Due to the growing importance of all kinds of materials in industry and commerce, and arising from the expanding research and educational profile of the Department, the faculty submitted a request to the University to have the Department of Ceramics name changed to Department of Ceramic & Materials Engineering. This change was approved and became effective 1 July 1997. Subsequently, the name was further changed to the Department of Materials Science & Engineering on 1 July 2005. Today, the department conducts teaching, research, and outreach activities in all the major areas of modern materials and is one of the largest such departments in the country.