The DST plays the role of a nodal department for coordinating and promoting S&T programmes and policies.

The setting up of a separate DBT in 1986 gave a new impetus to the development of research and industrial application in the field of biotechnology in India.

DSIR has been mandated with the promotion and transfer of technology. Under it comes the world’s largest publicly funded research organisation Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) with 38 institutes and a focus on industrial application.

The Indian Institutes of Technology are the premier educational institutions for science and technology spread all over India. At present there are seven IITs offering instruction mainly in natural sciences and providing facilities for post graduate studies and research. The around 1500 undergraduate and 2000 graduate students in each IIT have undergone a hard selection process. The IIT Madras (Chennai) has special links to Germany as it has been set up with German support in 1959.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
 

The Indian Institute of Science founded in 1909 by J. N. Tata is one of India’s oldest and finest science institutions contributing alone for around 10% of the country’s share in reputed international science reviews. It is situated in Bangalore in premises with the charming atmosphere of a botanical garden.

Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs)
 

To promote high quality science education and research in India, the Government has established two IISERs at Pune and Kolkata. These institutes set up on the lines of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, offer a five year integrated master's degree in Science besides post-Bachelor of Science integrated Ph.D. and full -fledged Ph.D. programmes. A third IISER at Mohali, Punjab has also been approved, three more institutions are planned to be set up..

The IIMs are institutes of excellence established with the objective of imparting high quality management education and training, conducting research and providing consultancy service to various sectors of the Indian economy. The IIMs at Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Calcutta conduct amongst other courses post graduate diploma programmes in Management.

Universities are the centre of higher learning in India. In general an autonomous status is conferred to them. There are basically two types: Unitary and Affiliating universities. In addition to the university departments where mostly post graduate courses and research are carried out, a great deal of Indian universities disposes of a number of affiliated colleges where as a rule undergraduate courses are offered. The admission criteria to the colleges are decided upon by the university itself.

A whole gamut of colleges offer education at different standards – most of them are affiliated to Universities.

Centres of Relevance and Excellence (COREs) Technology Council TIFAC (an autonomous body under Department of Science and Technology) is implementing Mission REACH in association with educational institutes, industries and entrepreneurs. Under this program around 100 centres are chosen often placed within universities and colleges to suffice high standards in research and to further formation of scientifically and technically highly qualified manpower.