With 23 IITs across the country, admission to these prestigious institutions is primarily through JEE Advanced. However, IIT Madras has introduced a new Olympiad-based admission route for select students. Here's everything you need to know about IIT admissions, seat availability, and the latest expansion plans.
Total Seats in IITs (2025)According to Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, the number of seats in IITs has seen significant growth.
-
2014: Around 65,000 seats
-
2025: Increased to 1.35 lakh seats
This expansion aligns with the government's commitment to strengthening India's higher education sector.
The 2025-26 budget includes provisions to expand infrastructure in five IITs established after 2014. These include:
-
IIT Patna (Bihar)
-
IIT Hyderabad (Telangana)
-
IIT Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
-
IIT-BHU Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
-
IIT Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)
A ₹1,830 crore budget has been allocated for improving hostels, classrooms, and academic facilities, with 6,500 additional seats planned.
New Admission Route: Olympiad-Based Entry at IIT MadrasFor the first time, IIT Madras has introduced a special admission process for students excelling in national and international Olympiads.
-
This initiative allows select students to secure admission into BTech programs without JEE Advanced.
-
The admission is through the Science Olympiad Excellence program.
-
This will take effect from the 2025-26 academic session.
-
JEE Main 2025 Session 2 is scheduled from April 2–9.
-
The top 2.5 lakh candidates from JEE Main will qualify for JEE Advanced 2025.
-
Admission to IITs will be based on JEE Advanced scores.
This expansion and new admission policies aim to enhance accessibility and global recognition of IITs. Candidates should keep an eye on official announcements for further updates.
