AUTONOMOUS SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS
As part of its programme for supporting science and technology activities in the country, the Department of Science and Technology provides grants-in-aid to the following 13 autonomous scientific research institutions engaged in frontier areas of research in basic and applied sciences:
(i) Bose Institute, Calcutta is devoted to fundamental and applied research in physical and life sciences;
(ii) Agarkar Research Institute, Pune-research in basic and applied aspects in the fields of biological sciences;
(iii) Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram-is an institute of National importance set up with the objective of :
(a) developing biomedical engineering and technology;
(b) providing and demonstrating high standards of patient care in advanced medical specialities and
(c) developing post-graduate training programme of the highest quality in these fields;
(iv) Indian Association for the Cultivation of Sciences, Calcutta - studies on solid state physics, material sciences, theoretical physics, spectroscopy, energy research, physical chemistry, organic and inorganic chemistry, biological chemistry, polymer science, etc.;
(v) Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune-functions as a national centre for basic and applied research in tropical meteorology;
(vi) Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore-research in emerging as well as interdisciplinary areas of astrophysics and heavenly bodies such as sun, stars, galaxies, etc., and development of various instruments used in astrophysical studies;
(vii) Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangaloredevoted to scientific research in frontier areas in close collaboration and interaction with Indian Institute of Science, Bangalaore;
(viii) Raman Research Institute, Bangalore-a national institute for research in basic sciences. The main fields of research are astronomy, astrophysics and liquid crystals;
(ix) S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Calcutta-promoting advanced studies in selected branches of basic sciences; (x) Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow-research in the area of palaeobotany, its relevance in modern context, etc.; (xi) Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, Mumbai—observing and understanding some of physical processes taking place in the innermost recesses of the earth as well as phenomena occurring on the sun and in near earth and interplanetary space; and
(xii) Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehra Dun-basic research in areas of biostratigraphy, petrology and geochemistry, sedimentology, tectonics and environmental geology to understand the geodynamics of the Himalayan region and
(xiii) International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials, Hyderabad for the development of high performance materials and processes.
(xiv) National accreditation for testing and calibration Laborateries (NABL), New Delhi
(xv) Technology information forecasting and assessment council (TIFAC), New Delhi
(xvi) Centre for Liquid Crystal Research, Banglore
DST also extends financial and administrative support to the following academies and professional bodies which are engaged in the promotion of S and T in the country through the involvement of scientists and engineers;
(i) Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore;
(ii) Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi,
(iii) Indian National Academy of Engineering, New Delhi;
(iv) National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad and
(v) Indian Science Congress Association, Calcutta.