Newz Desk, Durgapur: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Durgapur will hold its 20th Convocation Ceremony on December 20, 2025, at the Institute Auditorium, marking a significant academic milestone for the graduating batch of the academic year ending June 2025.
A total of 1,237 degrees will be conferred during the ceremony. These include 813 B.Tech., 7 Dual Degree, 9 Integrated M.Sc., 145 M.Tech., 30 MBA, 96 M.Sc., 12 MSW, and 125 Ph.D. degrees. In recognition of academic excellence, the Institute will also award 31 Gold Medals and 2 Best Project Awards.
The convocation will be graced by Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chairman, Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), as the Chief Guest. A distinguished 1985-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, Dr. Kumar is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the University of Minnesota. He served as India’s Defence Secretary from 2019 to 2022, playing a pivotal role in landmark defence reforms, including the establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the Agniveer scheme. He assumed office as UPSC Chairman on May 15, 2025.
Suresh Kumar, IAS (West Bengal cadre, 1988 batch), Chairman, Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), will attend as the Guest of Honour. An alumnus of IIT Madras in Chemical Engineering, he took charge as Chairman, DVC on January 1, 2024, and also holds the additional charge of Member Secretary, DVC.
Over 1,200 Graduates, 31 Gold Medals, New Milestones at NIT Durgapur Convocation
The ceremony will be presided over by S. N. Subrahmanyan, Chairperson, Board of Governors, NIT Durgapur, and Chairman & Managing Director of Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
NIT Durgapur continues to strengthen its academic and research profile, having secured 49th rank in NIRF 2025, placing it 8th among all NITs. In the current academic year, 1,461 students were admitted across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. From the 2025–26 academic session, the Institute has introduced new programmes, including M.Tech. in AI & Data Analytics in Process Engineering, M.Tech. in Sustainable Materials & Technology, M.Tech. in Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, and a Minor Programme in Quantum Computing.
The Institute has also made notable progress in sustainability with the commissioning of a 1.07 MW solar power plant, fully funded by Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. at a cost of ₹5.94 crore, resulting in estimated annual savings of ₹1.18 crore for the next 25 years.
At present, 141 sponsored research projects worth ₹20.3 crore are underway with funding from agencies such as DST, CSIR, DBT, DAE, and ISRO, along with 55 consultancy projects generating approximately ₹2.2 crore. Major initiatives include a ₹8.47 crore mega project under the National Technical Textiles Mission to promote West Bengal’s geo-jute in infrastructure, a ₹2.7 crore ANRF-funded EV research project led by IIT Kanpur, and participation in national programmes on critical minerals, smart mining, and sustainable metallurgy. The Institute has also received international funding from CSIRO Australia for collaborative research in sustainable mineral technologies and green steelmaking.
NIT Durgapur’s innovation ecosystem has earned national recognition, including acknowledgment by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India for the development of a micro-chip under the C2S Scheme of MeitY.
In 2024–25, the Institute achieved 82.7% undergraduate placements, with the highest package touching ₹80 lakh per annum, and participation from 119 recruiting companies. Faculty members published 549 journal articles and 281 conference papers, with several researchers featuring among the top 2% scientists globally as per Stanford–Elsevier listings.
The Institute has also strengthened its global and national collaborations through strategic MoUs with premier institutions such as IIM Visakhapatnam, IIT Roorkee, IMMT Bhubaneswar, and international partners including Politecnico di Torino, Italy. Notably, the MoU with IIM Visakhapatnam enables NIT Durgapur students and alumni to enroll in its regular MBA programme without a CAT score and at a subsidized fee.
Students of NIT Durgapur have also excelled beyond academics, actively participating in research and technical competitions. A notable achievement includes winning Gold and Silver medals at the All India Inter-NIT Body-Building and Swimming Competition held at NIT Surathkal.
The 20th Convocation thus stands as a celebration of academic excellence, research innovation, and holistic development at NIT Durgapur.
