The Institution of Engineers (India) was registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 in the year 1920 and was formally inaugurated in 1921 by Lord Chelmsford, the then Viceroy and Governor General of India. The Institution of Engineers (India) was granted the Royal Charter of Incorporation 1935 by His Majesty the King George V of England in 1935, “to promote and advance the science, practice and business of engineering in all its branches in India”. Starting with this humble beginning, The Institution of Engineers (India) is now an unique professional body encompassing 15 engineering disciplines and with an overall membership of over 0.5 million.

The Institution of Engineers (India) is the first professional body to represent India in several International Bodies, such as the World Mining Congress (WMC), the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), the Commonwealth Engineers’ Council (CEC), the Federation Internationale du Beton (fib), and the Federation of Engineering Institutions of South and Central Asia (FEISCA). It also has bilateral agreements with a number of professional societies across the globe.

The Institution of Engineers (India) functions with and amongst the professional engineers, academicians and research workers and provides a vast array of technical, professional and supporting services to the government and the industries along with the academic and engineering communities.

The Institution of Engineers (India) is the pioneer body to introduce, starting from 1928, non-formal engineering education programme, successful completion of which is recognized as equivalent to a degree in engineering by the Government of India, the Union Public Service Commission, the State Governments and many Public / Private Sector organizations in the country.

The Institution of Engineers (India), with its headquarters in Kolkata, India, is administered by a National Council with the President as its Head, and operates through 94 State and Local Centres, located at capital cities and towns of industrial and academic importance all over the country, and five Overseas Chapters. The Secretary and Director General is the Chief Executive of the Institution.

How does the Institution serve the Engineering Community ?

The services rendered by The Institution of Engineers (India) to its Members are primarily through a variety of technical activities and functions such as :

• Dissemination and updating of engineering and technological knowledge and diffusion among its members, the information on all matters affecting engineering, through Technical Activities, such as seminars, symposia, continuing education courses, workshops, paper meetings, conventions, conferences, etc at both national and international levels;
• Providing access to R & D activities and engineering practices through engineering and technological disciplines;
• Focusing on new developments, techniques, products, processes and other issues of topical interest;
• Highlighting emerging engineering and technological scenario through comprehensive coverage in the tabloid IEI News published monthly along with authoritative discourses and state-of-the-art reviews on specialized engineering issues in the Technorama published annually;
• Extending engineering information and library services at its Headquarters and at the State and Local Centres;
• Inculcating and promoting amongst engineers and technologists a growing commitment to the social objectives of the profession;
• Fostering national and international cooperation in engineering and technology;
• Acting as an accreditation body for courses in engineering;
• Acting as qualifying body and conducting examinations under its non-formal education programme, to cater to the needs and aspirations of prospective entrants to the profession.
• Recording appreciation of and extending recognition to individual achievements and activities in advancing the art and science of engineering and technology.

The Ever-expanding Horizon of the IEI

In order to create sharp focus in national priority areas, The Institution of Engineers (India) has established the following :
• Engineering Staff College of India (ESCI) for providing continuing education;
• National Design and Research Forum (NDRF) to encourage design talents in engineering and technology;
• Rural Development Forum (RDF) to encourage and promote multifaceted development of rural India;
• Water management forum (WMF) to promote and advance the engineering and practice of water resources managements in its totality; and
• The sustainable Development Forum (SDF) for expression of authoritative views on technologies for sustainable development and for enunciating practical solutions to the problems faced by India.
• Safety and Quality Forum (SQF) to address the aspect of safety and quality in engineering profession.

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