The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are autonomous public institutes of higher

education, located in India.[1] They are governed by the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 which
has declared them as institutions of national importance and lays down their powers, duties,
and framework for governance.[2][3] The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 lists twenty-three
institutes.[4] Each IIT is autonomous, linked to the others through a common council (IIT Council),
which oversees their administration. The Minister of Human Resource Development is the ex
officio Chairperson of the IIT Council.[5] As of 2018, the total number of seats for undergraduate
programs in all IITs