Which of the following institutes was established as the first IIT (Indian Institute of Technology)?

• IIT Kharagpur was the first Indian Institute of Technology to be established, founded in May 1951 in the state of West Bengal.

• It was formally inaugurated by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Minister of Education, at the site of the Hijli Detention Camp.

• The institute was set up by the Government of India following the recommendations of the Sarkar Committee (1946) to create high-caliber technical institutions.

• In 1956, the Parliament of India passed the Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur) Act, declaring it an Institute of National Importance.

• It served as the blueprint for the subsequent IITs established across the country to foster scientific and industrial growth.

Information Booster:

• The motto of IIT Kharagpur is "Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam", which translates to "Yoga is excellence at work," sourced from the Bhagavad Gita.

• The IIT system has grown significantly since 1951 and currently comprises 23 institutes spread across various states of India.

Additional Knowledge:

IIT Kanpur (Option a)

• Established in 1959 as part of the Kanpur Indo-American Programme (KIAP).

• It was the fourth IIT to be established and received significant technical assistance from a consortium of nine US universities.

• It is well-known for being the first institute in India to offer Computer Science education.

IIT Bombay (Option b)

• Established in 1958 in Powai, Mumbai, with assistance from UNESCO and the then Soviet Union (USSR).

• It was the second IIT to be established and is renowned for its strong links with the industry and its annual festival, Mood Indigo.

IIT Madras (Option d)

• Established in 1959 in Chennai with technical and financial assistance from the Government of West Germany.

• It was the third IIT to be established and is frequently ranked as the top engineering institute in India by the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework).