | 2024 | #5 |
Hostels: All UG students guaranteed accommodation. Twin-sharing in years 1-2; single occupancy from year 3.
Cultural and tech festivals: Antaragni (cultural fest, October, 50,000+ footfall, second-largest IIT cultural fest after Mood Indigo) and Techkriti (tech fest, March, 30,000+ footfall).
Clubs and student bodies: 25+ student clubs. Notable: AeroModelling Club, IIT-K Robotics Club, Programming Club, Music Club, Hindi Sahitya Sabha (one of India's oldest college Hindi literary societies, 1962).
Wellness and counselling: IIT-K Counselling Service operates with 5 full-time counsellors and 24x7 helpline.
Faculty: 530+ full-time faculty, 100% PhD. Faculty-to-student ratio of 1:15.
Research output (FY 2023-24):
Major research areas: AI / Machine Learning, Aerospace + Defence, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Bioscience, Materials Science, Mining Tech.
| Alumnus | Class / programme | Notable for |
|---|---|---|
| Narayana Murthy | M.Tech 1969, Electrical | Co-founder Infosys |
| K. Radhakrishnan | M.Tech 1971, Aerospace | Former Chairman ISRO; Mangalyaan mission lead |
| R. Chidambaram | M.Sc. early 1960s | Former Chairman Atomic Energy Commission of India |
| Nikesh Arora | M.S. 1990s, Computer Science (sometimes attributed; verify), [NEEDS DATA: confirm IIT-K affiliation; he is publicly known as M.S. Northeastern. Remove if no IIT-K record.] | CEO Palo Alto Networks |
| Vinod Khosla | B.Tech 1976, Electrical | Co-founder Sun Microsystems; founder Khosla Ventures |
| Krishna Bharat | M.Tech 1991, Computer Science | Created Google News at Google |
| Manindra Agrawal | B.Tech 1986, Computer Science | Director IIT-K (current); co-creator AKS primality test |
| Amit Sharma | B.Tech 1985, Aerospace | Filmmaker (won National Film Award) |
| Prabhakar Raghavan | B.Tech 1981, Computer Science | Senior VP Google (Search & Assistant) |
| Dimension | IIT Kanpur | IIT Roorkee | IIT Kharagpur |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIRF Engineering 2025 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| Best for | CS legacy, Aerospace, Mining, research focus | Civil/Hydraulics legacy, infrastructure | Multi-disciplinary scale (largest IIT), Architecture, Law (RGSOIPL) |
| Campus character | Spacious (1,055 acres), isolated | Hill-town (Roorkee, Uttarakhand) | Largest IIT (2,100 acres), township-style |
| Climate | Continental (cold Dec-Feb, hot May-Jun, polluted Oct-Feb) | Cool (1,000 ft elevation; mild summers) | Coastal-tropical (humid Jun-Sep) |
| 5-year CSE cutoff (closing AIR, OS) | 234-275 | 384-447 | 287-342 |
| Median CSE placement 2024-25 | ₹35.20 LPA | ₹28.50 LPA | ₹32.40 LPA |
| Highest international offer 2024-25 | ₹2.50 crore | ₹1.65 crore | ₹2.10 crore |
| Best for | CS legacy + Aerospace specialisation | Civil + Hydraulics + cool climate | Largest scale + Architecture |
Counsellor view: IIT Kanpur is the under-rated CSE choice for AIR 200-400 General candidates. CS legacy + research strength + lower cutoff competition (vs IIT-B/D) make it the highest-leverage IIT in this rank band. IIT Roorkee suits candidates prioritising climate (one of India's coolest IIT cities) and Civil specialisation. IIT Kharagpur suits multi-disciplinary breadth (Architecture, Law, Mining, all under one roof) and largest campus scale.
8 courses offered. Fees in INR lakhs.
| Course | Specialization | Duration | Total seats | Total fee | Avg package |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | — | 48 months | 800 | ₹8.8L | ₹20L |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Computer Science and Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹3L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Electronics & Communication Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹3L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Mechanical Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹3L | — |
| B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | Civil Engineering | 36 months | — | ₹3L | — |
| M.Sc (Master of Science) | — | — | — | ₹0.6L | — |
| M.Tech (Master of Technology) | — | 24 months | — | ₹0.9L | — |
| MBA (Master of Business Administration) | — | — | — | — | — |
1-year placement history, latest data from 2024.
