IIT Bombay, set up by an Act of Parliament, was established in 1958, at Powai, a northern suburb of Mumbai. Today the Institute is recognised as one of the centres of academic excellence in the country. Over the years, there has been dynamic progress at IIT Bombay in all academic and research activities, and a parallel improvement in facilities and infrastructure, to keep it on par with the best institutions in the world. Institutes in positions of excellence grow with time. The ideas and ideals on which such institutes are built evolve and change with national aspirations, national perspectives, and trends world - wide. IIT Bombay, too, is one such institution.

History

IIT Bombay was the second IIT to be established in 1958 with assistance from UNESCO and with funds contributed by the Soviet Union. UNESCO agreed to provide equipment and technical experts mainly from the Soviet Union, while the Government of India accepted the responsibility for all other expenses including the cost of the building project and recurring expenses.[1]

IIT Bombay Main BuildingThe site chosen for the institute was Powai, eighteen miles (29 km) from the city of Bombay (Mumbai), with an area of 550 acres (2.2 km2) which was given by the then Bombay State Government. While construction was being completed, the first academic session of the Institute opened on July 25, 1958, in its temporary home at the Synthetic and Art Silk Mills Research Association (SASMIRA) building in Worli (Bombay) with 100 students. These students were selected from over 3,400 applicants for admission to the first year undergraduate programmes in Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and Metallurgical Engineering. One of the main objectives of establishing the Institute was to develop facilities for studies in a variety of specialised engineering and technological sciences. The need for establishing adequate facilities for postgraduate studies and research was kept uppermost in mind in the founding years.

While the Institute was functioning provisionally at Worli, an effort was made to expedite the progress of the building project at its permanent location. When Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of the Institute at Powai on March 10, 1959, water and electric supply lines were just being laid and one approach road to the site was under construction.

Today, nearly fifty years later, IIT Bombay continues to contribute significantly to the advancement of science and technology in India in a number of ways. It has produced world class engineers and scientists, and alumni of IIT Bombay are achieving success in various capacities as entrepreneurs, managers, technocrats, consultants and advisers, and as faculty members and researchers, in India and abroad.

Academic Programmes

IIT Bombay offers a wide variety of courses of study in engineering, pure sciences, design, management and humanities with a primary focus on engineering. The university is a member of LAOTSE, an international network of leading universities in Europe and Asia exchanging students and senior scholars.

The programmes and courses offered at IIT Bombay have the flexibility to evolve and change, and to respond to new challenges. The Institute conducts educational programmes leading to the degree of Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech.),Dual Degree(B.tech. and M.Tech. in 5 years), Master of Science (MSc.), Master of Technology (MTech.), Master of Design (MDes.), Master of Management (MMgmt.), Master of Philosophy (MPhil.) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.) in the following areas:
 

Every year, IIT Bombay awards degrees, B.Tech, M.Tech, Dual Degree (B.Tech and M.Tech), M.Mgmt and Ph.D to more than 1,000 students. The undergraduate students at IIT Bombay are selected through the Joint Entrance Examination of the IITs. At a given time, the campus is home to more than 6,000 people, comprising of students, professors and non academic staff.

Each year, students finishing at the top of their class are awarded Institute Silver Medals at the convocation Ceremony. Students finishing with the highest GPA in the entire institute are awarded President of India Gold Medals.