IIT Gandhinagar
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (also known as IIT Gandhinagar or IITGN) is a public technical university located in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. It has been declared to be an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India. Established in 2008, IIT Gandhinagar campus is spread over 400 acres of land along the river Sabarmati. History. Foundation. IIT Gandhinagar is one of the eight Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) announced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2008. The institute began operating in a temporary campus at Vishwakarma Government Engineering College, Chandkheda, mentored by Indian Institute of  Technology Bombay. The first batch of students was admitted to three programmes: Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. IITGN was included in the Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 2011. The Act was passed in the Lok Sabha on 24 March 2011 and by the Rajya Sabha on 30 April 2012. Early developments. The IIT Gandhinagar campus is located on the banks of the Sabarmati River in Palaj village. In 2011, in his inaugural speech at the Amalthea technology summit, then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi spoke of the land for the new permanent campus, saying, "the state government has  decided to give land on 99 year lease with a token amount of just one rupee for setting up a campus of IIT-Gandhinagar." The institute took possession of over 400 acres of land in August 2012, and classes and other activities on the new campus began in July 2015. Campus. The 400-acre campus of IITGN is situated on the banks of Sabarmati river in Palaj village. The campus has three rough divisions: Academic Block, Housing Block and Student Hostels. This campus is India's first 5-star GRIHA LD campus for minimizing the negative effect on the environment . IITGN has also been bestowed with FSSAI's 'Eat Right Campus' with a 5-star rating and is the first (and only) academic campus to be declared so. Academic Buildings. The Academic Block consists of several academic buildings equipped with facilities to provide all that is necessary for students and researchers alike. Construction of a new research park and more academic buildings is underway. The academic Block is recognizable by a signature 100-feet tower called the Lal Minar which is distinctive and is visible from all parts of the campus. Civic amenities. The two campus dining halls are present  in the hostel area itself with two independent mess facilities available for students to choose from. It has been awarded a 5-star rating for the cleanliness, food waste management, and other parameters by FSSAI. There are numerous cafes to choose from as well, which offer a wide range of food and beverages. The hostels also have a large central area with open-air seating. The Rangmanch is an open-air theatre with a capacity of 2000 which is the perfect stage for all kinds of events. In addition, a few academic buildings have their own rooftop open-air theatres . The campus also has a complex, called 'Central Arcade', with a dispensery, restaurants, shops, ATMs, upcoming movie theatre and much more. A state-of-the-art sports complex is nearing completion with Olympic size swimming pool, indoor badminton and volleyball courts, etc. The campus also has a guest house for hosting any personalities visiting IIT Gandhinagar. Student Hostels. There are a total of 12 hostel buildings of which 6 are newly constructed. All hostel rooms are air-conditioned. The buildings are equipped with high speed WiFi and LAN facilities to cater to the students' academic needs. The hostels have a  spacious common library and reading area. There is a common game room in the hostels itself which is equipped with games like Foosball and Air-Hockey amongst other board games. All the blocks are accessible to people with disabilities. Organization and administration. Board of Governors. The institute is managed by a Board of Governors. The board comprises academicians, researchers, industrial leaders, and administrators. Raghunath Anant Mashelkar was the first Chairman of the Board of Governors of IITGN. Currently, the chairmanship is served by Dr. Sanjiv Goenka. Institute Senate. The Institute Senate deliberates on aspects of the IITGN community like academic  year planning, disciplinary actions, new academic structure, scholarships, medals and prizes etc. The Institute Senate is chaired by the Director of IIT Gandhinagar. The Senate consists of various professors and staff members and five student representatives. The Convener, Student Senate and General Secretary, Student Council are ex-officio members. In addition, three other students are nominated by the Chairman Senate. Student Senate. This body comprises a group of elected student representatives responsible for making amends to the IIT Gandhinagar constitution and creating new legislation in matters which directly or indirectly affect the student community at IIT Gandhinagar. The ultimate aim  of the student senate is to create an increasingly inclusive and safe environment which is conducive for learning and overall development of all students. Key academic officials. Key officials of the institute are the director, assisted by the deans of Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Faculty Affairs, Research and Development, and the coordinators of individual disciplines. Presently Sudhir Kumar Jain is heading the institution as the director. He is on deputation from IIT Kanpur. Jain is one of India's leading earthquake engineers. He set up the National Information Centre of Earthquake Engineering (NICEE) at IITK and developed the National Programme  on Earthquake Engineering Education (NPEEE), supported by the Government of India. He served as the president-elect of the International Association for Earthquake Engineering from 2014 to 2018. Academics. Undergraduate