Indian Institute Of Space Science And Technology

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology , situated at Thiruvananthapuram is a Deemed to be University under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956. IIST functions as an autonomous body under the Department of Space, Government of India. The institute is the first of its kind in the country, to offer high quality education at the undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral levels on areas with special focus to space sciences, space technology and space applications. IIST was formally inaugurated on 14 September 2007 by Dr G Madhavan Nair, then Chairman, ISRO. Dr B N Suresh, the first Director, piloted the institute from the conception of the idea to its realization in a permanent campus near Thiruvananthapuram in 2010. IIST offers various undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in areas that are relevant to space studies. The institute currently offers B.Tech in three branches – Aerospace Engineering, Avionics and Physical Sciences. From academic year 2015 onwards, a Dual Degree (B. Tech + M.S / M. Tech) will replace the B. Tech (Physical Sciences). This five year Dual Degree Programme will lead to a B.Tech degree in Engineering Physics and an M.S./M.Tech. Admissions to these branches are merit based and intake is based on the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi as well as the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) conducted by IITs, as per the guidelines set by IIST. The major feature of the undergraduate program is the complete absence of any form of fees payable to the institute, rendering the education “completely free”, subject to the students securing a stipulated minimum academic requirement. As performance based financial assistance is provided by DOS to the B.Tech students of IIST, ISRO/DOS will have the first right to absorb them, subject to the human resource requirements of ISRO/DOS.