Harcourt Butler Technical University


Harcourt Butler Technical University is a state technical university in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. The HBTU was named after Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, governor of the United Provinces in British India. Its programs have been conferred in autonomous status under the university. It is one of the oldest engineering institutes in the country and holds the ISO 9001:2000 certification. It offers Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral programs in engineering, as well as Masters program in Computer Applications.
HBTU is the mother institute of the National Sugar Institute, the Government Central Textile Institute, now known as the Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 1960, the Glass Institute and Rajkiya Engineering College Mainpuri in 2015. It was also one of the 127 technical institutions in India which were the recipients of funding from World Bank's International Development Association in the phase one of the Technical Engineering Educational Quality Improvement Project – the first World Bank project in Higher education in India.

History

The history of Harcourt Butler Technical University dates back to the 1920s when there was a growing realization of the need for advancement in science and technology among the people of what was then called the United Provinces. Consequently, the Indian Industrial Commission, 1916–18, at its Nainital meeting proposed two institutions for engineering — one at Roorkee and the other at Kanpur. To boost entrepreneurship, accelerate industrial development, create a sound environment for contemporary applied research, and inculcate scientific temper, an institute called Government Research Institute, Cawnpore was started in 1920. It was housed in the two rooms of what was called Bhoot Wali Kothi. The old majestic building is still intact at the northwest corner of the Company Bagh crossing, near Nawabganj. Dr. H. E. Annett, who was then the Principal of the Opium Research Laboratory, Cawnpore, of which the new institute was an adjunct, was appointed as the head.
On 25 November 1921, the then governor of the United Provinces, Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., formally laid the foundation of the present main building. It was rechristened Government Technological Institute in 1921. In 1928, it got the name Harcourt Butler Technological Institute. Its first principal of Indian nationality was Shri Dattatreya Yashwant Athawale. As of 1 September 2016, it was granted a university status and renamed Harcourt Butler Technical University under the HBTU Act, 2016 passed by the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

Academics

HBTU offers its students a vide variety of UG and PG courses, awarding Bachelor of Technology, Master of Computer Applications, Master of Technology, and Doctor of Philosophy
B.Tech. courses are offered in 13 fields of engineering and technology,namely Computer Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Information Technology, Plastic/Polymer Technology, Food Technology, Oil Technology, Paint Technology, Leather Technology and Biochemical Engineering. It offers admission through Uttar Pradesh State Entrance Examination.

Campus

The university is in the northern part of the city, near the Kanpur Zoo, and less than five kilometres away from the Ganga barrage. It is spread across two campuses – the east campus, and the west campus In East Campus There are 6 hostels including 4 Girls Hostels & 2 Boys Hostels and in West campus there are 4 boys hostels. – roughly 3 km apart.

East campus (academic block)

The academic campus shares a border with the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology's premises. It comprises:-
The main building which was inaugurated in 1921. It houses the administrative offices, and departments of Chemical Engineering, Chemical Technology, Biochemical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Humanities. Five buildings which house the departments of Computer Science & IT, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Leather Technology. Central Library, Auditorium, Cafeteria, GIIEC Building, Parking Lot. Oil Technologist's Association of India's headquarters, Council of Leather Exports' central regional office, Paint and Coating Technologist's Association's headquarters, Institution of Engineers 's Kanpur Local Centre and Polymer Engineers Technologists Association Headquarters. Garden of Bliss, BE/FT Lawn & Lawn Tennis Court Lawn. Guest House. Medical Centre. Central Bank of India branch, and its ATM. Central Workshop. Four girls' hostels and these hostels are now re-named as Alakhanda Hostel, Mandakini Hostel, Gangotri Hostel and Bhagirathi Hostel respectively. Two boys' hostels: Lake View Old, and Lake View New Hostel are now re-named as Shridhracharya Hostel and Ramanujam Hostel respectively. Badminton and Lawn tennis courts Football and Cricket ground. Old Gymnasium

West campus (residential block)

The West Campus features:-
Three boys hostels: WCH-1, WCH-2, and WCH-3, now these hostels are re-named as Abdul Kalam Hostel, Visvesaraya Hostel and Raman Hostel respectively. DBRA hostels. New hostels, now re-named as Vishwakarma hostel. Gymnasium, Community centre, Residential quarters for faculty members and other staff. State Bank of India ATM, Postal facilities. Playgrounds for cricket, basketball and volleyball.

Administration

HBTU is a government residential university and has the following six authorities overlooking its complete administration:
The university is headed by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Narendra Bahadur Singh.

Alumni

HBTU alumni are popularly known as Harcourtians. Notable alumni include: