15 Oldest Engineering Colleges in India

It is always interesting to know “which one is the oldest in any field?“

Here is the list of 15 oldest engineering colleges of India. Let’s know about the old technical institutes which helped a lot in building and developing the nation.

1. College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai (1794)

The College of Engineering, Guindy (CEG) in Chennai, India, is an engineering and technical institution and was established in 1794. It was started in May of 1794 as a School of Survey and established as a college in 1859 under the Madras University [Source].

2. Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (1847)

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (commonly known as IIT Roorkee or IITR), formerly the University of Roorkee (1948–2001), the Thomason College of Civil Engineering (1853–1948), College of Civil Engineering at Roorkee (1847–1853) is a public university located in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India. Established in 1847 in British India by the then lieutenant governor, Sir James Thomason, it was given university status in 1949 and was converted into an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 2001, thus becoming the seventh IIT to be declared [Source].

3. College of Engineering, Pune (1854)

COEP’s precursor, The Poona Engineering Class and Mechanical School was opened in July 1854, with an aim to provide suitable learning to the subordinate officers in the Public Works Department. College was affiliated to University of Bombay in 1866. In 2003, the college got autonomous status, thus giving it the freedom to set its own curricula and manage its own finances [Source].

4. Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur (1856)

IIEST, Shibpur is one of the oldest engineering institute in India, established as the Calcutta Civil Engineering College in 1856, located at Writers’ Building. In 1880, the institute is shifted to its present campus at Shibpur, Howrah, in the premises of Bishop’s College. In 1920, the institute is renamed as Bengal Engineering College (BE College). In 1992, the institute achieves Deemed University status. Institute is converted to a full university and renamed as Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur (BESU Shibpur) in 2004. In 2006, Anandakrishnan Committee, set up by Govt. of India, recommends upgrading BESU to an Institute of National Importance (INI) due to its excellence in engineering education and research. The institute is granted INI status by the Govt. of India and renamed as Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur (IIEST Shibpur) in 2014 [Source].

5. University Of Mumbai, Mumbai (1857)

The University of Mumbai is one of the first three state universities in India and the oldest in Maharashtra. The other two are he University of Madras and the University of Calcutta. University of Mumbai offers Engineering degree through affiliate colleges [Source].

6. National Institute of Technology, Patna (1886)

NIT Patna marked its humble beginning in 1886 with the establishment of pleaders survey training school which was subsequently promoted of Bihar College of Engineering Patna in 1924. This made this institute the 6th Oldest Engineering Institute of India. Bihar College of Engineering Patna got the NIT status on 28. 01. 2004 by the Ministry of H.R.D. Government of India [Source].

7. Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai (1887)

Established in 1887, the V. J. T. Institute started with only two departments, namely the Sir J. J. School of Mechanical Engineering and the Ripon Textile School for the two branches of industry in which Bombay was vitally interested at the time. In the early days, the Institute was housed in Byculla in a building donated for the purpose by Sir Dinshaw Maneckji Petit. In the course of development, the Institute’s building at Byculla proved insufficient for the growing number of students who sought admission and soon after the First World War in 1923, the Institute moved to its present and more commodious, specially constructed building at Matunga, which represents the most important landmark in the history of the Institute. In 1998, the Institute was renamed from its old name Victoria Jubilee Technical Institute to its present name Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute [Source].

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8. Faculty of Technology and Engineering, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara (1890)

The Faculty of Technology and Engineering as it stands today formed along with the establishment of the Maharaja Sayajirao University in 1949 is an outgrowth of what was popularly known as the “Kala Bhavan Technical Institute” (KBTI) established in June 1890 by his late Highness The Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda state. In May 1990, it completed 100 years of glorious services for the cause of Technical Education [Source].

9. Jadavpur University, Kolkata (1906)

The Bengal Technical Institute came into existence on July 25, 1906 under the umbrella of the SPTE (Society for Promotion of Technical Education), with the objective of spreading technical education among the masses in West Bengal, one of the eastern region states of India. In 1910 the SPTE which looked after Bengal Technical Institute (which later became College of Engineering and Technology, Bengal) was amalgamated to NCE (National Council of Education). NCE henceforth looked after the College of Engineering and Technology, Bengal which by 1940 was virtually functioning as a University. After Independence, the Government of West Bengal, with the concurrence of the Govt. of India, enacted the necessary legislation to establish Jadavpur University on the 24th of December 1955 [Source].

10. Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (1909)

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was founded in 1909 as a result of the joint efforts of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the Government of India, and the Maharaja of Mysore. In 1886, Jamsetji Tata conceived of a university of science that will work for the benefit of India, and in 1898 created an endowment for establishing such an institution. The Government of India then took up the effort, and, in consultation with scientists in England and in India, decided to locate the Institute in Bangalore, where the Maharaja of Mysore, Shri Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, donated 372 acres of land [Source].

