Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram (abbreviated as IISER Thiruvananthapuram or IISER-TVM) is an autonomous public university located in Thiruvananthapuram, India. The institute is one of the seven IISERs established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, to bridge the gap between research and basic sciences' education at the undergraduate level. The six other IISERs are IISER Bhopal, IISER Kolkata, IISER Mohali, IISER Pune, IISER Tirupati and IISER Berhampur. All IISERs were declared as Institutes of National Importance by the Parliament of India in 2012 through the NIT Amendment Act.

IISER Thiruvananthapuram is an autonomous institution that awards Bachelor of Science & Master of Science (BS-MS) dual-degrees, and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. IISER TVM is to offer five new BS-MS programmes (i2 Sciences) and new 2 year M.Sc programmes in 2021. The campus is located at Vithura, about 40 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala state in India.

History

Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) were established in 2006 through a proclamation of the Ministry of Education, Government of India to promote quality collegiate education and research in basic sciences. Each IISER is a degree-granting autonomous institution with a prime focus to integrate science education and research. IISERs receive generous funding from the Government of India.

Soon after MHRD's announcement in 2006, two of these institutes were established at Pune and Kolkata in 2006. This was followed by another institute at Mohali in 2007, and two more at Bhopal and Thiruvananthapuram in 2008.[10] More recently, two more IISERs were established at Tirupati and Berhampur in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Campus

IISER TVM has one of the most beautiful campuses in India, located in the foothills of Western Ghats mountain ecosystem. Spanning around 200 acres, it is located 40 km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

Departments

Academic programs

• Dual-degree Bachelor of Science & Master of Science (BS-MS): The 5-year dual degree BS-MS program is the flagship program of all IISERs. The first two years of this program involves coursework in all subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Humanities and Interdisciplinary courses). For the next two years, the students choose courses in a 'Major' and a 'Minor' subject as per their research interests. The final year is solely spent on a research project in their Major subject.[19] Admissions to the BS-MS program is highly competitive, with only the following students eligible to apply:

1. Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) Basic Science Stream: Students who possess KVPY scholarships (in SA / SX / SB streams) in the current admission year
2. Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced): Students who secure a place in the common rank list of Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) for admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
3. State and Central Boards: Students who secure a specified cut-off percentage (published each year) in their Higher Secondary (Class 12) Board Exams may be considered for admission after clearing an aptitude test. This is currently done in co-ordination with the other IISERs through a Joint Admission Program.

• Doctoral of Philosophy (Ph.D.): Admission to the doctoral program is after a Master's degree in science. Besides the students of the dual-degree BS-MS program, postgraduate students with a master's degree in science from other Universities/Institutes can also be admitted to the doctoral program. The program will involve mandatory course work, a qualifying examination, thesis research under the guidance of a faculty member, an open seminar and a dissertation defense examination, leading to the award of a Ph.D. degree. The quantum of course work will vary depending on the background of the student. Besides individual research, students will be involved in several professional activities such as seminars, workshops, presentations and review meetings. All doctoral students will assist faculty members in teaching during the course of the doctoral program.
• Integrated Doctor of Philosophy (Int. Ph.D.): Admission to this program is after a B.Sc. degree in any of the basic sciences subjects. Students of this program start by attending classes with third year students of dual degree BS-MS program. After completing the specified graduate coursework and clearing a comprehensive exam, the students begin their Ph.D. research under the guidance of faculty members. The duration of this program ranges from 6 to 7 years, depending on the required coursework and nature of research.