- published: 29 Feb 2016
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Coordinates: 26°11′14″N 91°41′30″E / 26.18722°N 91.69167°E / 26.18722; 91.69167
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (Hindi: भारतीय प्रोद्योगिकी संसथान गुवाहाटी, IIT Guwahati, IITG) is an autonomous engineering and technology-oriented institute of higher education established by the Government of India, located in Guwahati, in the state of Assam in India. It is the sixth Indian Institute of Technology established in India.
IITG is officially recognised as an Institute of National Importance by the government of India.
The history of IIT Guwahati traces its roots to the 1985 Assam Accord signed between the All Assam Students Union and the Government of India, which mentions the general improvement in education facilities in Assam and specifically the setting up of an IIT.
IITG was established in 1994 by an act of parliament and its academic programme commenced in 1995. IITG admitted its first batch of students into its Bachelor of Technology programme in 1995. The selection process was the same as that of all IITs, i.e., through the Joint Entrance Examination. In 1998, the first batch of students were accepted into the Master of Technology program through the GATE.
Guwahati (Assamese: গুৱাহাটী Guwāhāti (help·info)), and formerly known as Pragjyotishpura (Sanskrit:प्राग्ज्योतिषपुर) and Durjoya (Sanskrit:दुर्जय) in ancient Assam, and Gauhati in the modern era, is an ancient urban area, the largest city of Assam, the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India and one of the fastest developing cities in India. It is said to be the "Gateway" of the North East Region. Dispur, the capital of the Indian state of Assam is located within the city and is the seat of the Government of Assam. Guwahati, formerly Prāgjyotishpura meaning City of Eastern Light, other view is Prāg meaning eastern and jyotish meaning astrology and Durjaya meaning impregnable were the capital's of ancient state of Kamarupa under Varman's and Pala's respectively. Many ancient Hindu temples are located within the city, Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, Navagraha Temple, Sukreswar Temple, Basistha Temple, Lankeshwar Temple, Doul Govinda Temple, Dirgheshwari temple, Ugro Tara Temple, Rudreswar Temple, etc., are but a few; thus, the city is also known as the "The City of Temples."