Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati the sixth member of the IIT fraternity, was established in 1994. The academic programme of IIT Guwahati commenced in 1995.At present the Institute has eleven departments covering all the major engineering and science disciplines, offering B. Tech., B. Des., M. Tech., Ph.D. and M.Sc. programmes. Within a short period of time, IIT Guwahati has been able to build up the necessary infrastructure for carrying out advanced research and has been equipped with state-of-the-art scientific and engineering instruments. IIT Guwahati's campus is on a sprawling 285 hectares plot of land on the north bank of the river Brahmaputra around 20 kms. from the heart of the city. With the majestic Brahmaputra on one side, and with hills and vast open spaces on others, the campus provides an ideal setting for learning. While the campus construction programme will terminate at the end of the tenth five year plan, students' hostels, faculty and staff quarters, and a guest house have already been built.