Third-gen IITs fill 1,364 seats in 2025-26, 28% jump in 4 years

With third-generation Indian Institutes of Technology (3G IITs) coming into existence after 2014, the number of students to be admitted is going to witness a phenomenal surge.

All five such IITs together have filled 1,364 seats for the year 2025-26, the Ministry of Education informed, ready to witness a sensational boom by the academic year 2028-29.

In Union Budget 2025, up to 6,500 seats were to be established in such institutions -- IIT Palakkad, Dharwad, Jammu, Bhilai and Tirupati -- as the government effort in providing quality engineering education at an inclusive and accessible level across the nation.

GRADUAL SEAT EXPANSION ACROSS CAMPUSES

The numbers reflect a combined 28% increase in students capacity across campuses within the next four school years.

The increase will go from 1,364 in 2025-26 to 1,707 in 2028-29 and will total 6,576 seats over the period.

IIT Bhilai witnessed the highest jump of 378 seat hike in 2025-26 alone. The institute will undergo a smooth three-year phase: 381 in 2026-27, 378 in 2027-28 and 348 in 2028-29.

IIT Palakkad comes next with 193 addition of seats this year and even more in the pipeline offering -- 291 in 2026-27, 372 in 2027-28 and 408 in 2028-29.

BREAKDOWN YEARLY AND FUTURE PLANS

IIT Jammu added 251 seats this year and has very high future plans -- 401 seats in 2026-27, 373 in 2027-28 and 263 in 2028-29.

IIT Tirupati introduced 199 seats this year; next year, it will introduce 255 seats, then 290 seats in 2027–2028, and 322 in 2028–2029, respectively.

Having 343 students at present, IIT Dharwad will reach 410 in 2026–2027, then a bit to 345 in 2027–2028 before reaching up to 466 in 2028–2029.

Maximum intake in the year 2027-28 will be in these five IITs and 1,767 students.

EXTRACTION TO BALANCE GEOGRAPHY AND ACCESS

All this exercise is being undertaken by the Ministry as part of its strategy of decongestion of access to quality engineering education and decongestion of the older IITs.

The institutes are being provided with better infrastructure, internationally standards-accredited laboratories, and competitive recruitment of faculty as a thrust towards academic parity.

The incremental approach aligns with National Education Policy's vision of access and equity and India's research and innovation capacity.