It is one of the most prestigeous engineering research centres in India and the world. It is like other members of the IIT fraternity mainly known for the quality of its undergradutate curriculum.

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. Presently there are about 1300 students on rolls, 152 faculty members and 250 support staff. Unlike any other member of the IIT fraternity IIT Guwahati has the distinct achievement of having accomplished this rapid self dependence without collaboration or assistance from any foreign university or government.

IIT Guwahati's campus is on a sprawling 3 km² plot of land on the northern bank of the river Brahmaputra around 20 km from the heart of the Guwahati city. The majestic Brahmaputra are proximate on one side, with hills and open spaces on the others.