Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore

About Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived as a 'Research Institute' or 'University of Research' by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, in the twilight years of the 19th century. A long period of almost thirteen years was to elapse from the initial conception in 1896 to the birth of the Institute on May 27, 1909. The Institute occupies nearly 400 acres of prime land in Bangalore, generously donated by the Maharaja of Mysore in March 1907. Tata did not wish his name to be associated with the Institute. His dream was to create an institution that would contribute to the development of India. The name, Indian Institute of Science, which was finally chosen, reflects in every way the wishes of J.N. Tata. Visitors to Bangalore who seek out IISc still have to ask local residents for directions to the 'Tata Institute', a clear recognition that Jamsetji Tata's act of generosity has remained undimmed in public memory, despite the passage of a century. Homi Bhabha conceived the idea of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and an Atomic Energy Program while working in the Department of Physics. Vikram Sarabhai, the founder of India's space program was an alumnus. The Institute offers a variety of Master's degree programs in Engineering, an integrated (post-B.Sc.) program in sciences and Ph.D. programs in a wide spectrum of disciplines in science and engineering. The research laboratories at the Institute are well equipped. Many national facilities are housed at the Institute.The Institute's Young Fellowships Program in Science and Engineering seeks to bring young students to the campus in summer. The Institute also administers the Kishore Vaigyanik ProtsahanYojana (KVPY) program of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Admissions to IISc are highly competitive, consistently admitting only the top 1 percent of those attempting the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE).

Location - The IISc campus is located in North Bangalore about 4 kilometres from the city's main railway station and bus stand on the way to Yeshwantpur. Location Map

Video Direction - http://www.vidteq.com/stage/embed3.php?urlid=IISC92

Transportation

1. IISc is about 35kms from the airport. One could take either a prepaid taxi (currently, costs Rs. 750, and the counter is available near the exit of the Airport Building), or a city taxi (costs about Rs. 500, and a queue for the same is just outside the airport building).  
2. Shuttle bus service, operated by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), runs from the airport to various areas in Bangalore city every 15 minutes. Details of the schedule - http://www.karnataka.com/watch/blr-airport/commute.html. Additional information on the airport can also be found at its official website: http://www.bengaluruairport.com/
3. The city railway station is about 7 kms from IISc campus. One will have to get out of the station from platform number -1 and reach the prepaid taxi stand and hire a city taxi (costs about Rs 150). Majestic  (7kms from IISc) is the central Bus stand in Bangalore which is just opposite to the City Railway station. If one happens to reach Majestic, Bangalore by bus, reach platform number 22 from where almost all buses come to the Institute.
4. If one plans to take a bus into town, one will have to move past Malleswaram 18th cross bus stand  towards Yeshwantpura  in order to reach IISc (also popularly called Tata Institute). There is also a bus stop on the highway between the yellow over bridge and Prof. CNR Rao circle, and another one at Prof. CNR Rao circle (on Sir CV Raman Road ). Finally there is a bus stop at Yeshwantpura toll-gate, just off campus near R block. Most buses go to one of these places.
5. Bus routes 252, 256, 258, 273 and 276 serve this institute from the Kempegowda Bus Station (also known as Majestic) and it is also easily accessible by auto-rickshaws.

Departments / Centres

Division of Biological Sciences

• Biochemistry.
• Bio Informatics Centre.
• Centre for Ecological Sciences.
• Centre for Neuroscience.
• Microbiology & Cell Biology.
• Molecular Biophysics Unit.
• Molecular Reproduction, Development & Genetics.

Division of Chemical Sciences

• Inorganic & Physical Chemistry.
• Materials Research Centre.
• NMR Research Centre.
• Organic Chemistry.
• Solid State & Structural Chemistry Unit.

Division of Electrical Sciences

• Centre for Electronic Design & Technology.
• Centre Science & Automation.
• Electrical Communication Engineering.
• Electrical Engineering.

Division of Mathematical & Physical Sciences

• Astronomy and Astrophysics Programme.
• Centre for Contemporary Studies.
• Centre for Cryogenic Technology.
• Centre for High Energy Physics.
• Instrumentation.
• Mathematics.
• Physics.

