The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, popularly referred to as IITK Kanpur, is one of India's leading technical institutions. It is situated in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and was founded in 1959 by the Government of India. IIT Kanpur has developed a strong reputation for research, academic excellence, and innovation over the years. According to the NIRF Rankings 2025, it ranks 4th among India's top IITs in the Engineering category. The IIT Kanpur campus spans approximately 1,055 acres. The campus area is equipped with contemporary classrooms, fully developed laboratories, departmental research facilities, hostels, a gymnasium, a library, canteens, an auditorium, and a sports complex.
For the 2026 academic session, IIT Kanpur provides admission across various undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. IITK courses include B.Tech, Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech), Integrated M.Sc., B.Sc., M.Tech, M.Sc, MBA, M.Des, and PhD programs across various departments. For B.Tech admission, candidates must qualify the JEE Advanced. For M.Tech and PhD, the entry is through GATE, and MBA admissions are through the CAT exam. There are over 5,000 seats for students each year through national-level entrance exams such as JEE Advanced, GATE, JAM, and CAT.
Table of Contents
IIT Kanpur Highlights
| Particulars | Highlights |
| Established Year | Type | 1959 | Public |
| University Name | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, also known as IITK |
| Approved by | Govt. of India |
| Programs Offered | UG, PG, and Ph.D |
| Popular Courses | B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA |
| Admission Criteria | Entrance Based |
| Application mode | Online |
| Campus Size | 1055+ Acres |
| Address | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India - 208016 |
| Top Recruiters | Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Flipkart, Oracle, American Express |
| How to Contact |
Phone: 0512-259 7808, 7290
Email: registrar@iitk.ac.in |
| Official website | https://www.iitk.ac.in/ |
| How to Reach |
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IIT Kanpur Cutoff 2026
The IIT Kanpur cutoff for the last round of JoSAA counselling shows a wide spread across branches, with Computer Science and Engineering remaining the most competitive by far. The IIT Kanpur CSE cutoff closed at an Open Gender-Neutral rank of just 283 (opening rank 32). In contrast, Chemistry had the most relaxed Open Gender-Neutral cutoff, closing at rank 11668.
Branches like Intelligent Systems (862–1134) and Mathematics and Scientific Computing (246–1270) also closed at fairly tight ranks in the Open category, reflecting strong demand for computing-adjacent programs. Across reserved categories, ST Gender-Neutral cutoffs were generally the most accessible, with Civil Engineering closing at rank 628 and CSE closing at just rank 43, while SC and EWS cutoffs sat in between OPEN and ST across most branches.
The table below lists the Opening–Closing rank range for each B.Tech/B.S. program at IIT Kanpur across the Open, SC, EWS, and ST categories (all Gender-Neutral).
| Program | Open (GN) | EWS (GN) | SC (GN) | ST (GN) |
| Aerospace Engineering | 2070–4015 | 806–855 | 1058–1265 | 463–610 |
| Biological Sciences and Bioengineering | 4978–7837 | 1222–1285 | 2065–2248 | 1067–1123 |
| Chemical Engineering | 3059–4436 | 622–836 | 934–1341 | 655–798 |
| Chemistry | 8556–11668 | 1815–2023 | 2427–2885 | 1435–1547 |
| Civil Engineering | 5010–7177 | 870–1148 | 1185–1744 | 338–628 |
| Computer Science and Engineering | 32–283 | 32–48 | 36–88 | 30–43 |
| Earth Sciences | 8204–10774 | 1645–1698 | 2493–2903 | 1473–1481 |
| Economics | 2549–3650 | 581–650 | 769–1614 | 659–965 |
| Electrical Engineering | 616–1171 | 179–239 | 186–427 | 146–199 |
| Intelligent Systems | 862–1134 | 183–193 | 202–513 | 267–275 |
| Materials Science and Engineering | 4812–6533 | 947–1199 | 1669–1881 | 951–1197 |
| Mathematics and Scientific Computing | 246–1270 | 155–205 | 216–487 | 147–319 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2320–3178 | 505–584 | 614–924 | 410–504 |
| Physics | 2412–5723 | 1303–1517 | 1452–2448 | 1200–1351 |
| Statistics and Data Science | 596–1409 | 200–207 | 518–569 | 251–252 |
IIT Kanpur Ranking
