Top 10 Govt Research Institutes In India
--Must See--

Bioinformatics Summer Internship 2024 With Hands-On-Training + Project / Dissertation - 30 Days, 3 Months & 6 Months Duration

Top Govt Research Institutes Present In India – Top 10 List

“It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of insanitation and illiteracy, of superstition and deadening of custom and tradition, of vast resources running to waste, or a rich country inhabited by starving poor… Who indeed could afford to ignore science today? At every turn, we have to seek its aid… The future belongs to science and those who make friends with science.” — Jawaharlal Nehru.

As India is constantly progressing in the race of becoming a global player in the field of biological science research, it will soon become a hot destination for research in biopharmaceutical industry/agriculture biotechnology. As per recent BIRAC reports – Indian bioeconomy is slated to reach $100 billion by 2025. With the vision of becoming a global leader in biotechnology/life sciences, many institutes and universities have started focusing on developing the new curriculum so that the students get proper education and training, and in turn, increase their chance to get recruited as a

scientist in premier institutes. Many bioscience research institutes/universities have recently started featuring in the list of the top universities in the world. Let us have a look at the Top Govt Research Institutes that are there in India, where you can pursue your research career.

IISC

Undoubtedly, IISC – the Indian Institute of Science is one of the finest research institutes in India having the top-class facilities for research in Biology. It is the brainchild of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, a successful businessman, and philanthropist.

The Division of Biological Sciences of IISc is engaged in frontline research at the frontiers of modern biology. It encompasses over 40 departments spread across six divisions which include:

  • Biological Sciences
  • Interdisciplinary Research
  • Chemical Sciences
  • Electrical Sciences
  • Mechanical Sciences
  • Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

Being one of the Top Govt Research Institutes – This division has been known as an internationally recognized Centre for fundamental modern biological research for decades. It has on its rolls about 73 faculty and Scientific Staff, 92 Fellowships of Science Academies in India, and about 423 PhD Students / Integrated PhD Students. 79 PhD students graduated in the year 2018. This Division forges important links between basic science and innovative research, by committing itself to enhance frontline studies in almost all aspects of modern biology.

Almost all aspects of modern biology are dealt with by scientists in the Division such as :

  • Infectious Disease
  • Neuroscience in health and disease
  • DNA Repair and Genomic Stability
  • Structural Biology
  • Oncology
  • Systems Biology and Bioinformatics
  • Immunology
  • Reproductive and Developmental Biology
  • Enzymology, Diverse Ecological Studies and so on.

These investigations employ some methods which include immunological techniques, genetic engineering, PCR, spectroscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray Crystallography, bioinformatics, and computer modeling.

Useful applications of the research are receiving increased attention in recent years. It aims at carrying out excellent fundamental research and to vigorously pursue the applications that flow from it. Presently, the scientists in the Division are in the process of collectively orchestrating most of their efforts under the following three broad areas with considerable application potential. They include Infectious Diseases, Drug and Molecular Design, Gene Targeting, Genetic Disorders, and Genetic Diversity. The scientists in the Division are committed to continue to carry out excellent biological research and also address real-life problems such as those involving tuberculosis, malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, and disorders of various kinds.

Website: https://www.iisc.ac.in/

________________________________________________________________________

TIFR

Falling under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy, TIFR – the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is a National Centre of the Government of India. It is one of the Top Govt Research Institutes where one can pursue their research career. It is a deemed University awarding degrees for masters and doctoral programs. With the support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust under the vision of Dr. Homi Bhabha, the Institute was founded in 1945. Basic research biology, chemistry physics, mathematics, computer science, and science education is carried out at TIFR.

TIFR is an ideal place for scholars who are looking for internationally recognized research facilities and opportunities for working abroad. Apart from PG and Ph.D. programs, TIFR hires highly skilled researchers for the research programs conducted. Being a highly reputed institute for research, graduating from TIFR opens doors to join either BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) or any of the CIFR laboratories across the country as scientists.

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is India is one of the most premier govt research institutes for advanced research in fundamental sciences. The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) is one of the national centers of the TIFR, Mumbai. The Department of Biological Sciences (DBS) is situated at TIFR in Mumbai. Both these units run vibrant graduate programs such as PH.D., Integrated M.Sc.-Ph.D. as well as M.Sc. degree in certain subjects.

