One of the founding departments of IIT Kanpur, The Department of Mechanical Engineering played a leading role in evolving the "Engineering Science" based curriculum and served as a model for many engineering institutes in the country. 

Over the years, industrial interactions and emphasis on applied engineering and research has also increased manifold. The current streams of study are:  

• Solid Mechanics and Design
• Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences
• Manufacturing Science
• Mechatronics
• Nulcear Technology