IIT K achieved the 5th position in the Overall category and 4th in Engineering in the NIRF 2025 rankings. Additionally, IIT Kanpur QS ranking 2026 placed it 222nd globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Below are the detailed rankings and achievements of the institute in India and globally:
| S.NO | Year | Ranking Body | Category | Rank |
| 1. | 2026 | QS World University Rankings | Global Universities | 222 |
| 2. | 2025 | NIRF Ranking | Engineering | 4 |
| 3. | 2025 | NIRF Ranking | Overall | 5 |
| 4. | 2025 | NIRF Ranking | Management | 27 |
| 5. | 2025 | NIRF Ranking | Research | 6 |
| 6. | 2025 | NIRF Ranking | Innovation | 5 |
| 7. | 2025 | IIRF Ranking | Engineering |
6 (All India)
1 (State) |
| 8. | 2025 | IIRF Ranking | Management |
25 (All India)
2 (State) |
IIT Kanpur Courses & Fees 2026
IIT Kanpur provides various science, technology, and management courses. Students can apply for UG, PG, Dual, and PhD. The courses are B.Tech, B.Sc., Integrated M.Sc, MBA, M.Tech, etc. The IIT Kanpur fees are between INR 3,000 and INR 1.75 lakhs per semester. The table below shows important details like eligibility, course options, duration, fees, and how admission is done at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur:
| Courses | Specialisation | Eligibility | Duration | 1st Sem Fees (for Indian Students) | Selection Criteria |
| B.Tech | Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering | Candidates with good merit in a 10+2 equivalent qualification with relevant subjects and a valid JEE Advanced Score. | 4 years | INR 1,00,000 | Based on Merit in 10+2 and the Entrance Exam |
| B.Sc | NA | Candidates with good merit in a 10+2 equivalent qualification with relevant subjects. | 3 years | INR 1,00,000 | Based on Merit in 10+2 |
| Integrated M.Sc | NA | Candidates with good merit in a 10+2 equivalent qualification with relevant subjects and a valid JEE Advanced Score. | 5 years | INR 1,00,000 | Based on Merit in 10+2 and the Entrance Exam |
| B.Tech+M.Tech | NA | Candidates with good merit in a 10+2 equivalent qualification with relevant subjects and a valid JEE Advanced Score. | 5 years | INR 1,00,000 | Based on Merit in 10+2 and the Entrance Exam |
| M.Tech | CSE, Chemical, Civil, Electrical | Candidates with good merit in graduation in a relevant discipline and a valid GATE Score. | 2 years | INR 5,000 | Based on Merit in Graduation |
| M.Des | NA | Candidates with good merit in graduation in the relevant discipline. | 2 years | INR 5,000 | Based on Merit in Graduation |
| M.Sc | NA | Candidates with good merit in graduation in a relevant discipline and a valid IIT JAM Score. | 2 years | INR 3,000 | Based on Merit in Graduation |
| MBA | Finance, HRM, Operations | Candidates with good merit in graduation in a relevant discipline and a valid CAT Score. | 2 years | INR 1,75,000 | Based on Merit in Graduation |
| Ph.D | CSE, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil | Candidates with good merit in graduation in a relevant discipline and a valid UGC NET/ JRF Score. | 4 years | INR 2,500 to 25,000 | Based on Merit in the Master's and the Entrance Exam |
IIT Kanpur Admission 2026
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur admission is completely entrance-based for all major courses. For B.Tech, students need a valid JEE Advanced 2026 score after qualifying JEE Main. For M.Tech, admission is through GATE. M.Sc admission at IIT K is based on IIT JAM. For MBA, a valid CAT 2026 score is required. PhD admissions are based on national-level exams like GATE or NET, followed by a test or interview. Along with this, students must meet basic eligibility, such as passing Class 12 for UG courses and graduation for PG courses.
Applications for JAM 2027 are currently open through the JOAPS portal. Candidates who wish to apply must complete their registration by October 12, 2026. Those who need to make changes to their submitted details will get another opportunity when the correction window opens on November 10, 2026 (tentative).
- B.Tech admission is through JEE Advanced + JoSAA counselling
- M.Tech admission is based on GATE score
- M.Sc admission is through IIT JAM
- MBA admission requires CAT score + interview rounds
- PhD admission includes entrance exam + interview
- Minimum eligibility is 10+2 for UG and graduation for PG courses
How to Apply for IIT Kanpur Admission?
- Check eligibility for your selected program (B.Tech, M.Tech, M.Sc, MBA, Ph.D. etc.).