11. University Visvesvaraya College Of Engineering, Bengaluru (1917)

UVCE was established in the year 1917, under the name, Government Engineering college by BharatRatna Sir M Visvesvaraya, and was affiliated to University of Mysore. After the formation of Bangalore University in 1964, UVCE became one of the constituent college of Bangalore University [Source].

12. Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi (1919)

Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi (commonly known as IIT (BHU), Varanasi) is a public engineering institution located in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1919 as the Banaras Engineering College, it became the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IT-BHU) in 1968. It was designated an Indian Institute of Technology in 2012. BHU has the credit of first starting degree classes in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, metallurgy and Pharmaceutics, thanks to the foresight of its founder, Pt. Madan Mohan Malaviya [Source].

13. Government College of Engineering and Leather Technology (GCELT), Kolkata (1919)

The Government College of Engineering and Leather Technology (GCELT), pioneer in the field of education and research on Leather Technology was originally started under the name ‘Calcutta Research Tannery‘ in the year 1919 on the recommendation of Munitions Board set up by the Government of India immediately after the first World War with the aim of exploring Indigenous resources of hides, skins and tanning materials for the purpose of production of leather and leather goods and development of leather industry in the country. The college undergoes paradigm shift in the start of 21st Century with the change in location from Pagladanga to the prime location of Salt Lake on E. M. By Pass next to the West Bengal University of Juridical Sciences in the year 1994 [Source].

14. Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur (1920)

“Government Research Institute, Cawnpore” was established in 1920, which was renamed as “Government Technological Institute” in 1921. Finally in 1926 it got the name by which we know it today “Harcourt Butler Technological Institute“. The HBTI was named after Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, governor of the United Provinces of British India. In 1959, when the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) was established, its classes were initially held in the canteen building of HBTI until IITK had its own campus [Source].

15. PEC University of Technology Chandigarh (1921)

The university was originally established as Mugalpura Engineering College at Lahore (now in Pakistan) on November 9, 1921. The name of the college was later changed to Maclagan Engineering College in March 1924. In the year 1931, the college was affiliated to Punjab University, Lahore. After partition in 1947, the college was relocated to Roorkee in India and was renamed as East Punjab College of Engineering. In the year 1950 the word East was dropped. Towards the end of December 1953, the college shifted to its present campus in Chandigarh to function under the Government of Punjab. In 1966, with the formation of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, the college came under the control of the Government of India through the Chandigarh Administration. In October 2003, the Government of India recognized the college as a Deemed University and thereafter it became known as Punjab Engineering College (Deemed University). In 2009, the Board of Governors renamed the institution as PEC University of Technology [Source].

 

 

## The list has grown to 16 oldest engineering colleges Dated: 30/07/2016 as we have included Government College of Engineering and Leather Technology (GCELT), Kolkata (1919) which we missed at the time of writing this post.

Thanks to Dr. Buddhadeb Chattopadhyay (former principal of GCELT), who brought this to our notice.

A humble request to all: please bring this type of information to our notice if any. Thanks in advance.

## The list has grown to 17 oldest engineering colleges Dated: 03/08/2016 as we have included University College of Engineering, Osmania University, Hyderabad (1929) which we missed at the time of writing this post. Though currently the institute would come at no. 16, since ICT Mumbai (1933) is there in the list, so, we have included the UCE, Osmania University in the list.

Thanks to Mr. Kishore Pasupuleti for bringing this to our notice.

## The list has grown to 18 oldest engineering colleges Dated: 15/06/2017 as we have included Faculty of Technology and Engineering, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara (1890) which we missed at the time of writing the post.

Thanks to Mr. Vishesh Sanghvi for bringing this to our notice.

16. Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad (1926)

The Indian School of Mines was formally opened on 9th December 1926, by Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India to address the need for trained manpower related to mining activities in the country with disciplines of Mining and Applied Geology. In 1967 it was granted the status of a deemed to be university [Source].

17. University College of Engineering, Osmania University, Hyderabad (1929)

The University College of Engineering (UCE) has the distinction of being the oldest and the biggest among the Engineering Colleges of the State of Andhra Pradesh. It was established in the year 1929. The College moved to its present permanent building in the year 1947. Today it is the biggest among the campus colleges of Osmania University. The College was made autonomous in 1994 [Source].

18. Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai (1933)

The Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT) Mumbai was established as the Department of Chemical Technology on 1st October, 1933 by the University of Mumbai, through active support of industries and philanthropists. Due to the recommendations of the Government of Maharashtra and University of Mumbai, the ICT was granted Deemed University Status by the MHRD on 12th September, 2008, with all provisions of the UGC for funding and support as the state owned deemed university [Source].