Division of Mechanical Sciences

• Aerospace Engineering.
• Centre for Product Design & Manufacturing.
• Chemical Engineering.
• Materials Engineering.
• Mechanical Engineering.

Division of Earth and Environmental Sciences

• Civil Engineering.
• Centre for Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences.
• Centre for Earth Sciences (CEaS).
• Centre for Sustainable Technologies (formerly known as ASTRA).
• Management Studies.
• Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning (CiSTUP).
• Divecha Centre for Climate Change.

Centres under the Director

• Archives and Publication Cell.
• Centre for Continuing Education.
• Centre for Scientific & Industrial Consultancy.
• Centre for Sponsored Schemes and Projects (CSSP).
• Digital Information Services Centre.
• J.R.D.Tata Memorial Library.
• National Centre for Science Information.
• Superter Education & Research Centre.

Facilities

Hostels - Separate hostel accommodation for male and female students is available on the campus. There are about 950 single/double rooms in Men's Blocks and about 250 rooms in Women's Blocks. With the ever-increasing pressure for Campus accommodation, it is not feasible to provide single-occupancy rooms for all the students in Men Students' Blocks. Sponsored candidates are not provided campus accommodation. There are three dining halls (one vegetarian and two composite) that are run on the advice of Students' Mess Committee. The monthly mess charges (ted based on actuals each month) are at present approximately Rs.1000/- for vegetarian and Rs.1200/- for non-vegetarian boarders.

JRD Tata Memorial Library - The main library of the Institute has nearly 5 lakh volumes of books, periodicals, technical reports and standards. It receives over 1500 current periodicals and acquires latest technical reports, standards and patents which are maintained in separate sections. Over 6000 electronic journals are now available in on-line in addition to a large number of e-books. The National Centre for Science Information provides extensive services. In addition, most of the departments maintain separate libraries for use by their faculty and students.

Placement Services - Several leading industrial organizations visit the Institute for campus recruitment and offer good career opportunities to the Graduating students. The Placement Centre also provides advice and assistance to students about other placement opportunities, including those notified through advertisements, references and special requests from various industrial and research organizations.

SERC - The Supercomputer Education and Research Centre (SERC) is the country's leading computing centre having the state-of-the art computing facilities. SERC is engaged in research programs (Ph.D. and M.Sc) and course program (M.Tech in Computational Science) in areas relating to supercomputer development and its application to critical areas of science and engineering. The active research areas are broadly classified into three major research streams: Computer Systems, Computational Science, and Bio-informatics. The Centre is also involved in several sponsored research projects in collaboration with many government agencies, public and private sector undertakings, and multinationals, training programme under Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), and research projects under Society for Innovation and Development (SID) . Many of these exercises have fed critical inputs to various national initiatives in High Performance Computing and Communication Technology. The Centre is also involved in Industrial Consultancies on software solution, IT planning for banking sectors, and manpower training.

NMR Research Centre - Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMT) centre is involved in organising schools /workshops at the national level to make the users aware of the latest developments in the area of NMR spectroscopy and also to help them in making the best use of the available facilities.Generation of capability for maintenance / development / improvement of sophisticated instruments and providing assistance to other laboratories are also the objectives of the Centre.

ISEP - International Student Exchange Programme (ISEP) is administered by the International Relations Cell (IRC). ISEP provides foreign travel support to a limited number of IISc students every year. This support is restricted to exchange of students under Memoranda of Understanding signed by IISc with various foreign universities/institutions (see the IRC website http://www.iisc.ernet.in/ircell for a list of MOUs). The host institute abroad needs to provide local hospitality of the IISc student. The student should stay for a minimum of one month at the foreign university/institute. ISEP will only provide travel support. Visa charges and health insurance costs should be borne by the student or research supervisor. The proposed visit of the student to a foreign university is expected to be preceded or followed by a corresponding visit by an exchange student of the foreign university to IISc. ISEP will provide local hospitality for this student (typically for 3 months). The travel costs of this exchange student need to be borne by the foreign university/institution. ISEP will not provide support for travel to conferences / workshops. A student who is interested in availing travel support under ISEP should send a letter to the Chairman, IRC forwarded by his/her research supervisor and the Chairman of the concerned Department.