Education. IIT Gandhinagar offers Bachelor of Technology programs in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. On 19 July 2011, IIT Gandhinagar inaugurated a five-week immersion program for all new undergraduate students called the 'Foundation Program'. The program was launched in the presence of Narayana Murthy and has been running ever since. The program is meant to foster creativity , ethics, communication skills, teamwork, social engagement, and physical fitness. Students take almost 20 percent of their coursework in the humanities and the social sciences, as well as compulsory courses in design and the life sciences. In April 2013, IITGN's undergraduate curriculum was awarded the World Education Award 2013 for innovations in higher education, by the World Education Summit. Nearly a third of all IIT Gandhinagar undergraduate students receive study abroad opportunities during their time at the Institute. Branch change and Dual Major Program. IIT Gandhinagar has a liberal branch change policy, offering the opportunity to students to switch their  discipline in their second year. Rules / guidelines governing the change of branch are : 1. Any student with CPI greater than or equal to 9.50 will be allowed a Change of Branch without restriction. 2. For others, change will be permitted in the order of their merit determined by their respective CPI. Branch change will be subjective to availability of seats. Moreover, there are provisions for students to apply for a dual major in any discipline of their choice without any restrictions, given that the students maintain a CPI greater than 7.0. On successful completion, a B.Tech. degree mentioning both majors  will be awarded. A student can also pursue a minor in Computer Science, Management, Humanities, Materials Science, Chemical, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, irrespective of his/her branch of study. Honors is an additional credential a student can earn if he/she opts for extra courses in his/her discipline. Financial Support. IIT Gandhinagar offers a variety of scholarships and financial aid to their students under various schemes and programs. The Institute also offers complete tuition fee waiver for Students who secured under AIR-1000 rank in JEE Advanced. Earn While You Learn Program. IIT Gandhinagar has an "Earn while you learn  program for its undergraduate students. This program helps students earn their pocket money while getting firsthand experience of the various administrative operations of the institute. Admission. Admission to these programs is through taking the Joint Entrance Examination – Advanced (JEE-Advanced). The institute also offers Masters and PhD studies in various fields in engineering, sciences and humanities, and social sciences. Admissions to these graduate programs are through written test and/or interviews. In 2011, 117 undergraduate students were admitted to the 2012 batch, and 134 students were admitted to the 2013 batch. Admission to IIT Gandhinagar's postgraduate programmes are even more 	IIT Gandhinagar
15570304	competitive than the undergraduate programmes, with a selectivity ratio of 0.5%. Convocation. On 22 July 2012, the first convocation of IIT Gandhinagar was held, within the temporary campus premises. 86 students graduated with Bachelor of Technology degrees in Chemical, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering. The Chief guest for the occasion was N. R. Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor and Chairman Emeritus of Infosys. The convocation attire for IITGN was designed by the National Institute of Design (NID). India-Ki-Khoj. India-Ki-Khoj (Discovering India) is an intensive programme fostering the understanding and appreciation of India through lectures and field visits. Designed 	IIT Gandhinagar
15570305	and led by members of the Humanities and Social Sciences Program, the ten-day program brings together IITGN students and visiting students from overseas. The first India-Ki-Khoj was held in December 2011 and hosted students from Caltech. India-Ki-Khoj has been designed to help overseas students understand how a tradition-bound and diverse country such as India has survived as a nation, and understand the many layers of that diversity. Through a combination of academic lectures and field-visits, the program takes the students through India of the past, present, and future, helping them relate India's 	IIT Gandhinagar
15570306	ancient traditions of philosophy, science and technology to a present-day India, and helping to identify continuities as well as changes that India has made through the centuries. The programs include discussions of modern India's economic trends, culture and history, poetry and films, caste and community structures, and enables participants to appreciate a country that eludes easy definitions". Global health and development. Over 40 students from various institutes learned how to contribute to global health and development at IIT Gandhinagar in a month-long event called Summer Institute on Global Health and Development, which concluded on 12 June 2015 . The event was jointly organised by IITGN and the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, with the support of Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL). Rankings. Among engineering colleges, IIT Gandhinagar was ranked 18th by "India Today" in 2020. The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranked it 24th among engineering institutes in 2020, and 35st overall. Student Programs. Foundation Programme. The Foundation Programme is conducted for the first year B.Tech. students joining IIT Gandhinagar. The idea behind the Foundation Programme is to introduce a variety of activities and workshops that range from national and international significance, ethics, sports and physical exercises, community  service, sketching, artwork, and many more. Explorer Fellowship. The IITGN Explorer Fellowship is an annual summer