Understanding student intake at IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) is more than just a numerical curiosity for a JEE Advanced candidate or a college-bound student monitoring admissions trends. An institute’s academic size, level of infrastructure, and range of programs are all reflected in its annual intake.
Through the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), which releases an official seat intake annually, the Indian government controls IIT admissions centrally. The number of undergraduate seats each IIT is permitted to offer is clearly displayed in this intake, which has been approved by the Ministry of Education. We can determine which Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) regularly admit the maximum number of students each year.
Which IIT has the Maximum Student Intake Per Year?
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), which has the maximum number of student intake per year as per the data of the JoSAA Counselling for the academic year 2025-26, is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur. The administering authority for assigning the seat intake to the IITs is the JoSAA. The official seat intake, which lists seats by branches and category for every IIT, is released annually.
IIT Khargapur offers a total of 1919 seats, including all the courses offered by the institute and the category-wise recognition. Out of all the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), IIT Kharagpur consistently has the maximum number of student intake or seat intake per year. It always has the maximum number of seats available for undergraduates.
Given below is the list of the IITs which have the maximum number of seat intake as per the data of the JoSAA Counselling:-
| Name of Institutes | Seat Intake (Including courses and seat distribution) |
| IIT Kharagpur | 1919 |
| 1589 | |
| 1360 | |
| 1353 | |
| 1239 | |
| 1210 | |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 1210 |
| 1121 |
There are a few reasons why IIT Kharagpur has the highest seat intake per year, which are as follows:-
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Founded in 1951, it is the oldest Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
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The Campus area of IIT Kharagpur spreads over 2100 acres, easily making it the largest IIT campus in India.
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It offers the broadest selection of science and engineering programs, such as traditional B.Tech degrees, interdisciplinary degrees, and M.Sc courses that are integrated.
Why do some IITs have Higher student intake than others?
Some Indian Institutes of Technology have higher student intake than others because of various factors, which include historical establishment, strategic government development, infrastructure capability, and the necessity to sustain high-quality education. While the newer IITs are increasing their seat capacity rapidly as they develop their infrastructure, the older, more established IITs often have greater, more consistent admissions.
Given below is a list of some of the factors that drive higher student intake at some IITs as compared to the others:-
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(Image source:- AI generated)
The newer IITs, which were formed after 2008, have smaller student intake as compared to the older IITs due to their infrastructure restrictions, staff shortages, and ongoing construction of research facilities. Unlike the earlier IITs with large established campuses, many newer IITs experience initial, and in some cases ongoing, difficulties with permanent site development and faculty recruitment, resulting in smaller and more regulated admissions.
Given below is the list of some of the newer IITs with their seat intake as per the data of the JoSAA Counselling:-
| Name of Institutes | Seat Intake (Including courses and seat distribution) |
| 962 | |
| 496 | |
| 520 | |
| 480 | |
| 630 | |
| 610 | |
| 617 | |
| 360 |
Does Higher Student Intake Mean Easier Admission?
A higher student intake in an IIT does not mean an easier admission chance. This is a common misunderstanding. Cutoff ranks are still very tough, even if IIT Kharagpur admits more students. A higher seat intake in any Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) simply means that:-
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More seats overall
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Greater availability of branches
It does not affect JEE Advanced’s academic standards or selection rigour. Given below are some reasons why a higher intake of students in IIT does not mean easier admission:-
| Marginal growth vs. Fierce Competition |
| Prioritisation for top rankers |
| Excessive admissions |
| Long-term trend in preparation |
It is evident that of all the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), IIT Kharagpur has the maximum number of student intake. This is a reflection of its large campus, rich academic programs, and historical heritage. The maximum number of student intake IITs also include IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, and IIT Kanpur, while the newer IITs are steadily growing.
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