- Apply for the required entrance exam (JEE Advanced for B.Tech, GATE for M.Tech, IIT JAM for M.Sc, CAT for MBA etc.).
- Register online through the respective national exam portals.
- Clear the entrance exam and meet the cutoff score required by IITK admission 2025.
- Participate in centralised counselling (JoSAA for B.Tech, COAP for M.Tech etc).
- Select IIT Kanpur as your preferred institute during the counselling.
- Upload documents like mark sheets, ID proof, certificates, etc.
- Pay the seat acceptance fee and confirm your admission.
- Report to the IIT Kanpur campus as per the academic schedule shared by the institute.
IIT Kanpur Placement
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur provides campus placement opportunities to students in various fields. Students at IIT K receive offers from top companies such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Flipkart, Oracle, and American Express. Out of all these offers, IIT Kanpur achieved remarkable placements in the academic year 2024–25, making it one of the top IITs in India for recruitment.
| Category | Top Recruiters |
| Consulting | McKinsey & Company, BCG, Diamond Consulting, Auctus Advisors, Opera Solutions, EXL, Deloitte |
| FMCG | ITC Limited, Hindustan Unilever, Godrej, The Coca-Cola Company, Britannia, Trident Group |
| Software | Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, IBM, Xerox, Adobe |
| Finance | Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse, Fidelity, Edelweiss, Citi, HSBC |
| Analytics | American Express, WorldQuant, Fractal, Walmart, JPMorgan, Capital One, Accenture |
The placement cell at the University provides great opportunities to students with good offers in hand. It provides training and development programs, such as interview sessions, to help students do their best during the placement session.
| Placement Highlights | Particulars |
| Academic Year | 2024-25 |
| Companies Visited | 250+ |
| Number of Students Placed | 891 |
| Package | INR 2.05 Cr per annum (International) / INR 1.8 Cr per annum (National) |
| Top Recruiters | Microsoft, Samsung, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, McKinsey & Company, Goldman Sachs |
| International Job Offers | 21 |
IIT Kanpur Scholarship
IIT Kanpur assists students with numerous scholarships. These alleviate fee burdens and other expenses. They are primarily offered to students who have good merit or belong to low-income families. Some scholarships are government-sponsored, and the rest are by the institute. They try to enable talented brains to concentrate on their studies rather than on money. Key scholarship schemes and their beneficiaries, as well as assistance provided, are explained in the table below:
| Scholarship Scheme | Eligibility |
| Merit Scholarship | Students with good merit and a certain income limit are considered |
| NSP Scholarship | Students with good merit and a certain income limit are considered |
| Financial Assistance | Students who seek financial help for their studies are considered |
IIT Kanpur Notable Alumni
IIT Kanpur has many well-known alumni who have done great work in fields like technology, science, and business. Many of them hold top positions and are recognised in India and abroad. This shows the strong academic and research quality of the institute.
| Name | Designation |
| N.R Narayana Murthy | Businessman and one of the founders of Infosys |
| HC Verma | Indian Physicist |
| Shiraz Minawalla | Indian Physicist |
IIT Kanpur Vs IIT Kharagpur
Both institutes are elite and offer world-class academics, but IIT Kanpur is somewhat ahead in research, cutoff, and average placement, while IIT Kharagpur leads in the highest package and campus size. The comparison table will help in making a better choice for an advanced career.
| Parameter | IIT Kanpur | IIT Kharagpur |
| Established | 1959 | 1951 |
| Campus Area | 1,055 acres | 2,100 acres |
| NIRF Ranking (Engineering, 2025) | 4 | 5 |
| Popular Courses | 60+ | 70+ |
| Flagship Branch | B.Tech CSE | B.Tech CSE |
| B.Tech Fees (per semester) | INR 1,00,000 | INR 1,00,000 |
| Top Recruiters | Google, Microsoft, Amazon | Google, Microsoft, Tata Steel |
| Popular Placement Branches | CSE, EE, ME, Chem | CSE, EE, ME, Civil |
IIT Kanpur FAQs
Why is IIT Kanpur so famous?
IIT Kanpur is famous for its high academic standards, strong research output, historic Indo-American collaboration (the Kanpur Indo-American Programme), being among the top IITs in India for engineering and innovation, producing many prominent alumni, investing in advanced labs and infrastructure, and its reputation for rigorous entrance exams like JEE Advanced 2025 and JEE Advanced 2026.
