Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology

Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur owes its origin to the erstwhile Bengal Engineering College, the history of which goes to the nineteenth century when industries in the sense we understand today, were practically absent. Prompted by the idea of meeting requirement of trained engineering personnel for the Public Works Department, the then council of Education, Bengal, decided to open Civil Engineering classes and a Professorship in Civil Engineering was created at Hindu College, Calcutta, in the year 1843-44. A College of Engineering was started by the name of Civil Engineering College on 24th November, 1856, in the premises of the Writers Building, Calcutta. With the establishment of Calcutta University on January 24, 1857, the college was affiliated to this university in May 1857. The first-degree examination in Bachelors of Civil Engineering was held in 1864 in which only 2 students graduated. In 1865, the college merged with Presidency College, Calcutta and from 1865 to 1869 the college functioned as the Civil Engineering Department of Presidency College. In 1880, the college was shifted to its present campus at Shibpur, Howrah, and was christened the 'Government College, Howrah,' in the premises of Bishop's College. It started imparting training in Civil as well as Mechanical Engineering. The college became wholly residential from the year 1889. In 1921, the name of the college was changed to 'Bengal Engineering College' (popularly known as B.E.College). During 1921-43, the various departments of the college were reorganized on the recommendation of the 'Mukherjee Committee' under the Chairmanship of Sir R.N. Mukherjee, one of the most distinguished ex-students of the college. The first batch of students in Mechanical Engineering appeared in the degree examination in 1932. The degree course in Electrical Engineering was introduced during 1935-36 and that in Metallurgical Engineering in 1939. The department of Humanities started in 1945, Applied Mechanics in 1947, and Architecture, Town and Regional Planning department in 1949.