The procedure for the recruitment of graduate students into the programs includes clearing of a written entrance test conducted at several centers in India, followed by interviews held at Mumbai (for DBS) or submission of a full application and interviews for short-listed candidates at Bangalore (for NCBS).

The Joint Graduate Entrance Examination for Biology and Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (JGEEBILS) is the name for the TIFR Nationwide Entrance Examination (GS-2019) for Biology. Many participating institutions use the JGEEBILS score for shortlisting candidates, but each institution follows its own admission procedure. Students will get called for interviews at these institutes accordingly based on the results of the TIFR Entrance Test for Biology (JGEEBILS). Students need to apply separately to each institution using the JGEEBILS score.

Website: http://www.tifr.res.in/

________________________________________________________________________

JNCASR

Funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) is a multidisciplinary research institute and a deemed university situated at Bangalore. Although relatively young, it is quite well-known around the Globe.

Being in the list of Top Govt Research Institutes – The institute’s mandate is to pursue and promote world-class scientific research and training at the frontiers of science and engineering. The main advantage is their small size comprising of around 50 faculty members, spread over several disciplines, not segregated in far-flung labs. One of the hallmarks of JNCASR is that they foster a spirit of interdisciplinary collaboration where chemists, physicists, biologists, and engineers rub shoulders throughout the day. There are over 300 bright and energetic graduate students and state-of-the-art experimental, computational and infrastructural facilities. The institute, possessing all the necessary ingredients to excel in scientific research and education grants Masters and Ph.D degrees.

Researchers at the Centre are divided into nine units:

  • Chemistry and Physics of Materials
  • Educational Technology
  • Engineering Mechanics
  • Evolutionary and Integrative Biology
  • Geodynamics
  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • New Chemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Theoretical Sciences.

Although it is difficult to quantify scientific performance, Science at the Centre is flourishing, by all numerical indications (numbers of publications, citations, grants, patents filed, etc. They have their research work published in some of the most prestigious scientific journals like Nature, Science, Evolution, the Journal of the American Chemical Society, etc. Not only this, but the Centre’s scientists are also being recognized by various awards.

JNCASR supports a range of educational outreach activities. The highly competitive Summer Research Fellowship program is one of them, which hosts some of the very brightest undergraduates in the country every year. Apart from this, it is also involved in organizing and teaching short term courses at universities across India, where promising young chemists and biologists are trained intensively as part of our programs of Project-Oriented-Chemical-Education (POCE) and Project-Oriented-Biological-Education (POBE). Additionally, the Educational Technology Unit produces a range of teaching aids and educational materials.

The institute’s intellectual atmosphere is further livened by a regular stream of visitors from all over the world, who contribute to spirited scientific discussions at seminars, conferences and summer schools.

Websites: http://www.jncasr.ac.in/

________________________________________________________________________

NISER

NISER (National Institute of Science Education and Research) is an autonomous institute under DAE, Government of India.

Established in September 2007, the School of Biological Sciences (SBS) is one of the major schools @ NISER. SBS has been involved in mixing and imparting traditional wisdom with modern technology since its inception, by developing research programs along with a vibrant teaching curriculum. NISER – SBS promotes innovative and scholarly thinking to conduct cutting edge research in diverse areas ranging from molecular to organism biology. The school offers 5-year integrated MSc program, PhD program and Post-Doctoral program to facilitate this process by motivating and training students. It aims at establishing itself as a center of excellence with its efforts grown up rapidly. Signs of its achievements are being noticed at national and international levels in terms of work and student placements. An Integrated PhD program initiative is under progress, to further strengthen the SBS research program.

By providing training at undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral level, SBS strives to become a center of excellence in education and research in biological sciences and is counted among the Top Govt Research Institutes where candidates with masters & PhD degree can work. It provides effective interdisciplinary learning ambiance through extensive subject coverage in all fields of modern biology. It not only inter-phases with other scientific disciplines but also equips its students to keep pace with recent developments in the field of scientific research by undertaking high-quality research activities in defined areas of biosciences in order to make an impact at national and international level. SBS imparts professional training through short term training courses for skilled human resource development across the state and country and strives to develop state of the art infrastructure comparable to best anywhere in the world.

Some of its research areas include Pathogen Biology, Molecular Microbiology, Plant Development Biology, Cancer Genetics and Cellular Immunology.

