Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune

Introduction 

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, established in 2006 by the Ministry of Education (formerly HRD), is one of seven autonomous Institutes of National Importance dedicated to integrating high-quality research with undergraduate teaching in basic sciences, serving ~1,200 students on a 98-acre campus in Pashan provided by CSIR-NCL.​

History and Establishment

IISER Pune began operations in 2006 at NCL Innovation Park with 44 students and 5 faculty, moved to a transit campus in 2008, and inaugurated its main campus in 2014 by the President; declared an Institute of National Importance in 2012 via Parliament Act alongside other IISERs.​

Core Values, Mission, Vision

IISER Pune emphasizes curiosity-driven learning, creativity, excellence, interdisciplinary research, and societal impact; mission integrates teaching with state-of-the-art research for scientific institutions of highest caliber; vision nurtures early research entry through flexible curricula.​

Academic Structure and Programs Offered

5 departments (Biology, Chemistry, Data Science, Earth & Climate Science, Humanities & Social Sciences, Mathematics, Physics) offer 5-year BS-MS dual degree, 4-year BS (Research) in Economic Sciences/Data Science/Earth Sciences, integrated PhD, PhD via semester/CBCS with research projects from Year 2.​

Research and Facilities, Campus and Location

State-of-the-art labs, central instrumentation, supercomputing, library; facilities include hostels, sports complex, auditorium, Wi-Fi; 98-acre green campus in Pashan, Pune, with modern buildings operational since 2014.​

Rankings, Achievements and Recognition

NIRF top 50 Research Institutions; strong publication output, INSPIRE scholarships, international collaborations.​

Placements, Admissions, Opportunities

Research-focused with PhD/higher studies primary (~90% pursue research); placements in academia/industry (avg INR 8-12 LPA); admissions via IISER Aptitude Test (IAT 2025: May 25), JEE Advanced, SCB; scholarships up to INR 60K/year + HRA.​

Governance and Leadership

Autonomous under Board of Governors chaired by eminent scientist; Director leads academics.