IIT-Mandi to set up extension campus in Palampur
In a significant development for higher education and technological advancement in Himachal Pradesh, IIT-Mandi is set to establish an extension campus in Palampur. The campus will be set up on 52 hectares, situated on the Dharamsala road, which is 5 km from Palampur.
Addressing a press conference here today, Gokul Butail, Principal Adviser (innovation, digital technologies, and governance), made the announcement to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
Butail, who also serves on the board of directors of IIT-Mandi Catalyst, the institute’s startup incubator, stated that he had actively advocated for the expansion of IIT to Palampur. For this purpose, 22 hectares of land in Bhagotla village has already been allotted on lease to IIT-Mandi under the Technical Education Department, while an additional 31 hectares will be sent for FCA clearance to the Central Government.
Palampur — which is already home to prestigious institutions such as CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University and CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology — offers a strategic advantage with improved connectivity. The upcoming completion of the four-lane highway will reduce travel time to Pathankot to only two hours. Additionally, the planned extension of Dharmsala (Gaggal) Airport will further enhance accessibility to the region.
The new IIT-Mandi extension campus will offer specialised courses in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, drone technology, sustainable technology and management programmes, fostering innovation and research. Apart from academic excellence, the campus will also drive local employment opportunities, creating jobs across skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled sectors.
Butail said this initiative marks a major step towards Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s vision of transforming Palampur and Kangra into a premier technology hub in North India.