Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad

The Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-Allahabad), is a public university located in Jhalwa, Prayagraj (previously known as Allahabad) district, in Uttar Pradesh. It is one of the twenty-five Indian Institutes of Information Technology listed by the Ministry of Education (India), and is classified as an Institute of National Importance.[3]

Indian Institute of Information Technology
The logo signifies the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj.[1]
Mottoप्रज्ञानम् ब्रह्म (Sanskrit)
Motto in English
"Consciousness is Brahman"
TypePublic
EstablishedAugust 12, 1999 (1999-08-12)
ChairmanAnand Deshpande
DirectorMukul Sharad Sutaone[2]
Academic staff
82
Undergraduates1050
Postgraduates475
Location, ,
25°25′48″N 81°46′19″E / 25.430°N 81.772°E / 25.430; 81.772
CampusUrban, 100-acre (40 ha)
ColorsRed
Websiteiiita.ac.in
Map

History

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In 1998, the Human Resources Development (HRD) Ministry announced the establishment of the second "Indian Institute of Information Technology" of the country in Allahabad, which was the hometown of the then HRD Minister, Murli Manohar Joshi.[4]

The institute was founded on 12 August 1999 and designated a "deemed university" in 2000. In 2014 the IIIT Act was passed, under which IIIT-A and four other Institutes of Information Technology funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development were classed as Institutes of National Importance.[3]

An extension campus of the institute was opened in Amethi in 2005,[5] but was closed down in 2016.[6]

M. D. Tiwari was the first director of the institute,[7] and he remained in that position until December 2013, when Allahabad High Court asked him to step down, dismissing Tiwari's plea who had challenged the chancellor's order to relinquish the post upon completion of tenure.[8]

IIIT-A hosted seven science conclaves from 2008 to 2014, which were attended by Nobel laureates like Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Douglas D. Osheroff, Ivan Giaever, and many others.[9][10][11][12]

Academics

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The curriculum of the institute lays focus on information technology, electronics and communication and related fields such as computer vision, human computer interaction and their interdisciplinary applications across other domains.[13]

Programs

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The institute has four departments, viz. Department of Applied Sciences, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Department of Information Technology, and Department of Management Studies;[14] which offer the following academic programs:[15]

Under the National Education Policy 2020, the institute will offer major degrees in information technology and electronics & communication, along with minor degrees in Indian knowledge system, entrepreneurship development, psychology, and legal knowledge. There will also be an option of multiple exit and entry for the students. If a student studies in the BTech program for one year, they will be given a certificate. Diploma will be awarded on two years of study and BS (Bachelor of Science) degree on three years of study. Finally, the BTech degree will be given on completion of four years of studies.[16]

Rankings

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University and College rankings
General – international
QS (Asia) (2023)[17]551-600
Engineering – India
NIRF (2024)[18]87
India Today (2022)[19]10
Government colleges: 
Outlook India (2022)[20]19


Internationally, IIIT-Allahabad was ranked 551–600 in Asia in the QS World University Rankings of 2023.[17]

In India, IIIT-Allahabad was ranked 87th among engineering colleges by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2024.[21]

It was also ranked 10 by India Today[19] and 19 by Outlook India in 2022.[20]

Campus

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The 100-acre campus of IIIT-A is situated in Devghat, Jhalwa, on the outskirts of Prayagraj.[22]

 
Administrative Building

In 2000, 10 rooms located on the ground floor of the Nehru Science Complex in Allahabad University were given to IIIT-A following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two institutes. At NSC, IIIT-A had five laboratories, eight computer labs, five lecture halls, and a library; which they vacated in 2011.[23]

Since the first phase of construction of the current campus which started in 2001, academic buildings were designed on the basis of "Penrose geometry", styled on tessellations developed by the mathematical physicist Roger Penrose.[24]

 
Penrose tiling in the ground floor of CC-III

Within the Penrose layout for the campus, a central zone was marked out for the academic core consisting of an administrative building, lecture theatre complex, electronic library, computer laboratories and research facilities, as student intake increased in 2009–2010.

Computer Center III or CC-III, also known as C. V. Raman Bhavan, is a six-storied structure which was designed as a "micro campus" in itself, having classrooms, faculty rooms, research areas and computer labs under one roof.[25]

The campus also has a state-of-the-art auditorium, and a sports complex that comprises a football ground with a pavilion, a swimming pool, and basketball, tennis, and squash courts. The Student Activity Centre (SAC) has a table tennis facility and a billiards room, and has clubrooms too for various student societies.[26]

 
Central Library

There are accommodation facilities for faculty members, staff and students, with separate boys', girls' and visitors' hostels.[27]

In 2019, Murli Manohar Joshi inaugurated the open stage and the clock tower, which were dedicated to him and titled Murli Manohar Muktangan, as he was the one who envisioned a IIIT in Allahabad as the HRD Minister.[28]

The campus ring road was named as Late Ramegowda Ring Road after the former AICTE chairman who headed the Central Government panel which came up with the idea of setting up IIITs. Main Gate-2 of the institute was dedicated to MGK Menon who played a key role in setting up of IIIT-A, as chairman of the Board of Governors; and Gate-1 was named after AR Verma who also contributed greatly in the foundation of the institute.[29]

Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology

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Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Information Technology (RGIIT) in Tikarmafi, Amethi (also called IIIT Amethi) was an off-campus centre of IIIT Allahabad, which was closed after a run of 11 years in 2016.[30]

 
Former campus of RGIIT (IIIT Amethi), which is now BBAU Satellite Centre

148 students of the last batch of RGIIT were shifted to the Allahabad campus of IIIT-A, and the Amethi campus was transferred to Babaseheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow for opening a satellite institute.[31]

Prakash Javadekar, HRD Minister at the time, justified the closure; mentioning that the campus was technically illegal as IIITs, under law, are not authorised to open extension centres. He added that the centre had no permanent faculty, and students were unhappy because of the inadequate facilities.[32]

Congress leader and former MP from Amethi, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of indulging in "politics of vendetta" for the closure of RGIIT, along with several other projects in Amethi.[33] Rahul Gandhi's pet project "Discovery Park" was one of them, which was opened by RGIIT in 2009 for research and development, under which resource sub-centres for agriculture technology were set up in nearby villages. The project was closed in 2014 due to "fund crunch", as the Union government's Department of Science and Technology had reportedly halted its monetary grant.[34]

Student life

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The institute has a students' body known as the Students' Gymkhana.[35]

 
Effe'16 poster

Effervescence is the annual cultural festival of the institute. It lasts for three days and includes music, dance, drama, art, debate, photography, and other activities.[36]

Aparoksha is the annual technical festival of the institute. It consists of a number of events like Hack In The North — the biggest student held hackathon of North India — and various coding, designing, and robotics contests and workshops.[37]

Asmita is the annual sports festival of the institute, in which tournaments for aquatics, athletics, cricket, football, volleyball, basketball, squash, table tennis, kabbadi, kho-kho, carrom, chess, and powerlifting are held.[38][39]

The students and faculty members have also been engaged in helping the local community through various outreach programs like Unnat Bharat Abhiyan and Prayaas.[40]

Alumni

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Name Class Year Notability References
Harsha Suryanarayana B.Tech. (IT), 2006 Top-ranked competitive programmer [41]
Captain Davinder Singh Jass MBA, 2005-2007
(dropped out)
Kirti Chakra awardee [42]

