NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research)

NISER is a young institute. It did not grow out of an old college. The Government decided to build it from scratch.

1.1 When was it announced and founded?

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the proposal on 28 August 2006. The Union Cabinet then approved it. NISER was founded on 6 September 2007.

Its first academic programme was inaugurated on 10 September 2007 by Odisha’s Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik. Classes began at the Institute of Physics campus in Bhubaneswar.

Memory hook: announced 2006, founded 2007.

Common mistake: giving 2015 or 2016 as the founding year. Those are campus dates.

1.2 Who led it first?

T. K. Chandrashekar was the Founder Director, from 2008 to 2014. Later directors were V. Chandrasekhar (2014-2017) and S. Panda (2017-2023). A. Srinivasan officiated from May to September 2023.

The present Director is Prof. Hirendra Nath Ghosh. He is also Chairman of the Academic Council.

NISER does not sit under the Education Ministry. It sits under the atomic energy system.

2.1 Which department funds it?

NISER is an autonomous institute aided by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Autonomous means it manages its own academic work, with Government money.

DAE was set up under the direct charge of the Prime Minister. A Presidential Order of 3 August 1954 created it. PIB repeats this: DAE reports directly to the Prime Minister.

Common mistake: thinking NISER is a Ministry of Education body. It is a DAE institute.

2.2 Who chairs the Board, and who gives the degrees?

PIB names Prof. Ajit Kumar Mohanty as Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, and Chairman, NISER. The Board of Governors is NISER’s governing body.

NISER is affiliated to the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Mumbai. HBNI is a deemed research university that oversees academic programmes at institutions in the DAE system.

NISER is built for students who want a research career in basic science.

3.1 Which programmes does it offer?

It offers a five-year Integrated M.Sc., an Integrated M.Sc.-Ph.D. and a Ph.D. NISER lists a student-teacher ratio of 8:1.

Teaching runs through seven schools:

• Biological Sciences
• Chemical Sciences
• Computer Sciences
• Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Mathematical Sciences
• Physical Sciences

It also has a Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences.

3.2 Where is the campus?

The permanent campus is at Jatni, about 25 km from the centre of Bhubaneswar. It covers 300 acres. The people of Odisha donated the land.

NISER has worked from this campus since July 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated it on 7 February 2016.

Common mistake: mixing the two campus dates. July 2015 is the move. 7 February 2016 is the inauguration.

The 15th Graduation Ceremony was on 9 July 2026 in Bhubaneswar. PIB carried two releases on it.

4.1 Who attended, and how many graduated?

Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan was Chief Guest. Odisha’s Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi attended. So did Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Dr Jitendra Singh.

Degrees went to 260 students across the Integrated M.Sc., Integrated M.Sc.-Ph.D., M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes.

4.2 What did the Vice-President say?

He said, “Scientific capability is not optional; it is foundational for Viksit Bharat.” He asked for more work across disciplines. He urged graduates to nurture curiosity and keep their integrity.

He paid tribute to Dr Homi Bhabha. He hoped many NISER graduates would become future Homi Bhabhas.

4.3 What did Dr Jitendra Singh announce?

Dr Jitendra Singh is the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Atomic Energy, among other portfolios. He said India has entered the second stage of its nuclear programme. The first Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor marks that step.

He gave two numbers. Installed nuclear capacity is 8,780 MW. The target is 22,380 MW by 2032.

He also said the Budget announced four Rare Earth Corridors. One is in Odisha. The others are in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Questions on NISER test who runs it more than when it began. Keep these pairs apart.

5.1 DAE or Education Ministry?

NISER is under DAE. Degrees come through HBNI. Do not call it an IISER. The IISERs are a separate group of institutes.

5.2 Which dates go together?

• 2006: the proposal is announced.
• 2007: the institute is founded.
• July 2015: the move to Jatni.
• 7 February 2016: the campus is inaugurated.