Indian Institute of Technology – Roorkee is among the foremost of institutes of national importance in higher technological education and in basic and applied research. Since its establishment, the Institute has played a vital role in providing the technical manpower and know-how to the country and in pursuit of research. The Institute ranks amongst the best technological institutions in the world and has contributed to all sectors of technological development. It has also been considered a trend-setter in the area of education and research in the field of science, technology, and engineering.
The Institute has completed 150th year of its existence in October 1996. On September 21, 2001 an Ordinance issued by the Government of India declared it as the nation's seventh Indian Institute of Technology. The Ordinance is now converted into an Act by the Parliament to make IIT, Roorkee as an "Institution of National Importance".
The predecessor of the IIT Roorkee, the University of Roorkee, pioneered postgraduate programmes in engineering and technology, way back in 1955. During the session 2007-2008, 654 students were admitted to the PG programmes and a total of 1356 students were registered in these programmes.
Admission to PG programmes is offered on the basis of GATE score and/or on the basis of the written test and interview. Non Resident Indians ( NRI ) and foreign nationals are also admitted to PG programmes. Sponsored candidates, including those through Quality Improvement Programme (QIP), form another channel for admission to these programmes. IIT Roorkee is the only institution in the country which has special PG programmes in Earthquake Engineering, Water Resources Development & Management, Hydrology, Welding Engineering, Alternate Hydro Energy Systems and Pulp & Paper Engineering.
