Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)   Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is an institute being established with the objective of offering under graduate, post graduate and doctoral educational programmes to meet the requirements of Indian Science Research Organization (ISRO). In addition to the regular curriculum, the courses will have special modules tailored to space technology and space science.

IIST would share the resources and special facilities of ISRO apart from creating its own infrastructure to integrate its research activities with the national space programmes.

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) is an
institute being established with the objective of offering under graduate, post graduate and doctoral educational programmes to meet the high technology requirements of Indian Space Research Organizaton (ISRO). In addition to the regular curriculum, the courses will have special modules tailored to space technology and space science.

IIST will create its own full-fledged infrastructure to develop an excellent research atmosphere. Apart from this students will have privileged access to advanced facilities of ISRO to carry out high technology research in space technology and science.

IIST will be a residential institute and is being developed on a picturesque site in Ponmudi near Thiruvananthapuram

Academic Programmes  

The institute offers Bachelors Degree in Technology with specialization in Avionics, and Aerospace Engineering and Integrated Masters Programme in Applied Sciences with special emphasis on Space related subjects.

The curriculum for the four year under graduate programme in technology in two specializations will be custom built keeping the high technology requirements of ISRO in mind. The curriculum for the undergraduate programme will be framed by utilizing the curriculum taught in IITs and other premier institutions in the area of Electronics & Communication, Mechanical and Aerospace engineering. The first year syllabus shall be common to all students. Second year and third year will have engineering stream curriculum and the fourth year curriculum will be developed as optional credits by careful selection of credits suiting the hitech requirements of ISRO. Optional credits during the final year will be a combination of specialized subjects, which are relevant to Space Technology. The Academic Council will address the curriculum in a detailed way.

The curriculum for the five year Integrated Masters in Applied Science will have rich contents of theoretical science in first three years while last two years will have specialization in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Science, Material Science and Remote Sensing & GIS with stress on experimental studies.

Administration  

IIST is a registered Society under the Department of Space , Govt. of India and will have “ denovo deemed to be University” status under UGC act. Department of Space will provide the necessary financial support to meet the expenditure of the institute.

The Board of Management is the apex decision-making authority of IIST. The Board of Management has members from ISRO, Academia and other leading personalities in the area of education and research.

Various committees and bodies will support the Board of Management. Academic council shall be the principal academic body of the institute.

As contained in the Memorandum of Association of the Society, the academic council shall be responsible for the maintenance of the standards of education, teaching, research, examination, and evaluation system within the institute. The Academic Senate will oversee the academic activities of the institute which will be chaired by the Director of the institute. During the initial phase, the institute will have the expert services of an Advisory Committee, which will comprise of the senior faculty members of the institute, members from ISRO and other academicians to help in development of academics.

The institute will also have a Finance Committee, which will have the overall responsibilities of maintaining a sound financial system in the institute. The institute will have a Planning and Monitoring Board, which will guide and advise the institute on financial and developmental matters.

A Works Committee will guide the planning and development of the institute campus to meets its objectives

The Director of the institute is the chief academician and executive who will guide the programmes of the institute.

Admission Policy  

• The institute shall be open to all Indian citizens. No test or condition shall be imposed as to religious belief or occupation in admitting or appointing members, students, teachers, and workers or in any other connection whatsoever.
• No capitation fee shall be charged in any form in consideration of admission.
• The Institute shall accept no benefaction that involves conditions and obligations opposed to the spirit and objects of the institution.
• Assistantships to meet the cost of education, will be provided to all students who meet the performance standard set by the Institute with a condition to serve ISRO for a period of 5 years

Admission Process  

The admission to IIST will be based on Personal Counselling. IIST will intimate all the students placed in the extended list of IIT-JEE 2007 along with detailed prospectus. Students will be requested to register online for counselling only on receipt of prospectus.

Director of IIST shall be the ex-officio member secretary of the Board of Management
Institute Authorities

• Chancellor
• Chairman
• Board of Management
• Director
• Academic Council
• Planning & Monitoring Committee
• Finance Committee
• Advisory Committee

Campus Infrastructurep

The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology will be a fully residential institute located in Ponmudi near Thiruvananthapuram.