program that enables students, organised in small teams, to undertake a six-week adventure across the country. It is entirely funded by the institute and fellows must travel to at least six states with at least one in the Northern, North-Eastern and Southern parts of the nation on a budget. They are required to plan their trip frugally, traveling by sleeper class on trains or by state government buses, and staying at low-cost accommodations such as youth hostels, homestays, and dharamshalas. The  program empowers students to set off on a journey of discovery, wherein they encounter diverse cultures and lifestyles. The program was introduced in the year 2015 and has completed its fifth edition. In the last five years, the fellowship has been availed by 115 teams involving 342 students, who have created some very special memories during their six-week tour of the country. Gram Fellowship. The Gram Fellowship is a unique concept wherein, the students get a chance to experience and understand the prevailing socio, political, economic, cultural and humanitarian factors of Rural India. As a part of this Fellowship , students must commit to spend at least three weeks during the summer break (May - July) or the winter break (December) either alone or in a group of not more than three in a village. Students are expected to identify the village of their engagement well in advance and are encouraged to work and earn their livelihood during their stay in the village. If any fellow undertakes rural development projects on their return, an amount up to Rs. 25,000/- per fellow is provided by the institute. Leadership Development Initiative. Leadership Development Initiative is an attempt to promote leadership skills amongst the  students at IITGN. It organizes competitions, talks by prominent industrialists and leaders, workshops and much more. LDI launched 'Project Isaac' in March 2020 amidst lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic to engage its students in creative projects to channelize their time and efforts to improve their skills. The project was inspired by Sir Isaac Newton, who 350 years ago was similarly sent home by Trinity College, Cambridge, because of the Great Plague of London in 1665. Makerbhavan. Makerbhavan offers independent workshops, courses, industry engagement programs and internship opportunities. 3D Printing space at Maker Bhavan is equipped with additive manufacturing machines. Research . In 2011, IIT Gandhinagar and the Physical Research Laboratory signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that ensures research collaborations and exchanges between the two institutions at the level of advanced PhD programs in theoretical physics, astrophysics, and atmospheric sciences. The collaboration facilitates an exchange of research ideas between PhD students and the faculties of both institutions. NTT Facilities, Japan, and Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA), Gandhinagar, have each provided a 10 kW roof-top solar photovoltaic (PV) system to the Institute. The system provided by NTT Facilities consists of 64 thin-film modules (rated 150 W) made by Solar Frontier , Japan, while the system sponsored by GEDA consists of forty-four multicrystalline silicon modules (rated 230 W) produced by Jain Irrigation Systems, India. Each PV system is expected to generate about 15000 kWh of electricity every year and reduce total CO2 emissions by about 28 tonnes. These systems have already started to reduce the energy bills of the Institute and are being used for research in collaboration with Underwriters Laboratories. Student life. IIT Gandhinagar is known for its unique ideology of treating students as adults. Students are given freedom in every respect ranging from choosing their own student leaders, conducting  the fests, summits and events without any intervention from the institute’s administration, no hostel/campus restricted movements or timings and much more. Nyasa. Nyasa is an initiative to promote the welfare of campus construction workers and their families, begun by the IITGN community in 2011. On Republic Day (26 January), the Nyasa team distributed more than 100 woolen winter clothes to children and organised a community lunch for 400 construction workers and their families. Students, staff, and faculty now also organize weekly educational engagement sessions for children ranging from 3–10 years of age. The activities involve coloring, playing with  building blocks, watching interactive and educational plays, and flying kites. During the session, food, such as fruit and dairy, which is often missing from the workers' diet, is provided. Various things like clothes, uniforms, books, stationery, bags, footwear, etc. are distributed from time to time. The focus is the overall development of the children while keeping them away from the construction sites, and hence, many activities like Introduction to the world of Computers, Origami sessions, regular sports sessions, cultural events, medical camps, etc. are organized from time to time. Also in 2011, a clothes drive, for donation to construction workers , was started, in conjunction with Service Day (7 May). Nyasa intends to expand its activities into literacy programs, and compilation of oral histories of these workers. Nyasa currently runs three schools for the children of construction workers. In April 2014, IIT Gandhinagar's construction workers welfare programs won the HUDCO Award for "Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment 2013–14". Amalthea. Amalthea is the Annual Student-run Technical Summit of IIT Gandhinagar. Amalthea has four pillars: Conclave, Symposium, Tech Expo, and Events. Conclave hosts talks by speakers from various backgrounds who share their knowledge and experience. Some of the prominent  speakers that have given talks at Amalthea include Shri Narendra Modi, Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai and many more. The Symposium is a