The Mechanical department was established in 1946. It faced many problems initially, most of which arose from one single bigger problem: a large and growing female junta. However after several corrective measures and proactive thinking this problem has been successfully addressed.[citation needed] This department is mainly known for its (un?)healthy sex ratio, path breaking research, use of fancy technology and tendency to give orgasmic reactions at the sight of any company with a CTC greater than 6 lacs.

The bachelor course for Mechanical Engineering at IITR can be broadly divided into the following subjects: Thermal Engineering and Fluids, Manufacturing, and Machine Design & Robotics.

Apart from these subjects the curriculum also includes introductory courses to the other branches. Since some courses form the foundation form the foundation for the ones that follow as you move up the ladder, it is advisable to develop a thorough understanding in the primary subjects.

The one salient feature of this branch at IITR is the presence of various student groups on campus who have undertaken projects closely relating to the practical aspects of what you study in the classroom. Team KNOx and FSAE aim at a full design and fabrication of All-Terrain vehicles and Formula cars; SAE and ASHRAE foster the concepts of Automotive Engineering and Thermodynamics; ASME for the robotics and also the newly emerging projects in Aerodynamics.

Although the average pay scale of a Mechanical Engineer is around 6-6.5 lac INR; industrial giants such as Shell, ITC and Schlumberger can offer placements as high as 30 lacs. Placement percentage is almost around 90-95%. The initial package may not be as high that of a CSE student but work done during the four years of college, if commendable enough, can promise you a steep growth.

Walking into an IIT itself opens the doors to a plethora of career options. While many choose to stay onboard, others exhibit their dexterity at competitive/developmental programming, marketing and finance or realize that working at a consultancy firm is the safest bet. One can also opt to pursue higher education in India or abroad. The master’s degree can be obtained in various disciplines. Some of the research areas pertaining to the branch are: Rapid Prototyping, Robotics, Vehicle-to-Vehicle Interaction, Intelligent Automotive, Energy Efficiency/ Hybrid Technologies, INDUSTRIE 4., Smart Structures, etc. A good GPA, along with some project undertaking, can land you at a top notch university with little effort.

It is mandatory to do an internship after the third year. However, it is always better to utilize the second year holidays as well. Internships can be done in an industry or can be of the research type, which is done under the guidance of a professor. Companies such as ITC, Shell, Schlumberger and Tata Steel recruit interns from the college while you can always apply to any firm off the campus. One particular perk of the internship is that you may end up with a job offer right after your work review, which saves you from the agonizing process of placements, which, for most of the candidates turn out to be a blood pressure escalating affair. You can also try for a foreign intern in countries such as Germany, Canada, Japan and USA with the help of various intern programs. It would be a futile attempt to prepare an exhaustive list for all the career options available, because they are simply innumerable.