The Roorkee College was established in 1847 AD as the First Engineering College in the British Empire. The College was renamed as The Thomason College of Civil Engineering in 1854. It was given the status of University by Act No. IX of 1948 of the United Province (Uttar Pradesh) in recognition of its performance and its potential and keeping in view the needs of post-independent India. Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, presented the Charter in November 1949 elevating the erstwhile college to the First Engineering University of Independent India.
Since its establishment, the University of Roorkee has played a vital role in providing the technical manpower and know-how to the country and in pursuit of research. The University ranked amongst the best technological institutions in the world and has contributed to all sectors of technological development. It has also been considered a trend-setter in the area of education and research in the field of science, technology, and engineering. The University entered 150th year of its existence in one or other form in October 1996.
On the 21st September 2001, the University was declared an institute of national importance, by passing a bill in the parliament, changing its status from University of Roorkee to Indian Institute of Technology - IIT Roorkee. Thus another jewel was added into the already glittering crown in the History of this Institute.
Bachelor's Degree courses are offered in 10 disciplines in Engineering and Architecture; 55 Postgraduate Degree courses are offered in Engineering, Applied Science and Architecture and planning. The Institute has facility for doctoral work in all Departments and Research Centers. The IIT admits students to B.Tech. and B.Arch. courses through the IIT-JEE. conducted at various centers all over India.
The Institute has completed 150th year of its existence in October 1996. On September 21, 2001, an Ordinance issued by the Government of India declared it as the nation's seventh Indian Institute of Technology. The Ordinance is now converted into an Act by the Parliament to make IIT, Roorkee as an "Institution of National Importance".
The Institute admits students to B.Tech. and B.Arch. courses through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) conducted at various centres all over India.
Vision of IIT Roorkee
To be the fountainhead of new ideas and innovations in science and technology and continue to be a source of pride for all Indians.
Departments in IIT Roorkee
IIT Roorkee is one of the biggest technical institutions in the country having the largest number of academic units. It has 18 academic departments covering engineering, applied sciences, humanities & social sciences, and management programs, 1 academic centres, 4 supporting service centres and a large number of research centers:
- Architecture and Planning
- Biotechnology
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Earthquake Engineering
- Earth Sciences
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronics and Computer Engineering
- Humanities and Social Sciences
- Hydrology
- Management Studies
- Mathematics
- Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
- Paper Technology
- Physics Department
- Water Resources Development and Management
- Paper technology department
IIT Roorkee Centers
IIT Roorkee is one of the biggest technical institutions in the country having the largest number of academic units. It has 18 academic departments covering engineering, applied sciences, humanities & social sciences, and management programs, 1 academic centres, 4 supporting service centres and a large number of research centers.
Academic centers
- Alternate Hydro Energy Centre
Academic Service centers
- Mahatma Gandhi Central Library
- Centre of Nanotechnology (Download pamphlet having information regarding M.Tech and research programme at this Centre)
- Centre for Transportation Systems (CTRANS)
- Centre of Excellence in Disaster Mitigation & Management (CoEDMM)
- Continuing Education Centre (CEC)
- Information Super Highway Centre(ISC)
- Institute Computer Centre (ICC)
- Institute Instrumentation Centre (IIC)
- Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell
- Quality Improvement Programme(QIP)
Supporting Service Centres
- Educational Technology Cell
- Institute Hospital
Courses and Programmes in IIT Roorkee
IIT Roorkee Undergraduate Programmes
The Institute offers eleven undergraduate programmes leading to B . Arch . and B.Tech. degrees, which are of 5 and 4 years duration, respectively. These programmes are in the following disciplines:
| S. No | Academic Department | Bachelor Degree Programmes |
| 1 | Architecture & Planning | B.Arch. Architecture |
| 2 | Biotechnology | B. Tech. Biotechnology |
| 3 | Chemical Engineering | B. Tech. Chemical Engineering |
| 4 | Civil Engineering | B. Tech. Civil Engineering |
| 5 | Electrical Engineering | B. Tech. Electrical Engineering |
| 6 | Electronics & Computer Engineering | B. Tech. Electronics & Communication EngineeringB. Tech. Computer Science & Engineering |
| 7 | Mechanical & Industrial Engineering | B. Tech. Mechanical EngineeringB. Tech. Production & Industrial Engineering |
| 8 | Metallurgical & Materials Engineering | B. Tech. Metallurgical & Materials Engineering |
| 9 | Paper Technology | B. Tech. Pulp &Paper Engineering |
Integrated Dual Degree
The Institute offers three Integrated Dual Degree programmes (5 years duration). Admissions are offered through the Joint Entrance Examination(JEE) and students are awarded both B.Tech. and M.Tech. degrees after completion of 5 years. These programme are in the following desciplines:
| S. No | Academic Department | Programmes |
| 1 | Chemical Engineering | B.Tech. (Chemical Engineering) and M.Tech. (Hydrocarbon Engineering) |
| 2 | Electrical Engineering | B.Tech. (Electrical Engineering) and M.Tech. (Power Electronics)* |
| 3 | Electronics & Computer Engineering | B.Tech. (Computer Science and Engineering) and M.Tech.(Information Technology) |
| 4 | Electronics & Computer Engineering | B.Tech. (Electronics & Communication Engineering) and M.Tech. (Wireless Communication) |
| 5 | Paper Technology | B.Tech. (Process Engineering) and M.B.A. |
Integrated Master of Technology
Five year Integrated M. Tech. Programme in Polymer Science & Technology has been started from the academic session 2007-08. Admissions were offered through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and students will be awarded Integrated M.Tech. Degree in Poymer Science & Technology after completion of 5 years.
| S. No | Academic Department | Programmes |
| 1 | Earth Sciences | M.Tech. (Geophysical Technology) |
| 2 | Earth Sciences | M.Tech. (Geological Technology) |
| 3 | Paper Technology | M.Tech. (Polymer Science & Technology) |
Integrated Master of Science
| S. No | Academic Department | Programmes |
| 1 | Mathematics | M.Sc. (Applied Mathematics) |
| 2 | Physics | M.Sc. (Physics) |
| 3 | Chemistry | M.Sc. (Chemistry) |
During the session 2007-2008, 619 (including IDD and Integrated M.Tech.) students were admitted to different UG programmes and a total of 2220 were registered in different years of UG programmes. All the IITs offer admission to these programmes on the basis of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) results.
IIT Roorkee Postgraduate (PG) Programmes
The predecessor of the IIT Roorkee, the University of Roorkee, pioneered postgraduate programmes in engineering and technology, way back in 1955. During the session 2007-2008, 654 students were admitted to the PG programmes and a total of 1356 students were registered in these programmes.
Admission to PG programmes is offered on the basis of GATE score and/or on the basis of the written test and interview. Non Resident Indians ( NRI ) and foreign nationals are also admitted to PG programmes. Sponsored candidates, including those through Quality Improvement Programme (QIP), form another channel for admission to these programmes. IIT Roorkee is the only institution in the country which has special PG programmes in Earthquake Engineering, Water Resources Development & Management, Hydrology, Welding Engineering, Alternate Hydro Energy Systems and Pulp & Paper Engineering.
PG Programmes in Engineering and Architecture
M.Tech./M.Arch. & M.U.R.P.