Websites: https://www.niser.ac.in/

________________________________________________________________________

IISER

Having been declared “Institutions of National Importance” by an Act of Parliament, the IISERs (Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research) are among the most premier institutes for research in India. IISERs were established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India, based on the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.

There are a total of seven campuses spread over the country in locations such as Pune, Kolkata, Mohali, Bhopal, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati and Berhampur. Future locations include Nagaland and UP. IISER’s main aim is to carry out research in frontier areas of science and to provide quality science education at the undergraduate and the postgraduate levels. Each IISER is an autonomous institution and hence awards its own degrees.” The IISER’s vision is to create research centers of the highest caliber where teaching and education in the basic sciences are integrated with state-of-the-art research and to devote to under-graduate and post-graduate teaching in the basic sciences in an intellectually vibrant atmosphere of research.

Apart from offering a 5-year BS-MS program (their flagship program), the institutes also offer integrated MS-Ph.D. and independent Ph.D. programs in Science. The course syllabus covers comprehensive topics from areas such as Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics, along with a few other subjects such as Earth and Environmental Science, Humanities, etc.

A BS-MS degree from IISER can open doors for further research and entering into Ph.D. programs in top universities of India and abroad. Pharmaceutical Industries also hire graduates for their Research & Development divisions. Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddy’s, L’oreal, Unilever, etc are some of the few companies which hire students from IISERs. Through the CSIR-NET examination, students can also join any CSIR Labs (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research) at the doctoral level, and continue their research in Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Drugs Formation, Implication.

________________________________________________________________________

NCCS

Aided by the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India, the National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) is an autonomous organisation, established to facilitate cell biology research in the country.

NCCS is situated within the academically-enriched campus of the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU). NCCS has been carrying out cutting edge research in cell biology since its inception, by providing valuable services as a national animal cell repository. It also supports human resource development through various teaching and training programs. The institute has been at the forefront of basic research in diverse fields of cell biology, especially those addressing important human health issues such as cancer, metabolic disorders, infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine.

These challenging health issues are answered through the research work carried out at NCCS, by using approaches that integrate modern and conventional disciplines including stem cell biology, immunology, cellular signaling, genomics, proteomics, systems biology, structural biology, and microbial ecology.

The scientists of NCCS have gained worldwide recognition of their research contributions through publications in renowned scientific journals, and prestigious awards including the Padma Shree, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards, National Bioscience Award, and Swarnajayanti Fellowship.

Websites: https://www.nccs.res.in/

________________________________________________________________________

Bose Institute

Set up in 1917 by Sir JC Bose, the founder of modern science in the Indian subcontinent, Bose Institute is Asia’s first modern research center devoted to interdisciplinary research. It is funded by Department of science and technology, Govt of India. Bearing a century-old tradition of research excellence, Bose Institute is known for having conducted path-breaking research in biological, chemical, physical and interdisciplinary sciences for over a century. The Institute, on its centenary, celebrates its eventful past and vibrant present through research meetings and other programs.

The current research carried out in this institute concentrates in the fields of:

  • Plant Biology
  • Microbiology
  • Molecular medicine
  • Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Physics
  • Biophysics
  • Bioinformatics
  • Environmental science.

Bose Institute has pioneered the concept of inter-disciplinary research in Asia and India in sync with global trends. This institute has been the home of some extremely important discoveries and had in its name some internationally renowned researchers like Debendra Mohan Bose (an Indian physicist who made well-known contributions in the field of cosmic rays, artificial radioactivity and neutron physics.), Sambhu Nath De (discoverer of the cholera toxin), , Gopal Chandra Bhattacharya, Shyamadas Chatterjee (known for research on fusion) etc. Needless to say, the pioneering work of Jagadish Chandra Bose on the effect of stimuli in plants at the dawn of Bose institute, automatically earns it the distinction of being one of the cradles of the field which is known as systems biology today.

Websites: http://www.jcbose.ac.in/home

________________________________________________________________________

CCMB

The Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) is one of the premier research institutes in frontier areas of modern biology. The Centre focuses on conducting cutting edge basic research and training in frontier areas of modern biology. It has state of the art facilities and equipment and promotes centralized national facilities for new and modern techniques in the inter-disciplinary areas of biology.

