BPSC 71st Prelims Result 2025 OUT

Which IIT has the Oldest Engineering Department in India?

Pratyasha Chaturvedi
Nov 18, 2025, 23:29 IST

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has the oldest engineering department in India, which dates back to the Thomason College of Civil Engineering, which was founded in 1847, long before the IIT system existed. This renowned institution established the framework for engineering education in India.

Which IIT has the Oldest Engineering Department in India?
Which IIT has the Oldest Engineering Department in India?

Oldest Engineering Department in India:- Have you ever walked across your college's campus or any other college campus and thought what it might have looked like 100 years ago? Have you ever wondered whether there might have been an engineering department that existed long before electricity, trains, or IITs were established in India?

Yes, such a department exists, and it eventually evolved into what we now refer to as the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

Before the Indian Institute of Technology rose to prominence as a global icon of brilliance, one institution had been developing engineers for nearly a century. While the IIT system was officially established in the 1950s, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee’s engineering tradition spans over 175 years, making it the oldest engineering department among the IITs. This department is not only old, it is famous. 

The engineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has witnessed the expansion of Indian railways, the construction of significant canals, advances in hydrology, and the early stages of India’s scientific movement. Given below are some of the key factors about the oldest engineering department in India:-

Features

Details

Fromer Names

  • University of Roorkee

  • Thomason Colleges of Civil Engineering

Year of Establishment

1847

Conversion to IIT 

Was converted to IIT on September 21, 2001

What are the Engineering Courses Offered by IIT Roorkee?

Engineering education has advanced significantly from the days of canal construction and manual surveying. What is the most fascinating part? IIT Roorkee has evolved alongside India’s expansion. Its engineering department grew throughout the decade, reacting to the country’s industrial, scientific and technological developments.

What began as a civil engineering school has since evolved into a multifunctional engineering powerhouse. Given below is the list of types of specialisations that the Indian Institute of Technology now offers to its students who appear and qualify for the JEE Mains and Advanced exam to seek admission to this institute:-

Biosciences and Bioengineering

Computer Science and Engineering

Civil Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Electronics & Communication Engineering

Mechanical & Industrial Engineering

Hydro and Renewable Energy

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

Engineering Physics

Polymer Science and Engineering

The engineering legacy of the Indian Institute of Technology is unmatched when we mix history, development and long-term contributions.

Get here latest updates and details about B.Tech Colleges, MBA Colleges, Law, Design, Mass Communication and Medical Colleges along with courses, fees, cut off and related entrance exams.

Trending