Council of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research

IISERs
Vision
Academic Programmes

Five-Year BS-MS Programme
Integrated PhD
PhD Programme

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The Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister recommended the creation of new institutions devoted to science research and education, the “Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research”. Seven such institutes have been established so far in Berhampur, Bhopal, Kolkata, Mohali, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and Tirupati.

IISERs

IISERs were created through a proclamation of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, to promote quality education and research in science and related areas. The first two IISERs (Pune and Kolkata) were established in 2006. This was followed by an Institute at Mohali (2007), Bhopal & Thiruvananthapuram (2008), Tirupati (2015), and Berhampur (2016). IISERs were incorporated as Institutions of National Importance under the umbrella of the NIT (Amendment) Act, 2012 (NIT Act 2007). The Act was further amended in 2014, entitled the NITSER ACT 2014. Each IISER is a degree-granting autonomous institute.

Vision

The vision of these institutes encompasses the creation of research centres of the highest caliber in which teaching and education in the basic sciences is integrated with state-of-the-art research. These Institutions offer undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the sciences in an intellectually vibrant atmosphere of research. The goals of these institutes, inter alia, are: -

To perform quality research and impart quality education in the basic sciences
To attract and nurture high-quality academic faculty members
To create integrated Masters programmes in the sciences, to provide entry into research at a young age (students graduating from high schools). The Institutes also offer Ph.D. programmes for students with Bachelor’s or Master's degree in the sciences
To make possible a flexible, borderless curriculum in the sciences
To actively forge strong relationships with existing universities and colleges and network with laboratories and other institutions
To establish advanced research laboratories and central facilities

Academic Programmes

Five-Year BS-MS Programme

The five-year BS-MS programme is the flagship programme of the IISERs. The programme aims to integrate the conventional bachelors and masters programmes into a more holistic experience, bringing together conventional disciplines in the biological, chemical, physical, earth sciences and mathematics. It focuses on the unified nature of science and aims to train some of the brightest young minds of our country, through some of the best practitioners of science in India. Students are encouraged to take part in research activities, both in IISER and in other leading research laboratories, thus leveraging the symbiotic relationship between conventional education and research.

Programmes Offered

Biological Sciences
Chemical Sciences
Earth and Climate Sciences
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Economic Sciences (Only at IISER Bhopal)
Engineering Sciences (Only at IISER Bhopal)
- Chemical Engineering
- Data Science & Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Computer Science
Geological Sciences
Integrated & Interdisciplinary Sciences
- Biological Sciences
- Chemical Sciences
- Data Sciences
- Mathematical Sciences
- Physical Sciences
Mathematical Sciences
Physical Sciences

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates who have passed 10+2 or equivalent level exam with science stream are eligible to apply for admissions. Candidates will be admitted to IISER only through following three channels.

Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) Channel
Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Advanced) of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
State and Central Boards Channel (SCB)

A maximum of 25% of the seats will be allocated through KVPY and JEE-Advanced channels. Remaining seats will be ﬁlled through the SCB channel based on the merit in the IISER Aptitude Test. Unﬁlled seats from KVPY and JEE channels will also be added to the SCB channel for allotment.

Indian nationals and students belonging to PIO or OCI category are eligible to apply provided they satisfy the required eligibility criteria.

Integrated PhD

Students with excellent academic records can apply for Integrated PhD (i-PhD) programme upon completion of a Bachelors' degree in any branch of science. The programme combines curricula for masters and doctorate degrees into a single integrated programme with research being the primary focus.

PhD Programme

Students with excellent academic records can apply for the PhD programme upon completion of a Master's degree or equivalent in any branch of science. The PhD programme is primarily a research programme accompanied by a blend of classroom curriculum and mentoring of undergraduate students.

Council of the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research