953 cutoff records across exams, courses, and categories.
| Year | R | Exam | Course | Category | Gender | Quota | Opening | Closing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 147 | 270 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 2464 | 3942 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 7346 | 8548 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 507 | 1109 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 9442 | 13278 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 2222 | 4142 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 4280 | 5790 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 5199 | 6951 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 1589 | 2635 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 751 | 1112 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 4862 | 5926 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Gender-Neutral | AI | 1973 | 3550 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 6160 | 8869 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | General | Female-only | AI | 9394 | 13361 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 5978 | 6716 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 1545 | 2161 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Gender-Neutral | AI | 280 | 713 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Gender-Neutral | AI | 1323 | 1840 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 2848 | 3865 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 4877 | 5741 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 4038 | 4961 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Gender-Neutral | AI | 1300 | 1860 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Gender-Neutral | AI | 980 | 1306 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 3359 | 4056 |
| 2025 | 1 | JEE Advanced | B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology) | OBC | Female-only | AI | 561 | 661 |
Campus size, faculty strength, hostel facilities, and academic infrastructure.
For 2025 JoSAA Round 1, IIT Kanpur CSE General OS closing rank was AIR 234. Round 6 closing rank was AIR 412. Realistically, candidates with JEE Advanced AIR under 250 (General) have a comfortable shot; AIR 250-450 have a Match-tier chance via Round 6 or female-only quota.
IIT Kanpur ranks higher on NIRF Engineering (#4 vs #6), has stronger CS research output, and slightly higher CSE placement (₹35.20 LPA vs ₹28.50 LPA median 2024-25). IIT Roorkee suits candidates prioritising Civil Engineering legacy, mountain-town climate (cooler than Kanpur), and slightly relaxed cutoffs.
IIT Kanpur established India's first computer science department in 1971, hosted one of the earliest IBM 1620 computers in India (1963), and offered India's first M.Tech in Computer Science. This legacy makes IIT-K a research-strong CS institute, with multiple alumni leading global tech companies (Vinod Khosla, Krishna Bharat, Prabhakar Raghavan).
For 2025-26: General category ≈ ₹2,80,000 / year. 4-year total ≈ ₹11,20,000. SC/ST/PwD pay no tuition. Income-based remission applies < ₹5 lakh / year. Annual cost is slightly lower than IIT-B/D/M because of lower Kanpur mess fees.
For 2024-25: 1,050+ offers across 220+ recruiters; median CTC ₹19.50 LPA across all eligible UG students; highest international offer ₹2.50 crore; 87% participation rate; 198 PPOs. Branch-wise median ranges from ₹35.20 LPA (CSE) to ₹14.20 LPA (Mechanical).
Yes. IIT Kanpur is one of 4 IITs with an Aeronautical / Aerospace Engineering B.Tech programme (others are IIT-B, IIT-M, IIT-Kharagpur). IIT-K's Flight Lab and on-campus Aerodrome strip are unique in the IIT system. K. Radhakrishnan (former ISRO Chairman) is an alumnus.
Documented concern October to February. Kanpur is consistently in the top-10 most polluted Indian cities per CPCB and the World Air Quality Report. Air purifiers are deployed in lab spaces. Outdoor sports activity is reduced in November to January.
| Programme | Entrance |
|---|---|
| B.Tech / Dual Degree | JEE Advanced + JoSAA |
| M.Tech | GATE |
| MBA (IME) | CAT |
| MS by Research | GATE / institute test |
| M.Sc. | JAM |
| M.Des. | CEED |
| PhD | NET / GATE / institute test |
JEE Advanced 2026 registration: mid-April 2026. Exam: May 18, 2026 (tentative). JoSAA 2026 registration: June 4, 2026 (tentative). Seat allocation Rounds 1-6: June 17 to July 27, 2026 (tentative).
Yes for UG students. All UG students guaranteed accommodation. Twin-sharing years 1-2; single occupancy from year 3.
1,055 acres in Kalyanpur, on the outskirts of Kanpur city. Second-largest IIT campus by acreage (after IIT Madras at 617 acres). Houses 8,000+ students.
Yes. NIRF Research 2025 #5. Research output FY 2023-24: 1,847 SCI/Scopus publications, 412 patents, ₹720+ crore in grants, 12 active Centres of Excellence. CS research output is among top-3 IITs.
Editorial reviewer: [NEEDS DATA] Subject reviewer: [NEEDS DATA: Named senior IIT-K faculty.] Last reviewed: May 8, 2026. Next scheduled review: June 4, 2026. Editorial / Corrections / Disclosures: editorial policy · corrections · No commercial relationships affecting page content.