closed room conference with a panel of esteemed individuals from academia and industry who discuss and share information on academic research and technological advances. The Tech Expo is an exhibition that showcases technology and products to the interested audience. Every year, various technical and non-technical Events are organised with prize money worth lakhs of rupees. Amalthea history. Founded in 2010, Amalthea is the annual technical summit organized by IIT Gandhinagar. In 2011, for "Amalthea '11", the theme was  Infrastructure in India: Present Scenario and Future Scope. The summit was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi. There were presentations of infrastructure projects such as the One Laptop Per Child Project, Bandra-Worli Sea Link, T-3 terminal at IGI Airport, New Delhi, etc., by their respective firms. For the new Exhibition section, exhibitors included iNDEXTb, L&T, Ricoh Innovations, DRDO. A new, technical Events section for students visiting Amalthea was organised, events included making a task-specific robot and a portable water purifier. The 2-day event was concluded with a discussion on the topic "Gujarat Growth Story , among a panel of industrialists, academics, and government officials. In 2012, an international safety conference was held as part of Amalthea '12", which along with other affairs was a prelude to Vibrant Gujarat 2013, a biennial investors' summit held by the government of Gujarat. So, there were two themes, "automobiles" and "safety". Along with the Conclave on autos, Amalthea '12 included the International Conference on Safety, ICS 2012. The summit was inaugurated by Vinnie Mehra, Executive Director, ACMAI, and Maheshwar Sahu, of the Industries and Mines Department, Government of Gujarat. The Exhibition featured Design Expo whose major exhibitors included Tata  Nano, AUDI, DC Design, Avanti, Gift City, DRDO, ISRO. Events hosted the usual quiz and robotic competitions. In 2013, "Amalthea '13" had "innovation" as its theme. It was inaugurated by Manu Seth, of HTC, and Maheshwar Sahu, of the Industries and Mines Department. The Conclave included as speakers Kamlesh Lulla, Chief Scientist and Research Director of NASA, and Alan Emtage, developer of the first Internet search engine Archie. Exhibition featured the Design and Innovation Expo, showcasing the products of KPIT Technologies, ITER-India, DC Design, iNDEXTb, ISRO, Sarvajal, Trutech Webs, BISAG, Metalmate Robotics, NDRF, Gridbots Technologies. Events included Robo Militia , Chem-e-car, Cryptix, and much more. Blithchron. Blithchron is the Annual Cultural Festival of IIT Gandhinagar. It is the biggest cultural festival in Gujarat and has been named the National Youth Festival of Gujarat by the Government. Every edition brings together ecstatic events which are the amalgamation of music, dance, and art. The fest showcases events like fashion shows, “The Butler Did It”, Antarangee, Panache, Jobless, the rock competition “String Theory”, a dance competition “Synchronize” and many more. Blithchron also organizes Pronites every year where artists from various cultural fields come and put up a show worth remembering. Blithchron  has had artists like Nucleya, The Yellow Diary, Ayushmann Khurana, to name a few. Student Leadership Conclave (SLC). The Student Leadership Conclave was envisioned as a forum to bring together the student leaders of all IITs to brainstorm the solutions to different issues faced by the student community. The Student Leadership Conclave strives to be a unique and effective platform where one can learn and contribute to solving issues in the IITs spread across the country. The agendas chosen for discussion are such that the solutions may be implemented at the student community level by the students with minimal or  no aid from the faculty or administration. The ultimate goal of the Student Leadership Conclave is to provide room for new thoughts and ideas while working towards bringing about a beneficial change in the student communities of IITs. IGNITE. IGNITE is IIT Gandhinagar's annual technical festival, which was first held in the academic year 2014–15. It is a state-level technological exhibition for students and faculty of the institute, to showcase and share to the world their technical ideas through exhibitions and live demonstrations. The event exhibits a wide range of applications of science and technology to day-to -day life and how complex problems can be solved in creative and imaginative ways. Around 120 students work on various projects throughout the year; and Ignite acts as a finale for all the clubs, individuals, faculty, and staff involved to showcase their efforts. Notable events hosted during IGNITE include Bot Wars, Air Shows, ATV(All Terrain Vehicle) designing, Lab Tours, Project Expo, Hackathons, and 3-D printing workshops. The seventh edition of IGNITE (IGNITE 7.0) was conducted online. Events conducted include iTinker(robotics competitions), AI-CHE, OpenCV and Blender workshops, Coderush and other hackathons, and much more. Hallabol. Hallabol is an all -night intra-institute sports festival at IITGN. Students and teachers alike participate in most of the sport events held during this fest. The games played with modified rules are Futsal, Tug of War, Frisbee, Touch Rugby, Foot Volley, Gully Cricket, 7 Stones, 3 a side Baddy, Basky, Dodge ball and Kho-Kho. Jashn. Jashn is a three-day intra-institute cultural fest started in the year 2011, with innovative, traditional and exciting events and games, including art exhibition, photography and movie-making competitions, quizzes and dance, drama and musical performances. It was started with a vision to promote inter-batch  interaction and elevated participation of students in the cultural events. Technical and Cultural Clubs. IIT Gandhinagar is home to a number of technical and cultural clubs. These clubs are entirely student run, and foster extracurricular knowledge and leadership skills.