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Time of India
04-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
From Writers' Building to national importance: Here is the story of West Bengal's first engineering college
Image credit: Official website of IIEST Shibpur Not all legends wear capes; some rise from the foundations of bricks and blueprints. In 1856, as the British Raj laid tracks across Indian soil, a humble Civil Engineering College found its beginnings inside Kolkata's iconic Writers' Building. Its mission? To churn out engineers for the colonial Public Works Department. But what began as a colonial necessity soon ignited a spark that would fuel one of India's greatest centres of technical brilliance, IIEST Shibpur. A nomadic start, a permanent identity After a brief stint under Presidency College, the institution uprooted itself in 1880 and made a defining move to Shibpur, settling near the banks of the Hooghly River. With this shift came a new identity, the Government College, Howrah. It soon expanded into Mechanical Engineering and embraced a fully residential model by 1889, a rarity in those days. The campus didn't just provide accommodation; it cultivated a culture. The rise of BE College : A vision beyond borders In 1921, the institute became Bengal Engineering College (BE College), marking its foray into a broader engineering curriculum and national relevance. Post-Independence, as India embarked on its industrial dreams, the college launched postgraduate and doctoral programmes and even struck a pivotal collaboration with the University of Wisconsin, USA, an academic bridge few Indian institutions dared to build at the time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dores nos nervos e neuropatia? Esse truque está surpreendendo. A arte do herbalismo Undo It wasn't just keeping up; it was leading. BESU: A modern university with roots in antiquity As India's higher education evolved, so did BE College. In 1992, it was declared a Deemed University, later transforming into the Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU) in 2004. Inaugurated by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2005, BESU introduced science programmes alongside engineering and positioned itself as a knowledge crucible where disciplines collided and coalesced. The tipping point: Becoming IIEST The decade-long pursuit of excellence culminated in 2014, when BESU was upgraded to the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, India's first IIEST and an Institute of National Importance. The move, backed by the Government of India and mentored by IIT Kanpur, wasn't merely symbolic; it was strategic. With ₹592.2 crore in sanctioned funds and a clear vision to produce scientists for India's strategic sectors and academia, the institution entered a new league. A legacy burdened by glory and growing pains IIEST Shibpur today occupies a unique place in Indian academia. Despite a ranking slide, from 21 in NIRF 2020 to 49 in 2024, the institution continues to punch above its weight in terms of legacy, research output, and alumni influence. Yet, it grapples with an age-old constraint: Land. With 121 acres at its disposal, the campus craves another 100 to match its growing ambitions. In 2014, its founding director candidly confessed that the land space crunch is the biggest ordeal that they are encountering. Beyond the classroom: Quiet revolutions in research In the last decade, IIEST has emerged as a silent but potent force in niche research. From a ₹130 crore ten-storey hostel to the establishment of a cutting-edge Fundamental Research Lab on Homeopathy with support from the Ministry of AYUSH, the institute is no longer just preserving legacy; it's creating one for the future. An institution, not just an address IIEST Shibpur is more than a location on the educational map; it's an embodiment of India's tryst with modernity, resilience, and scientific nation-building. In an era where Ivy Leagues and IITs dominate headlines, this 169-year-old engineering titan continues to thrive, quietly, modestly, and purposefully. The tale of IIEST is not just the story of West Bengal's first engineering college. It's a chronicle of how colonial infrastructure turned into a national cornerstone, and how legacy, when paired with vision, can build more than just buildings. It builds a future. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Know about the first engineering college of West Bengal
The Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology Shibpur (IIEST Shibpur) is the first engineering college in West Bengal. The IIEST Shibpur traces its legacy to the mid-19th century, making it one of India's oldest engineering institutions. It began in 1843-44, when Civil Engineering classes were introduced at Hindu College, Calcutta, to train engineers for the Public Works Department. A formal Civil Engineering College was established on November 24, 1856 at the Writers' Building in Calcutta. With the founding of the University of Calcutta in 1857, the college gained affiliation and, after a brief period under the Presidency College, it relocated to Shibpur, Howrah in 1880, becoming the Government College, Howrah. It soon added Mechanical Engineering and became fully residential by 1889. Renamed Bengal Engineering College (BE College) in 1921, the institute grew rapidly, launching postgraduate and doctoral programmes by the 1950s, collaborating internationally — most notably with the University of Wisconsin — and establishing itself as a hub for advanced research. In 1992, the Government of India granted Deemed University status to BE College, formally inaugurated in 1993 by President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma. It became a full-fledged university in 2004, renamed Bengal Engineering and Science University (BESU), Shibpur, introducing science programmes alongside engineering. Finally, in March 2014, BESU was declared an Institute of National Importance by an Act of Parliament, becoming IIEST Shibpur — a premier national institution continuing a legacy of over 160 years in engineering education and research. IIEST Shibpur is ranked at the 49th rank in the Ministry of Education's National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024 engineering. It was ranked at 35th rank in 2023. In 2022, 2021 and 2020, the institute was ranked 40, 27 and 21, respectively. The Institute offers BTech programmes in various engineering disciplines, such as Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Computer Science Engineering. IIEST provides MTech, MSc, MBA, and PhD programmes across multiple fields. IIEST Shibpur uses JEE Main scores for admission to undergraduate programmes.
