Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

History of IISc

The brain child of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, a successful businessman and philanthropist, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived in the late 1800s. To this end, Tata set up a provisional committee under the leadership of Burjorji Padshah, an educationist, to come up with a blueprint for the proposed university. The committee drafted a plan which went through several iterations before it was finalised. Tata also endowed a substantial part of his personal wealth for this ambitious project.

Unfortunately, Tata died in 1904, well before the Institute came into existence. It was eventually established, through a vesting order passed on 27 May 1909 by the Indian Government, in the southern city of Bengaluru on 371 acres of land donated by the Mysore Durbar.

Vision of IISc

IISc aims to be among the world’s foremost academic institutions through the pursuit of excellence in research and promotion of innovation by offering world-class education to train future leaders in science and technology and by applying science and technology breakthroughs for India’s wealth creation and social welfare.

Mission of IISc

The mission of IISc is to realize the vision by:

• Imparting world-class higher education in an environment of fundamental and applied research in science and engineering
• Conducting high-impact research, generating new knowledge, and disseminating this knowledge through publications in top journals and conferences
• Applying faculty expertise towards the success of national science and technology initiatives
• Applying deep knowledge in various areas to create knowhow and developing such knowhow for utilization by industry and society

Salient Features of IISc

Over the last 111 years, IISc has become India’s premier institute for advanced scientific and technological research and education. IISc’s research output is diverse, interdisciplinary and cuts across traditional boundaries.

IISc has a vibrant and diverse campus spread over 440 acres of greenery in the city of Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore), India’s hub of high-tech companies (in aerospace, electronics, and information technology), educational and research institutions, and numerous start-ups.

The Institute has over 42 academic departments and centres that come under six divisions. There are about 4000 students pursuing several postgraduate and Ph.D. programs, as well as a dedicated four-year undergraduate program aimed at providing research-oriented training for young students in the basic sciences. It also has a new campus at Challekere in Chitradurga district in Karnataka.

J R D Tata Memorial Library,  popularly known as, the Indian Institute of Science Library, is one of the best Science and Technology libraries in India. Started in 1911, as one of the first three departments in the Institute, it has become a precious national resource centre in the field of Science and Technology. With a collection of nearly 5 lakh volumes of Books, Periodicals, Technical Reports, and standards, the JRD Tata Memorial Library, located in about 5000 sq.mts. area is one of the finest in the country. Currently, it subscribes to over 14000 current periodicals.

Institute of Eminence (IoE)

IISc’s reputation and pre-eminence ensures that it attracts the best young faculty members trained in the best laboratories around the world. In 2018, IISc was selected as an Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India, and it consistently figures among the top Indian institutions in world university rankings.

For more details about the academic programmes of IISc, click here

Journal of Indian Institute of Science

The Journal of the Indian Institute of Science is published by the Institute since 1914. Its historic significance lies in the fact that it is the second scientific journal to be published from India. Since its origin, research work carried out by the Institute and other institutions around the world was accepted for publication in the journal.

The current format of the Journal came about in 2007 to focus exclusively on invited reviews on specific themes, each issue being edited by eminent researchers who serve as Guest Editors. Since then, this Journal has become a quarterly with large circulation in India and abroad. This Journal is the right medium to reach out to scientific and educational institutions, industrial R&D, government research laboratories, students, scientists, engineers, engineering college teachers, policy makers and project leaders in science and technology.

Source:  Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru