With the Mines Bill becoming a law vide Indian Mines Act – VIII of 1901 the necessity for establishing a government college of Mining Engineering at some suitable place in India on the pattern of the Royal School of Mines was felt by the then Indian Government. The Indian National Congress, the leading political party that was perhaps the sole spokesman of the masses of those days was quick to endorse this view of the government through its resolution taken at the 17th. session held at Calcutta in December 1901. A committee consisting of mining experts under the Chairmanship of Macpherson, the Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar and Orissa was formed to study the system of mining education in England. The report of this committee was the main basis for establishment of Indian School of Mines at Dhanbad. The Government of India in 1920 decided that the proposed institution should be an All India Institution financed by the Central Government and be named Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad. The Indian School of Mines was formally opened by his Excellency The Vice Roy Lord Erwin on 9th. December, 1926.
Situated in the heart of the country’s prime coking coal belt, 260 kms from Kolkata with a campus spread over 88 hectares the fully residential ISM has all the facilities of world class academic institute. What started as an institution to impart mining education has graduated into a full-fledged technical institution of international acclaim offering a host of programmes like B. Tech., M. Tech., M. Sc. Tech., and MBA. In addition the School offers M. Phil. and full as well as part time Ph. D. programmes, while also awarding D.Sc. as the highest degree of academic achievement.
The serene campus comprises academic buildings, student hostels and 100% residential facilities for faculty and staff apart from other infrastructure facilities for a cosmopolitan community. The School has links with reputed universities and institutes across the globe and has an alumni base all over the world. The School today is making foray into the newer areas of academic endeavours in tune with the changing times.