Address: Mohanpur, 741246 Nadia, West Bengal, India
Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences
Established in 2006, IISER Kolkata is an autonomous public research university for science education and research, an Institution of National Importance. Focus on integrated science education (BS-MS programs).
IISER Kolkata was established in 2006 as one of the first two Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research, together with IISER Pune. These institutes were created by the Government of India to give science education the same prominence as engineering, and they combine teaching with research from the first year. The campus lies at Mohanpur, in the Nadia district of West Bengal, about 50 kilometres north of Kolkata, next to an agricultural university campus. It has about 2,000 students and 300 staff.
The flagship programme is the five-year integrated BS-MS degree. The first two years provide a common foundation in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and earth sciences, along with computing and humanities courses, and later years allow specialisation. Every student completes a research project, and the integrated PhD and doctoral programmes bring students into the research groups. Graduates often continue to doctorates in India, the United States and Europe.
The institute is organised in departments of biological sciences, chemical sciences, earth sciences, physical sciences, mathematics and statistics, and data science and engineering, with interdisciplinary centres. The Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences India, established at IISER Kolkata, studies the Sun and space weather, and it is a national hub for solar physics research. Other research topics include molecular biology, quantum materials, ecology, geochemistry, theoretical physics and computational mathematics.
Admission to the BS-MS programme is through the IISER Aptitude Test, JEE Advanced and a channel for students of state and central boards. Tuition is regulated by the government, and many students receive scholarships such as INSPIRE. Check the current tariff. Courses are in English.
The Mohanpur campus is green and quiet, with hostels, a library and sports facilities. It is reached from Kolkata by road and by suburban trains to Kalyani and Mohanpur, and the city offers a rich cultural life, with theatres, bookshops and festivals.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Geotechnics, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
One of the first IISERs. Focus on high-quality science education and research, integrating undergraduate teaching with research.
Research:
Research in fundamental and interdisciplinary sciences, including biological, chemical, physical, mathematical, and earth sciences.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
300
Current students***:
2000
Foreign students***:
1%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Strong focus on research-oriented science education, integrated master’s programs, good faculty.
Cons
Campus is located outside Kolkata city center, newer institution still building its global research standing.
Best For
Students passionate about fundamental sciences, seeking a research-intensive integrated BS-MS program in a premier science education institute.
Among national alternatives, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune stands out for its focus on geotechnics, chemistry and ecology and sustainability, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and has almost the same size, at about 2,000 students.
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali overlaps with this institution on geotechnics, chemistry and ecology and sustainability, so the two are easy to compare, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
The comparison with Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics, and it is slightly smaller, at about 1,500 students against roughly 2,000 here, and is also a public institution.
The comparison with Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on geotechnics, chemistry and physics, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is smaller, enrolling about 1,000 students against roughly 2,000 here.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Roskilde University, in Denmark, takes a similar route through chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers project management as well.
Seen from abroad, Novosibirsk State University (Russia) is a close relative on subject matter, since chemistry, physics and mathematics are central to both, and it covers computer vision and software engineering as well, and is far larger, with about 8,000 students against roughly 2,000 here.
Abroad, University of East Anglia (the United Kingdom) covers chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics in a comparable way, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and is far larger, with about 17,500 students against roughly 2,000 here.
A foreign alternative with a similar emphasis on chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics is Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, and it is also a public institution and does not run the bachelor's programmes found here.
If this school is on your list for chemistry, ecology and sustainability and physics, Smolensk State University in Russia deserves a comparison, because it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and covers software engineering as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is IISER Kolkata?
At Mohanpur, in the Nadia district of West Bengal, about 50 kilometres north of Kolkata.
When was it established?
In 2006, as one of the first two IISERs, with IISER Pune.
How large is it?
About 2,000 students and 300 staff.
What is its main programme?
The five-year integrated BS-MS degree.
What do the first two years cover?
A common foundation in biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and earth sciences, with computing and humanities courses.
Do students do research?
Yes. Every student completes a research project.
What is the Centre of Excellence in Space Sciences India?
A centre at IISER Kolkata that studies the Sun and space weather and is a national hub for solar physics.
How do you apply?
Through the IISER Aptitude Test, JEE Advanced or the channel for students of state and central boards.
Are scholarships available?
Yes. Many students receive scholarships such as INSPIRE.
What does it cost?
Tuition is regulated by the government. Check the current tariff.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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