Indian Institutes of Technology

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are a network of engineering and technology institutions in India. Established in 1950, they are renowned for their academic excellence. They are under the ownership of the Ministry of Education of the Government of India and are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961. The Act declares them as Institutes of National Importance and lays down their powers, duties, and framework for governance as the country's premier institutions in the field of technology. The act currently lists twenty-three IITs. Each IIT has autonomy and is linked to others through a common council called the IIT Council, which oversees their administration. The Minister of Education of India is the ex officio chairperson of the IIT Council.