Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi is one of the 23 IITs created to be National Centres of Excellence for training, research and development in science, engineering and technology in India. Established as College of Engineering in 1961, the Institute was later declared as an Institution of National Importance under the "Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1963" and was renamed as "Indian Institute of Technology Delhi'. Since its inception, over 50,000 have graduated from IIT Delhi, of which more than 5500 are with a Ph.D. degree, in various disciplines including Engineering, Physical Sciences, Management and Humanities & Social Sciences. In 2018, IIT Delhi received the special status of Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Govt. of India, giving it greater autonomy in various matters including hiring of foreign faculty and starting collaborations with foreign institutions.