References

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  1. ^ Mani, Rajiv (12 August 2017). "IIIT-Allahabad celebrates foundation day". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
  2. ^ "Professor Mukul Sharad Sutaone appointed new director of IIIT-A". The Times of India. 1 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Joint Seat Allocation Authority 2016". Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  4. ^ Thapa, V.J.; Menon, S (14 September 1998). "HRD Ministry to establish first IIIT in Allahabad". India Today. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  5. ^ "MM Joshi's 'pet' institute to open campus in Amethi". The Times of India. 9 February 2005. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Amethi: Smriti Irani replaces Rahul's pet project with varsity". Hindustan Times. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  7. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad | People | Former Director". iiita.ac.in.
  8. ^ "HC asks IIIT Allahabad Director M D Tiwari to step down". The Economic Times. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Science Conclave: IIIT-Allahabad". Education Times. 24 March 2009.
  10. ^ "IIIT-A to host Science Conclave from Dec 8-14". The Times of India. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  11. ^ Mehta, Nikita (24 December 2013). "We have come to the end of pure sciences: Ivar Giaever". mint. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  12. ^ "7th Science Conclave at IIIT-A today". The Times of India. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  13. ^ IIITs. Ministry of Human Resource Development. Accessed January 2017.
  14. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad | Academics | Department".
  15. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad | Academics | Programs".
  16. ^ "Now, engr students of IIIT-A to study psychology, law along with the course". The Times of India. 26 August 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  17. ^ a b "QS Asia University Rankings 2023". QS Quacquarelli Symonds Limited. 8 November 2022.
  18. ^ "National Institutional Ranking Framework 2024 (Engineering)". National Institutional Ranking Framework. Ministry of Education. 12 August 2024.
  19. ^ a b "Best ENGINEERING Colleges 2022: List of Top ENGINEERING Colleges 2022 in India". India Today.
  20. ^ a b "Outlook-ICARE Rankings 2022: India's Top 25 Government Engineering Colleges". Outlook India. 13 July 2022.
  21. ^ "NIRF Ranking 2024" (PDF).
  22. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad | Institute | Infrastructure".
  23. ^ "ABADIIIT-A to vacate Nehru science complex". The Times of India. 24 July 2011. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad". ArchNet.
  25. ^ Joshi, Ajit Kumar; Joshi, Ashutosh (1 February 2019). "Creating an Academic Fervour..." Architecture+Design – via PressReader.
  26. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad | Campus Life | Sports Facility". www.iiita.ac.in. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  27. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad | Student Corner | Campus Facilities".
  28. ^ "Our Legacy" (PDF). Alma Communiqué Alumni Newsletter (Jan'2022 - Mar'2022). 1: 12. 31 March 2022.
  29. ^ "IIIT-A to felicitate MM Joshi, other founding members". Hindustan Times. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  30. ^ "IIIT Amethi campus shifted to Allahabad". The Times of India. 3 August 2016. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  31. ^ PTI (3 August 2016). "Modi government shifts IIIT Amethi campus to Allahabad". mint. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  32. ^ "IIIT Amethi campus was illegal, students were upset: Prakash Javadekar". The Indian Express. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  33. ^ "Rahul Gandhi in Amethi, says PM Narendra Modi doing "politics of vendetta"". The Economic Times. 1 September 2016. ISSN 0013-0389. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  34. ^ "Rahul Gandhi's plans to help discover Amethi ruined". India Today. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  35. ^ "In a first, IIIT-Allahabad to hold students' body elections on Feb 11". The Times of India. 7 February 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  36. ^ "Blazing start to Effervescence". The Times of India. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 20 June 2013.
  37. ^ "IIIT-Allahabad to host Aparoksha 19 - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  38. ^ Jadhav, Anurag (12 February 2021). "ASMITA 2021: Biggest Meet Of Sports Fanatics Of North India | IIIT Allahabad". Campus Times Pune. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  39. ^ "Asmita'23". asmita.iiita.ac.in. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  40. ^ "Exams will end, but learning shouldn't stop, says Rajamani". The Times of India. 19 March 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  41. ^ "IIIT-A holds condolence meet". The Times of India. 19 June 2014.
  42. ^ "Former IIITian rises to martyrdom in action". B'Cognizance IIITA's E-Magazine. Jan - Feb 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
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