The campus shall house academic area, research laboratories, library and information area, computer centre, administrative area, senate cum convocation area, residential area for faculty & support staff, hostel with mess facility for students and studio type apartments for research fellows, students activity centre etc. All the students enrolling in the institute will have the privilege of access to world class ISRO libraries and Laboratories.

All the students will be provided with accommodation in the hostel whereas doctoral and postdoctoral fellows will be provided with studio apartments.

A guesthouse is planned for visiting scientists, visiting professors, visiting faculty and other experts visiting the campus. The campus will also have support services buildings, primary health care center, health club and other students’ amenities centre.

The KV school located in Thiruvananthapuram shall facilitate the schooling requirement of the children of faculty and support staff.

 

Career Opportunities  

All the students who successfully complete the academic programme with a minimum first class will be absorbed as Scientist/Engineer SC in the pay scale of Rs. 8000-275-13500 (likely to be revised) in ISRO with a service condition of 5 years.

Courses Offered  

• Bachelor of Technology (4 year)
• Integrated Masters in Applied Science(5 year)

Eligibility  

• All the candidates who are placed in the extended list of IIT JEE 2007 are eligible to apply in the first phase.
• The candidates who are qualified with an IIT JEE 2007 Rank will be eligible to apply in the second phase (after the completion of IIT seat counseling), provided they have not selected an IIT seat.

Facilities

• Separate hostels for ladies and gents
• Guest House
• Studio Apartments
• Convocation Complex
• Faculty Housing
• Open Air Theatre
• Sports Complex
• Bank and Post Office
• Mini Shopping Arcade

General

The academic area of the institute will have lecture halls, laboratory space, computing facility, faculty offices, meeting rooms, seminar halls, counseling halls. All the departments will have separate state of the art digital connectivity, which would enable online interaction with e-learning modules. An excellent library with more than 1 lakh acquisition capacity with both digital and conventional accessions and a computerized information center is also planned to support the students and faculty reference requirements.

Administrative area will have offices for Director, Registrar, Finance Committee, Works committee, senate hall, auditorium, finance and stores department. A separate convocation complex is also planned to support the annual convocation and frequently organized technical seminars. Residential area will have separate blocks for hostel with separate mess for ladies and gents, faculty housing, guest house and studio apartments for visiting faculty, research fellows. Separate suites are planned for Director and other VVIP visiting the campus. Open air theatre, sports complex, banking and postal facilities and mini shopping arcade will also form part of the complex.

The institute will have uninterrupted power supply drawn from state grid as well as its own captive generation. The institute will have its own water treatment plant, substation, air-condition plant, captive power station and other critical infrastructure. The campus will have its own rain harvesting facility for charging the ground water resources as well as to meet its own water requirements.

Location  

The institute will have a very close technical and professional interaction with ISRO to share the specialized infrastructure and expertise, which are essential for its academic programmes. IIST will be located near Thiruvananthapuram, where Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre and Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre the two major Centres of ISRO are located.
                 

The campus is likely to be fully ready in a couple of years. Till such time, a full fledged campus will be located adjunct to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, a center of excellence for the design and realization of launch vehicles

Reaching IIST  

Main Campus: The main campus, planned in the picturesque location in Ponmudi hill station is located 55 kilometers from Trivandrum Central Railway Station.

Present Campus: The present campus is adjunct to Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre located on the Veli Hills which is 12 kilometers from Trivandrum Central Railway Station and 4 Kilometers from Trivandrum Airport.

Research Focus  

IIST will create its own full-fledged infrastructure to develop an excellent research atmosphere. Apart from this students will have privileged access to advanced facilities of ISRO to carry out high technology research in space technology and science.
b emphasis will be placed on publishing results of the research activities in the international and national repute journals. The Board of Management in close association with ISRO will develop the research policy framework. The institute will strive to maintain the standard in terms of publication record. Scientist/Engineers from ISRO and other leading R & D organizations will be invited to participate in the research activities as visiting scientists, visiting professors, and adjunct faculty members.