What are the fees of IIT Kanpur?
For undergraduate courses at IIT Kanpur, the IIT Kanpur fees across all semesters can total between INR 9.19 lakhs to about INR 10.77 lakhs. The exact IIT Kanpur BTech fees and MBA fees depend on category (General/OBC/SC/ST), and whether hostel, mess, and other charges are included.
How difficult is it to get into IIT Kanpur?
Getting into IIT Kanpur admission 2025 is extremely difficult because it is based on the JEE Advanced 2025, one of the toughest entrance exams in India. Only top ranks among hundreds of thousands of aspirants secure seats at IIT Kanpur for BTech and BS courses.
Is IIT Kanpur government or private?
IIT Kanpur is a government institution; it is one of the Indian Institutes of Technology established by the Government of India and is declared an Institute of National Importance under the Institutes of Technology Act.
Which is the No. 1 IIT in India?
Rankings fluctuate, but commonly, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Madras often occupy the top spots in NIRF rankings, with IIT Madras frequently ranked No. 1 in the engineering category. IIT Kanpur's ranking is also consistently in the top 5–10.
Can I join IIT Kanpur without JEE?
No, for undergraduate BTech or BS programmes at IIT Kanpur, the normal route is via JEE Advanced. For postgraduate programmes like M.Tech and PhD, admission is through GATE 2025/2026, and for MBA, through CAT 2025.
What is the highest package of IIT Kanpur?
In the most recent IIT Kanpur placements 2025, the highest domestic package was approx INR 1.80–1.90 crore per annum, while international offers have gone beyond INR 2.0 crore per annum.
What is the cheapest IIT?
It is difficult to say definitively which is the cheapest IIT, because tuition, hostel, mess, and other charges vary by institute. The IIT Kanpur fees are comparable to other IITs, but subsidies and category-based relaxations affect the overall cost.
Which branch is famous in IIT Kanpur?
Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) is generally the most famous and highly sought-after branch at IIT Kanpur, often yielding the highest packages during placements.
Which branch of IIT Kanpur is best?
The “best branch” depends on a student’s interests, but CSE, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering are highly regarded. IIT Kanpur CSE in particular attracts top JEE Advanced rankers.
Does Google visit IIT Kanpur?
Yes, Google is among the companies that visit IIT Kanpur placements. Many multinational companies, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, recruit from IIT Kanpur for internships and full-time roles.
Is IIT Kanpur better than other IITs?
IIT Kanpur ranks among the top IITs in India for research, innovation, and placements. Whether it is “better” than another IIT depends on branch, specialisation, and ranking year.
How difficult is JEE Advanced 2025 for IIT Kanpur admission?
The JEE Advanced 2025 and JEE Advanced 2026 exams are highly competitive, with over 150,000 aspirants vying for limited IIT seats. To secure admission at IIT Kanpur BTech, students typically need top AIR ranks.
What is IIT Kanpur 2025 ranking?
IIT Kanpur ranking 2025 was 5th in the Overall category and 4th in Engineering by NIRF 2025. It has also been ranked 6th in the All India Engineering category by IIRF, reflecting its consistent position among the top IITs in India.
What entrance exam is needed for BTech admission in IIT Kanpur?
Admission to IIT Kanpur BTech 2025 requires qualifying in the JEE Advanced 2025, followed by JoSAA counselling. Aspirants preparing for JEE Advanced 2026 can also target IIT Kanpur admissions in the upcoming academic cycle.
How many courses are available at IIT Kanpur?
IIT Kanpur courses include more than 60 programs at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels, including BTech, MTech, MSc, BS, MBA, and PhD in various specialisations.
Are there any scholarships provided by IIT Kanpur?
Yes, IIT Kanpur admission 2025 also comes with access to need-based and merit-based scholarships for eligible students, supported by government, private, and non-governmental organisations.
What is the typical placement package for IIT Kanpur?
The IIT Kanpur placements 2025 report shows that the average package ranges between INR 18–20 LPA depending on the department, while the highest packages reached INR 2.05 crore internationally and INR 1.8 crore in India.
Does IIT Kanpur have an MBA course?
Yes, the IIT Kanpur MBA is a full-time program offered by the Department of Management Sciences. The IIT Kanpur MBA fees are approx INR 3.5 lakhs, excluding hostel, examination, and registration charges. Admission is based on the CAT 2025 exam.
