How Many IITs Are There in India? Your 2025 Guide for JEE Aspirants

You’ve probably heard people toss around IIT names like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, or maybe even some newer ones that sound almost made up. So, how many IITs are there in India now in 2025? Drumroll… we’re up to 23 IITs spread across the country. It’s not just a number—understanding this can help you map out smarter strategies for your IIT JEE journey.

Back in the day, getting into one of the handful of old IITs was a shot at a golden ticket. Now, with these 23 campuses, the competition’s shifted in some interesting ways. Sure, everyone still talks about the ‘big five’—Bombay, Delhi, Kanpur, Madras, and Kharagpur—but the newer IITs aren’t just extras in the story. Some of them have their own campus cultures, unique courses, and specializations that the oldest ones don’t even offer.

Need to plan your target list? Don’t just focus on what your friends or coaching teachers say. Each IIT has its own quirks, strengths, and cut-off trends. You’d be surprised—sometimes, a lesser-hyped newer IIT fits your goals better than an older, super-competitive one crowded with overachievers.

• From One to Many: The Rise of IITs
• Current List and Locations (2025 Update)
• How More IITs Affect Your JEE Strategy
• Tips for Picking the Right IIT for You

From One to Many: The Rise of IITs

It might feel like IITs have always been a part of the Indian engineering scene, but that’s not how it started. The first IIT opened in 1951 in Kharagpur. Back then, the idea was to create a world-class technical institute for a newly independent India. Test prep for the IIT JEE wasn’t even a “thing” yet. But once the reputation grew, so did the number of campuses.

The government didn’t stop adding new IITs just for fun. It happened in waves—first for building national talent, and later to meet huge demand and make top engineering education more accessible. Here’s a quick look at how the IIT family expanded:

• 1950s–1960s: The “big five” (Kharagpur, Bombay, Madras, Kanpur, Delhi) popped up one after another. Each city got hand-picked for its unique opportunities and partnerships with the world’s top universities.
• 1990s–2000s: The next wave brought in IIT Guwahati and IIT Roorkee. Roorkee had been India’s oldest engineering college and was “upgraded” to IIT status in 2001.
• 2008–2016: The real boom—16 new IITs opened thanks to government pushes, especially under the Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act of 2011. Suddenly, students in states like Rajasthan, J&K, and Goa had their own IITs nearby.

Why does this growth matter to you? More IITs mean more seats, more diversity in courses, and lots of chances to find your best fit (not just chase a brand name). You don’t get just classic engineering paths anymore—some new IITs offer niche areas like data science, energy engineering, or design that older ones might not specialize in yet.

Here’s how the number of IITs has grown over the decades:

Bottom line: the IIT scene is way bigger and more competitive now, but it’s also more open. That means more chances for everyone ready to work for it.

Current List and Locations (2025 Update)

If you’re aiming for the IITs in India, here’s exactly where they stand in 2025. There are 23 IITs spread all over the country, from major cities to smaller towns. This makes it easier for students from different regions. But, it can get confusing keeping track of all the names and places. That’s why a simple list can make things way clearer.

• IIT Kharagpur (West Bengal) – The oldest, started in 1951
• IIT Bombay (Maharashtra)
• IIT Madras (Tamil Nadu)
• IIT Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
• IIT Delhi (Delhi)
• IIT Guwahati (Assam)
• IIT Roorkee (Uttarakhand)
• IIT Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
• IIT Gandhinagar (Gujarat)
• IIT Hyderabad (Telangana)
• IIT Jodhpur (Rajasthan)
• IIT Patna (Bihar)
• IIT Ropar (Punjab)
• IIT Indore (Madhya Pradesh)
• IIT Mandi (Himachal Pradesh)
• IIT Varanasi – officially called IIT (BHU) Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
• IIT Palakkad (Kerala)
• IIT Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)
• IIT Bhilai (Chhattisgarh)
• IIT Goa (Goa)
• IIT Jammu (Jammu & Kashmir)
• IIT Dharwad (Karnataka)
• IIT Dhanbad – officially known as IIT (ISM) Dhanbad (Jharkhand)

Here’s a quick table to help you see the big picture at a glance:

*A note on the years: IIT Roorkee, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, and IIT (ISM) Dhanbad all existed before joining the IIT club. They turned into IITs officially on these years.