The CCMB aims at conducting basic research in frontier and multidisciplinary areas of modern biology and to seek potential applications of this work. Research work at this Top Govt Research Institutes – CCMB focuses on the following:

  • Biology of Cells and Subcellular Complexes
  • Protein and Macromolecular Assemblies
  • Genetic Analysis and Genomics
  • Biology of Plant Development and Disease
  • Molecular Basis of Infection and Disease
  • Evolutionary biology
  • wildlife conservation

Websites: https://www.ccmb.res.in/

________________________________________________________________________

IGIB

A part of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB) were initially founded as the Centre for Biochemical Technology, with a primary focus on biochemical research. It is now a scientific research institute devoted primarily to biological research and its main research focus is on integrative biology.

IGIB has intimated a unique program to use cutting edge genomic technologies to understand Rare genetic diseases in India and pioneering the application of genomics for Precision Medicine in clinics. One of the programs called GUaRDIAN (Genomics for Understanding Rare Disease, India Alliance Network) has been initiated on this front.
The process of making DNA-level changes has been revolutionalized through the genome editing by CRISPR-Cas9 and the implications of this technology reach far beyond standard molecular biology applications. Depending on the need of the researcher, the CRISPR-Cas9 system can be used as a tool-box for editing, modifying, visualizing and interrogating genomes and can be adapted for numerous other applications. IGIB conducts a workshop on CRISPR-Cas9 mediated gene editing, where participants are provided with hands-on training on using this technology.

Some of the major research focus at IGIB is on Genomics and Molecular Medicine, to explore genetics of complex disorders using a candidate gene approach and in studying the molecular basis of human diseases, Cardio-Respiratory Disease Biology, where the focus is on respiratory diseases using clinical, genetic, molecular and drug development approaches to tackle these challenging areas, and Chemical and Systems Biology where research carried out in areas such as the Chemical biology and systems biology of M. tuberculosis and skin pigmentation, Chemically modified oligonucleotides for biological applications, Nanobiotechnology, and Novel immunoassay procedures.

Apart from this, research is also carried out on Integrative and Functional Biology and Informatics and Big Data, which includes areas like Indian Genome Variation: analysis of genome variation data, Next-gen sequencing, assembly, and annotation, Unfolded proteins and adhesions, Prediction of microRNA-target interaction, AMD Structural regulatory motifs in the genome.

Websites: https://www.igib.res.in/

________________________________________________________________________

IARI

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), popularly known as Pusa Institute, is known to offer some of the most advanced research programs in the field of agriculture. The institute has research and fellowship collaborations with both national and international organisations that allow scholars to carry out research in the relevant area of study.

The fields of IARI are where the green revolution bloomed from with the development of famous wheat varieties contributing estimates of billion tones of addition production. Considered as the mother of several ICAR institutions, IARI falls under one of the leading institutions for agricultural research, education, and extension in the country.

Currently, the Institute has 20 divisions 5 multi-disciplinary Centres situated in Delhi, 8 regional stations, 2 off-season nurseries, 3 All India coordinated research projects with headquarters at IARI as well as 10 national Centres functioning under the all India coordinated research projects. Its main research areas include Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Physics, Biochemistry, Genetics & Plant Breeding, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Plant Physiology, Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry.

Websites: https://www.iari.res.in/

There are lot more institutes funded by the Government of India that have extraordinary research facility, yet the above institutes make to the top 10 list.

About the Author
Ms. Urmimala Ray, one of the finest faculties at BioTecNika, loved and idealized by a lot of students. Her fluent narration, upgraded knowledge, and hardworking nature are most talked about. She has been an ardent follower of all latest innovations in the field of Bioscience.

Keywords: Top Govt Research Institutes, Top 10 Top Govt Research Institutes in India, Best Govt Research Institute in India. Best Research institute list. 

Perfection is her hobby, Reliability is a synonym, Editing is her passion, Excellence is her Goal, Tactfulness is in her genes, Yellow is her Fav color. Preety is the name of the Professional on whom entire BioTecNika relies when it comes to its website. A Gold Medalist in Biotech from SRM University, Chennai with a 9.9 CGPA ( was awarded the Gold Medal by Honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi , as seen in the pic ), She decided to join forces with BioTecNika to ensure India's largest BioSciences Portal expands its reach to every city in India. She has redesigned the new avatar of BioTecNika from scratch and heads the most dynamic, vibrant and well informed Online Team at Biotecnika Info Labs Pvt Ltd

1 COMMENT

Comments are closed.