The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) is the premier technical body of Highway Engineers in the country. The IRC was set up in December, 1934 on the recommendations of the Indian Road Development Committee best known as Jayakar Committee set up by the Govt. of India with the objective of Road Development in India. As the activities of the IRC expanded, it was formally registered as a Society in 1937 under the Societies Registration Act of 1860. Over the years Congress has burgeoned and grown into a multi -dimensional many faceted organisation, devoted to the cause of better roads & better bridges in the country.

The Congress provides a National forum for sharing of knowledge and pooling of experience on the entire range of subjects dealing with the construction & maintenance of roads and bridges, including technology, equipment, research, planning, finance, taxation, organisation and all connected policy issues. In more specific terms the objectives of the Congress are:

• To promote and encourage the science and practice of building and maintenance of roads;
• To provide a channel for the expression of collective opinion of its members regarding roads;
• To promote the use of standard specifications and to propose specifications;
• To advise regarding education, experiment and research connected with roads;
• To hold periodical meetings, to discuss technical questions regarding roads;
• To suggest legislation for the development, improvement and protection of roads;
• To suggest improved methods of administration, planning design, construction, operation, use and maintenance of roads;
• To establish, furnish and maintain libraries and museums for furthering the science of road making;
• To publish, or arrange for the publication of proceedings, journals, periodicals and other literature for the promotion of the objects of the Society;
• To accept subscriptions, subsidies, donations, endowments and gifts in furtherance of the objects of the Society;
• To invest and deal with the funds of the Society or entrusted to the Society, to acquire and hold any movable or immovable property, and to borrow or raise money for the furtherance of the objects of the Society and to sell, lease, exchange, or otherwise deal with the same;
• To grant pay, prizes, honoraria, or scholarships (including traveling scholarships) for meritorious work in furtherance of the objects of the Society;
• To do all such other lawful things as may be, incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects;

Income and Property: The income and property of the Society, whensoever and howsoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as herein set forth and no portion thereof shall be paid, or transferred or distributed, directly, by way of dividend, bonus, interest, or otherwise howsoever, by way of profit to the members of the Society; Provided that this shall not prevent the payment in good faith of remuneration to any officer or servant of the Society or other persons in return for services rendered. The Congress has relentlessly strived to achieve these objectives and fulfill its charter.