| S.No | Academic Department | Programmes |
| 1 | Architecture & Planning | M.Arch. , M.U.R.P. |
| 2 | Alternate Hydro Energy Centre | Alternate Hydro Energy Systems Environment Management of Rivers and Lakes |
| 3 | Chemical Engineering | Computer Aided Process Plant Design Industrial Pollution Abatement Industrial Safety & Hazard Management |
| 4 | Civil Engineering | Building Science & Technology Computer Aided Design Environmental Engineering Geotechnical Engineering (with Diversification in Rock Mechanics)Hydraulics Engineering Geomatics Engineering Structural Engineering (with Diversification in Bridge Engineering)Transportation Engineering (with Diversification in Traffic Engineering) |
| 5 | Earthquake Engineering | Soil Dynamics Structural Dynamics |
| 6 | Electrical Engineering | Instrumentation & Signal Processing Power Apparatus & Electric Drives Power System Engineering Systems and Control |
| 7 | Electronics & Computer Engineering | Control & Guidance Computer Science & Engineering Communication Systems Information technology RF & Microwave Engineering Semiconductor Devices & VLSI Tech. |
| 8 | Hydrology | Surface Water Hydrology Ground Water Hydrology Watershed Management |
| 9 | Mechanical & Industrial Engineering | Machine Design Engineering Production & Industrial Systems Engg.Thermal Engineering Welding Engineering CAD, CAM & Robotics |
| 10 | Metallurgical & Materials Engg. | Industrial Metallurgy Physical Metallurgy Corrosion Engineering |
| 11 | Paper Technology | Pulp & Paper Engineering |
| 12 | Water Resources Development & Management | Irrigation Water Management, Water Resources Development |
P.G. Diploma (For Sponsored Candidates)
| Sl. No | Academic Department | Programme |
| 1 | Hydrology | Hydrology |
| 2 | Water Resources Development & Management | Hydroelectric System Engg. & Management, Irrigation Water Management, Water Resources Development |
G Programmes in Sciences, Management and Computer ApplicationsM.Tech.
| Sl. No | Academic Department | Specialisation |
| 1 | Chemistry | Advanced Chemical Analysis |
| 2 | Earth Sciences | Applied Geophysics |
| 3 | Physics | Solid State Electronic Materials |
Sciences
| Sl. No | Academic Department | Programmes |
| 1 | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| 2 | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| 3 | Earth Sciences | Applied Geology |
| 4 | Mathematics | Applied Mathematics, Industrial Mathematics & Informatics |
| Sl. No | Academic Department | Programmes |
| 1 | Management Studies | Master of Business Administration (MBA) |
| 2 | Interdisciplinary | Master of Computer Applications (MCA) |
Ph D in IIT Roorkee
Doctoral Programmes Research programmes leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ( Ph.D. ) are available in all academic departments of the Institute. While 89 new candidates were admitted to Ph.D. programmes, a total of 754 candidates are working for their Ph.D. degree in the session 2007-2008. The Ph.D. thesis is evaluated by the supervisor(s) and by two external examiners, one Indian and the other from abroad. If the examiners recommend acceptance of the thesis, a viva voce examination of the candidate is arranged at Roorkee. The recommendations of the Board of Examiners are considered by the Senate , which approves the award of Ph.D. degree to the candidate.
How to reach IIT Roorkee
Roorkee is well connected to Delhi by rail and road. It is situated on National Highways 58 and 73 and is on Amritsar-Howrah main rail route. Some trains which are convenient for travelling between Delhi and Roorkee are New Delhi-Dehradun-New Delhi Shatabdi Express and Dehradun-New Delhi-Dehradun Janshatabdi Express. The nearest airport is located at Jollygrant, Dehradun. However, New Delhi is the preferred airport.
National Highway 58 from New Delhi to the higher reaches of the Himalayas passes via Roorkee. Roorkee is, therefore, well connected to all the major cities in the region by road. There are frequent bus services to this place from the Maharana Pratap Inter State Bus Terminal (Kashmere Gate) Delhi.
By Roadways: Traveling from Delhi, Roorkee is located towards north approximately 170 kilometers. Take the highway NH58, and it passes through Roorkee. The city of Haridwar is located further on the same highway about 29 kilometers from Roorkee. The main bus depot of Roorkee is located on NH58. Several buses run from various cities in North India.
By Airways: Nearest airport to Roorkee is Dehradun's Jolly Grant airport which has Air Deccan services from New Delhi. But most preferable airport nearest from Roorkee is the New Delhi International Airport which is about 180 kilometers away.
By Railways: Easiest way to get to Roorkee is by train. There are several trains serving Roorkee daily from various cities around. The high speed trains Shatabdi and Jan Shatabti also stop at Roorkee on their route Delhi - Dehradun. By train, it takes less than 3 hours and 30 minutes to reach Roorkee from Delhi, so it is the fastest and most economical way of travel.