IRC - The role of International Relations Cell (IRC) is to oversee and coordinate all international programs of the Institute, including admission of international students to Ph.D. and M.Sc.(Engg.) programs of the Institute, international exchange of academic staff and cooperation in education and research with foreign institutions/industry etc. Know more - http://www.irc.iisc.ernet.in/internationalstudents.html

Health Centre - The Health Centre offers round the clock Out Patient, In-patient treatment and the Emergency Care. The special care is also available in the areas of Medicine and Cardiology, Gynaecology, ENT, Dermatology, EYE and Psychiatry. The Consultants are attending the cases referred by Medical Officers and Area Medical Officers on appointment basis at the time slot allotted to them.

Other facilities are:

1. It has a Dental unit providing mainly preventive dentistry attended by qualified Dentist.
2. It has a full pledged Physiotherapy Unit manned by a qualified Physiotherapist.
3. It has a Pharmacy, which is storing and dispensing most of the medicines required for patients and it is fully computerized. The Purchase Department acquires the medicines through rate contract.
4. It has a Clinical Laboratory which is computerized and doing routine and special investigations. The Clinical Laboratory opens at 7.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, Saturday it works from 7.30 a.m. to 1 p.m. On Holidays and Sundays it opens between 9 to 11 a.m. Ten Laboratories are recognized for special investigations, which are not done at Health Centre.
5. The Health Centre has an Operation Theatre. Surgeries are being done under general anaesthesia and spinal anaesthesia. The routine surgical cases are being done under local anaesthesia.
6. The radiology department opens from 8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. The routine X-ray are being done at the X-ray department.
7. The Health Centre has Ultrasound Unit manned by Consultant Radiologist who comes on daily basis.

National Science Seminar Complex - The first National Science Seminar Complex in India has been created on the beautiful verdant campus of the premier Institute of higher learning in the country. The complex is open for seminars, symposia and conference in the area Science and Technology including Management, organised by recognised scientific societies, educational institutions and related professional bodies. The total built up area of the complex is approximately 5750 sq.m.

The complex details are as below:

• JN Tata Auditorium - 750 Steeply raked-almost amphi-theatrical - a viewing gallery for non-participating observers and media personnel, stage with an apron beyond the proscenium arch promoting audience participation as in an intimate theatre. Back stage, there is workshop and truck dock, apart from well appointed change rooms. It also has a separate VIP entrance.
• Foyer space - The foyer space can be used for putting up registration, booking counters and reception desk. A spacious room is available for the organizers to maintain their office during the programme. Upper foyer has interactive space to conduct poster sessions or exhibitions. The Lower foyer, in a wide U shaped environment, can also be used for the said purpose.
• Seminar Halls - Three mini auditoria (seats: 120, 90 and 60), steeply raked, offering undisturbed viewing and close proximately to the speakers. The mini halls are also fully air conditioned for a non-distractive windowless containment for the seminar activities. Each seminar hall has a projection room.

Open Air Auditorium - Located on the terrace of the main auditorium, with stage and change-rooms. Access is from main entrance through wide convenient stairways.

SHCC - The 'Sexual Harassment Complaints Committee' (SHCC) has formulated a clear policy on what is considered to be sexual harassment and how to deal with such cases and redress complaints made to the SHCC. All members of the IISc community, whether they are students, PAs, RAs, summer students, employees or faculty members, are provided equal protection through this committee. Sexual harassment of any kind is considered unacceptable behaviour in any employee, faculty member or student of the institute and will attract appropriate disciplinary action.

IISc Gymkhana - It is one of the oldest Gymkhana in Bangalore. It is located in Indian Institute of Science campus which is situated in the north-western corner of the city near Yeswanthpur. It has world-class sports and recreational facilities. It is meant to be used only by the institute members. IISc Gymkhana has 26 clubs associated with it which caters to the varying interests of the Institute junta. The clubs range from several indoor and outdoor sports activities to cultural activities and fine arts. The day to day activities of the clubs are maintained and run by Student conveners. All the clubs are well equipped with the best of equipments and facilities.

Clubs -  Some of these are follows:

1. Aerobics.
2. Billiards.
3. Cricket.    
4. Drama.
5. Football.
6. Gymnasium.
7. Hockey.
8. Literary.    
9. Music.
10. Nature.
11. Photography.

Alumni Cell - The IISc Alumni Cell is an official unit of the Institute with the primary objective of facilitating the networking of all the IISc alumni/alumnae and creating a single semantic web of IISc fraternity. The Alumni Cell works closely with the IISc Alumni Association and its various chapters.

Alumni Association - The IISc Alumni Association is a registered society with the objective of enrolling all alumni/alumnae as members of the association and facilitating active participation of the alumni/alumnae in appropriate activities, events, and initiatives of the Institute. The Alumni Association is now setting up chapters in major cities and regions.

Communications - There is a Telecom Centre and STD booths.  The Institute is connected by Centrex Exchange from M/s BSNL with 1200 extensions. In addition, there are nearly 250 direct lines to different departments and centres. The campus Mail van goes twice around all the Departments for collection and distribution of inter- departmental mails and correspondence. Centralized electronic franking takes care of outward postage and is supported by a centralized FAX facility.  Transport section maintains a fleet of service vehicles through approved Travel Agencies.

Banks - Canara Bank and State Bank of India have fully computerized branches with other facilities including foreign exchange transactions and ATM.

IP Cell - Intellectual Property Cell (IP Cell) is responsible for the management of IP of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore. In other words, IP Cell is the office designated by IISc to deal with IP matters or issues.

LifeLine - It is a group of volunteers who are interested in collecting and maintaining a computerised searchable database of all voluntary blood donors of the institute. Assistance in case of blood requirements is the aim.

Samithis and Sanghas - These are as follows:

• Nityotsava - It is a student forum at IISc aiming to promote awareness about rich cultural heritage of Karnataka.
• Praharshini - It is a students forum of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, motivated by nationalism as construed by our venerable heritage that is time immemorial. It is a cultural wing of Prasthutha.
• Prasthutha - Prasthutha is a students forum of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, which aims at organising programmes that help in promoting nationalistic thinking amongst the scientific community.
• Tamil Peravai - It is an elite society of faculty, staff and students who are associated with Tamil, which operates as a forum for sharing and improving knowledge pertaining to language, culture and history of Tamils.

CCE - Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) coordinates the various continuing education programmes with the concerned departments and sponsoring agencies, and provides necessary assistance and infrastructure support to faculty members organizing the programmes. Know more - http://cce.iisc.ernet.in/

CSIC - The Centre for Scientific & Industrial Consultancy (CSIC) is a bridge between academia and industry providing solutions to industry’s problems and ensuring at the same time that the Institute’s work remains relevant to national needs at all times. While the Ph.D. and M. Sc. [Engg.] students graduate at regular intervals through the year, ME/M. Tech. students complete their course by mid July, every year. The most appropriate time for prospective employers to initiate the interview process at IISc is about 6 months before the students complete their curriculum requirements.

SID - Society for Innovation and Development (SID) and the Institute adopted a unique program known as the Faculty Entrepreneurship Program. The program supports start up initiatives wherein faculty members participate by providing their intellectual property (not necessarily a patent, but knowledge) to run the start up company. The program enables the Institutes faculty to explore their intellectual property in a business proposition, provide support and employment to people, earn revenue and bring research closer to society's needs.

Amenities Hall - It  provides place for religious and private functions of the staff & students.

Flora - The IISc campus harbours both exotic and indigenous plant species with about 110 species of woody plants, including quite a number of Jack fruit trees.

Achievements

• Due to high quality research, Indian Institute of Science is ranked as the second best university in India by Top Study Links University Rankings 2010. The Institute is ranked 565 in the world.
• IISc has been ranked No. 1 in an article titled "Ranking of Indian engineering and technological institutes for their research performance during 1999–2008" that was recently published in the journal Current Science.
• Simputer (self-contained, open hardware hand held compute) is a product of this Faculty Entrepreneurship Program, with participation by the faculty of the Department of Computer Science and Automation.
• Many of India's most distinguished scientists have been associated with the Institute as students or faculty. Notable among them are G.N. Ramachandran, Harish Chandra, S. Ramaseshan, Brahm Prakash, A. Ramachandran, C.N.R. Rao and R. Narasimha. Alumni of the Institute head many major organizations in India and abroad.