Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) is an autonomous public technical university located in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. It offers a wide range of academic programmes including Bachelor of Technology, dual degree, Master of Technology, Master of Business Administration, and Doctor of Philosophy across engineering, technology, sciences, management, law and humanities. The institute also provides continuing education and short‑term courses for professionals seeking skill upgradation. Its academic activities are supported by a faculty engaged in teaching, research and consultancy work.

Established in 1951, IIT Kharagpur was the first of the Indian Institutes of Technology to be set up after independence. It serves a diverse student body drawn from across the country and includes a notable number of international scholars. The institute’s residential campus hosts academic departments, laboratories, libraries and student amenities spread over a large area.

IIT Kharagpur is recognised for its strong emphasis on research and innovation, maintaining numerous sponsored projects funded by government agencies and industry partners. The institute hosts specialised centres and schools that focus on areas such as entrepreneurship, biotechnology, materials science and information technology. Its faculty and students regularly publish in peer‑reviewed journals and present at international conferences, contributing to advances in several technical domains. Collaboration with foreign universities and participation in global academic networks further enhance its research profile.

Governance of IIT Kharagpur rests with the IIT Council and the Ministry of Education, Government of India, under which it operates as an autonomous institution. It is not a subsidiary of any corporate entity and does not have a parent organisation; its administrative structure includes a Board of Governors, a Senate and various departmental committees. Funding comes primarily from government grants, supplemented by fees, research contracts and philanthropic contributions.

In December 2016, the institute experienced a data breach when an individual using the handle Cryptolulz666 exploited an SQL injection vulnerability on its website. The breach exposed more than twelve thousand user records containing emails, passwords, phone numbers and security questions, with a portion of the data posted on Pastebin as proof. The attacker stated that the action was intended to highlight security shortcomings and urge the institution to strengthen its defences against future threats.