Why IISc

Institute Overview

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was started in 1909 through the pioneering vision of J.N.  Tata. Since then, it has grown into a premier institution of research and  education, with more than 2000 active researchers working in almost all the frontier areas of science and technology. It is one of the oldest and finest centres of its kind in India, and has a high international standing in the academic world as well.  IISc is renowned for its academic freedom, focus on research excellence, and the high quality of its faculty and students.  At a broad level, it operates in a manner similar to that of premier international research schools, with both faculty hiring and promotions based on rigorous assessments from leading international experts in the area. Similarly, student selection is based on highly-competitive examinations (such as GATE or CSIR or UGC) and/or detailed technical interviews.

At present, the Institute has over 40 major departments and centres, organized in 6 different Divisions: Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Electrical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research, Mechanical Sciences, and Physical & Mathematical Sciences. The co-existence of various departments on the same campus gives a unique opportunity to researchers to participate in research within as well as across various disciplines.

Apart from the excellent infrastructure available in individual departments, the Institute offers several centrally located facilities for researchers. Notable among these is the J.R.D. TATA Memorial Library, popularly known as the Indian Institute of Science Library, 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. The library spends over 6 crores  annually towards journal subscriptions. The Supercomputer Education and Research Centre (SERC) provides state-of-the-art computing facilities to the faculty and students of the Institute. The Centre serves as a functionally distributed supercomputing environment, housing leading-edge computing systems, with sophisticated software packages, and connected by a powerful high-speed network. The computing facilities are connected to the Internet and are accessible the world over.

The Institute campus is spread over 370 acres of land situated in the heart of Bengaluru city. Various other facilities such as faculty housing, banks, a post-office, a school, and a health centre are located on the campus to meet the requirements of the faculty and their families Recreational facilities such as the gymkhana, tennis courts, jogging tracks, a swimming pool and a faculty club, are also available on the campus

Institute Focus

The main emphasis of the Institute is on research, and it expects its faculty members to initiate and carry out research programs of a quality that are on par with international standards. The Institute continuously strives to provide the required support and the entire setup (including administration) is geared to facilitate the pursuit of excellence. The Institute offers complete freedom to  the faculty to pursue their research interests. The Institute offers both  graduate and undergraduate programs. It started a unique  four-year  Bachelor of Science (Research) programme in 2011.  The programme is designed as a blend of core science and interdisciplinary topics that will serve as a launching pad for attractive career opportunities in academia and industry.

The Institute faculty receive research funding from various government agencies such as the Aeronautical Research Development Board (ARDB), Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),  Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO),  Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Ministry of Information Technology  (MIT),  Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Source (MNES),   Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), and Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO).  Research collaboration and funding are also obtained  from industry. A representative list of companies with which IISc faculty have research interaction include Boeing, CadilaPharmceuticals, Daimler Chrysler, General Electric, General Motors, Hindustan Lever Limited, Indian Immunologies, Intel,  IBM, Microsoft, Nokia, Nortel, Pratt & Whitney, Sir Dorabji Tata Centre, Texas Instruments etc. The research projects are handled through the Centre for Sponsored Schemes and Projects (CSSP) or  the Society for Innovation and Development (SID). The Institute provides a handsome seed grant to all the new faculty members to assist in setting up laboratories etc.

The research work is primarily carried out by the students and all the students  are paid scholarships by the Institute. In addition, the faculty can recruit project assistants/post-doctoral fellows through individual projects. The Institute also permits  faculty members to undertake consultancy work, which is handled either by the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Consultancy (CSIC) or  the Society for Innovation and Development (SID). The Institute encourages collaborative programs with various international universities and research organizations. Such collaborations allow the exchange of visitors for enhanced cooperation. The Institute has set up the Office of International Relations(OIR) to handle these matters. Our academic calendar consists of two semesters, August-December and January-April. The period, May-July, is considered a vacation period during which the faculty can undertake short/long term visits within India or abroad.

Facilities and Benefits

The appointment of  young faculty member is made at the Assistant Professor level and follows the Assistant/Associate/Professor structure. An evaluation is made at the end of a 6 year period for possible promotion. The salary structure is as prescribed by the  Government of India with additional facilities such as house rent allowance (if residing outside the campus), medical facilities for faculty members and their families, pension schemes, etc. The faculty member can supplement his/her income through consultancy. The Institute grants a one year sabbatical (leave with salary) after every six years of service and also sponsors one conference visit within India every year and travel to one international conference once in 3 years.

Relocation expenses are covered up to Institute-specified limits. This is currently Rs. 1,25,000 for faculty members travelling  within India and Rs. 2,50,000 for faculty members travelling from other countries. In addition to a start-up research grant of a few lakhs of rupees, the Institute gives an annual contingency grant for books, stationery,  and travel support (this is currently Rs. 3 Lakhs for a sliding period of three years) for attending international conferences. This is typically supplemented by travel support from industry partners and government agencies. Faculty members are also eligible for reimbursement (currently 75%) of an annual membership fee of an international professional body, full funding for attending one national conference per year, loan for purchase of computers, etc. The faculty and their families are covered by  an attractive Contributory Health Services Scheme.  On-campus accommodation is also provided to new faculty members.

For additional information, please check the  Concerned Departments website.