The IIT Delhi and IIT Madras computer science programs were started by alumni of IITK. Alumni of this department have made significant research, technical and business contributions. Some of the software and technology developments from the department are: GIST, ISCII, Smartcard OS (SCOSTA), Machine translation (English to Hindi and vice-versa), Railways real-time tracking of trains (SIMRAN) , Agropedia, Digital mandi, telemedicine (Sehat Saathi), IITK Library automation system iit-KLAS, biometric software, network monitoring system Picpacket, Sachet intrusion detection system, GRBMP etc.

The department has produced an outstanding result in Complexity theory: "PRIMES is in P" by Manindra Agrawal, Neeraj Kayal and Nitin Saxena, Annals of Mathematics 2002. This work and its authors has received many accolades, including the Gӧdel Prize, Fulkerson Prize, Clay Mathematical Prize, Infosys Prize in Mathematical Sciences, and many others.

Some of the major recent projects undertaken by faculty members of the department include ICT in agriculture (EU+ICAR - Rs.20 Million), Railway technologies (SIMRAN - Real-time train tracking - Rs.45 Million), Media Lab Asia (Digital Gangetic plain, Digital mandi, Sehat Saathi - Rs.35 Million), PicPacket network monitoring (Rs.11 Million), Sachet intrusion detection (Rs. 2 Million), Machine translation (approx. Rs.10 Million). Ganga River Basin Management Plan (data management, communication and outreach - Rs. 8.5 Million). Multi-modal biometrics (finger print, iris, face etc. - Rs. 25 Million). On average, this is about Rs. 15 million per year.