Indian Institute of Advanced Studies (IIAS)

The Indian Institute of Advanced Studies was set up through the “Societies Registration act XXI of 1860, on October 6, 1964, by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The Institute started its operation on 20th October, 1965 from Shimla after it was officially inaugurated by the then President of India, Professor S. Radhakrishnan. The time when the Institute was established was very significant as it was witnessing limitation to intellectual autonomy on part of the Government in different parts of the globe.

The aim of the Institute is creative and free inquiry of the basic themes and problems of thought and life. IIAS is a Residential Centre for research. It encourages research in areas of human significance, and offers academic research in subjects like Humanities, Social, Religion, and Natural Sciences, Indian Culture, etc.

The vision that underlies the establishment of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies is to provide scope for the meeting of such minds and ideas that will broaden up the horizons of wisdom and knowledge thereby adding new directions to thought and life. The Institute believes in principle of intellectual freedom.

Academic Life in Indian Institute of Advanced Studies

The “academic community” of IIAS comprise mainly of the “Fellows”. Fellowship is for a minimum period of 3months. To begin with, Fellowships are awarded for not more than 1 year. It may later be extend for a period of 3 years depending upon the kind of work and development achieved. Formal interaction among the Fellows of the institutes takes place during the “Weekly Fellows' Seminar.

Fellows are supposed to stay at the residence of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies while there Fellowship programme is on. However, during the winters, they are allowed to travel outside. The fellowship ends with the fellows submitting their results to the institute through a monograph. The monographs are often taken into consideration for publication by the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies.

The visitors who visit this research institute occasionally consists of Visiting Professors: They are renowned scholars who are invited by the Institute to deliver lectures at IIAS. The fellows are given the opportunity to interact with these scholars.

Visiting Scholars: They comprise of eminent scholars who are also invited to the institute to give lectures but their stay at the institute is for a short period of time.

Guest Scholars: The Institute also invites some Guest Scholars in certain occasions keeping in mind the accommodation availabilities.

Academic Programmes in Indian Institute of Advanced Studies

  • A major portion of the academic programmes of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies consist of the researches that are undertaken by the fellows. Besides this, IIAS also take on diverse interdisciplinary projects on which the scholars work in a group.

  • Seminars on varied contemporary themes and of national importance are also undertaken by the Institute every year.

  • The academic programmes of IIAS are backed by cultural and other co-curricular activities and also the celebrations of different national festivals and events.

Area of Study at IIAS

The area of study at IIAS includes
  • Political, Social and Economic Philosophy
  • Comparative Studies in Philosophy and Religion
  • Comparative Indian (ancient, medieval, modern folk and tribal)
  • Education, Culture, Arts (performing arts and craft)
  • Development of World-Views
  • Fundamental Concepts and Problems of Logic and Mathematics
  • Studies in Environment (natural and social)
  • Fundamental Concepts and Problems of Natural and Life Sciences
  • Indian Civilization in the context of Asian Neighbour
  • Problems of contemporary India (national integration and nation-building)
Last Updated on : March 30, 2016