If someone asks you how many IITs are in India right now, you can be confident about the number—23. And you’ll know exactly where they all are. It’s smart to check out which states have IITs you hadn’t noticed before. Sometimes, a campus that’s closer to you (or in a place you’d love to live) could boost your motivation. Also, not every IIT has all branches, so always double-check what courses and specializations each campus really offers.

How More IITs Affect Your JEE Strategy

If you’re aiming for the IIT JEE this year, you’ll notice that having 23 IITs changes the game quite a bit. More IITs mean more seats, but also more options to think about beyond just the famous names everyone mentions in WhatsApp groups.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Every new IIT added in the past decade hasn’t just bumped up the total number of seats—it’s also made admission cut-offs more unpredictable. The older institutes still set the bar high, but some of the newer ones have their own charm with better student-teacher ratios, less competition for top branches, and faster campus placement growth. You aren’t stuck fighting for crumbs at the bottom; you now have legitimate backup plans you can be proud of.

"The rise in the number of IITs has diversified choices for students. Look beyond just rankings—think about what fits for you personally." – Professor K. Sudhakar, a senior faculty member at IIT Hyderabad

This means you need to tweak your strategy. Don’t just drop random IIT preferences for the sake of filling slots in JoSAA counseling. Check branch-wise opening and closing ranks, size up the courses or specializations that feel right, and peek into each campus’s placement numbers and internships. For example, did you know some new IITs like IIT Tirupati and IIT Palakkad started offering top-notch research internships even before moving to permanent campuses?

So when you build your college list, don’t just look at campus pictures or stick to old stereotypes. Watch what’s happening at each of the IITs—their new branches, industry tie-ups, or cool clubs. And double-check cut-off trends from the past two years, because as more IITs come up, those trends shuffle around year after year.

• List your dreams IITs, then shortlist based on your predicted rank.
• Check each IIT for the branches you actually want, not just the name.
• Compare placement stats and see if new IITs are climbing the ladder fast.
• Connect with seniors on social media to ask about real campus life and opportunities.

Twenty-three choices might look overwhelming at first, but with a sharper, data-driven approach, you can play the JEE game smarter than before.

Tips for Picking the Right IIT for You

Choosing the best IIT isn’t just about getting the highest rank or following the crowd. It comes down to what actually matters to you—like the course, the campus vibe, the city, and what you want out of your college years. Here’s a practical approach if you want to get this right:

• IITs in India are not all cut from the same cloth—some shine in computer science, others in core engineering, and a few in research. For example, IIT Bombay is famous for tech and placements, while IIT Madras is strong in research and innovation.
• Placement stats make a difference, and they aren’t some marketing trick. Old IITs generally pull in big recruiters—think Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs—but some new IITs are catching up. For instance, IIT Hyderabad is making waves in AI and data science placements, and IIT Gandhinagar is ahead in interdisciplinary programs.
• Don’t ignore campus culture. IIT Guwahati is known for its student festivals. IIT Roorkee’s alumni network is known to really help freshers. Some new IITs have smaller batches, giving you direct access to professors and more project opportunities.
• Check if the specific branch you want is strong at your target IIT, not just if the IIT itself is ranked higher overall. Sometimes a less-famous campus is a hidden gem for your stream.

If you’re comparing specific stats or just want a quick overview, here’s a quick look at five IITs with their founding year, hot branches, and average placements based on 2024 data:

Here’s a quick checklist before you fill out your preference list during counseling:

1. List out the branches you genuinely want to study—skip the ones you aren’t interested in, even if they’re in fancy campuses.
2. Compare placement data, alumni activities, and internship support—not just campus photos.
3. Consider what kind of experience you want: Big city hustle, quieter campus, close-knit batch? JEE years fly by, so pick what helps you thrive.
4. Reach out to current students on forums or social media—you’ll get straight answers no brochure can give you.

More IITs means more choices, but it also means you need to do some homework. Don’t just rank IITs by old reputations—dig deeper and line them up with your actual goals and learning style. The payoff? You avoid regrets and make the most of these four (or five) wild college years.