Indian Institute of Soil Science, [IISS] Bhopal: Courses, Facilities

Ayesha Taneem

Updated on - Dec 19, 2024

Overview

The Indian Institute of Soil Science (ICAR-IISS) was founded on April 16, 1988, in Bhopal, with the objective of "Enhancing Soil Productivity with Minimum Environmental Degradation." To achieve this mission, the institute has focused on addressing soil health issues encountered by farmers and other stakeholders.

ICAR-IISS has become a prominent leader in basic and applied soil research in India. It has made significant strides in areas like integrated nutrient management, the impact of long-term cropping systems on soil, technologies for enriched compost production, soil test-based nutrient recommendations, and the development of district-specific GIS-based soil fertility maps. The institute also works on organic farming, carbon sequestration in soils, soil pollution management, waste recycling, soil microbial diversity, biofertilizers, and setting quality standards for municipal solid waste compost.

The institute's future research agenda aims to confront emerging challenges, such as increasing food grain production, ensuring food and nutritional security with limited land resources, conserving soil biodiversity for agricultural purposes, achieving self-sufficiency in crop fertilization through indigenous minerals and by-products, and developing efficient technologies for waste recycling. Furthermore, ICAR-IISS seeks to maintain soil quality, ecological balance, and energy-efficient agricultural practices. It is also committed to advancing research on nutrient and water use efficiency, soil biodiversity and genomics, climate change adaptation, carbon sequestration, and minimizing soil pollution.

Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS) Highlights

Particulars	Details
Institution Name	The Indian Institute of Soil Science
Established	1988
Institute Type	Central Government
Affiliation	UGC, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
Accredited By
Approved By	Government of India and Medical Council of India
Courses Offered	UG and PG
Basic Admission Criteria	Entrance-Based
Application Mode	Offline and Online
Qualifying Examination	NET/GATE
Facilities	Hostels, Library, Canteen, Auditorium
Official Website	https://iiss.icar.gov.in/
Top Recruitment Companies

Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS) Course and Fee

Program	Program Details	Selection Basis
Field Assistant	Duration: 3 Years Eligibility: Graduate in Agriculture, Horticulture, Botany, or related disciplines.	Selection is based on NET/GATE exam score (for SRF and RA), performance in interview and/or written tests.
Junior Research Fellow	Duration: 3 Years Eligibility: M.Sc. in Microbiology/Agricultural Microbiology/Soil Science/Agricultural Physics with a 4 or 5-year Bachelor’s degree and 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PH candidates).	Based on academic qualifications and performance in the interview and written test.
Senior Research Fellow	Duration: 3 Years Eligibility: M.Sc. in Soil Science & Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Physics, Agricultural Physics, Geology, Agronomy, or Basic Sciences with a 4 or 5-year Bachelor’s degree.	Selection is based on academic qualifications, interview performance, and relevant research experience.
Research Associate	Duration: 3 Years Eligibility: M.Sc. in Soil Science, Agricultural Physics, Environmental Science, or Agriculture Meteorology with a 4 or 5-year Bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of research experience.	Based on academic qualifications, minimum first division (60%), and interview or written test performance.

Indian Institute of Soil Science Research Divisions:

The Indian Institute of Soil Science offers various research programs in the following fields:

Soil Physics
Soil Chemistry and Fertility
Soil Biology
Environmental Soil Science
Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory

Admission Process:

Here is a rephrased version of the provided information:

Candidates interested in applying for Ph.D. programs at the Indian Institute of Soil Science (IISS) must appear for one of the following NET exams:

CISR-UGC
MHRD Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering
DBT
DAE-JEST & JGEEBILS
NBHM
ICMR-JRF
ICAR Test
DoP-GPAT

Those who qualify in any of these exams will be invited for an interview at IISS, Bhopal.

Eligibility for other positions:

Field Assistant: Applicants should hold a degree in Agriculture, Horticulture, Botany, or a related field, and ideally have experience working with farmers.
Junior Research Fellow (JRF): Candidates must have a Master’s degree in Microbiology, Agricultural Microbiology, Soil Science, Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Physics, or Agricultural Physics, along with a 4 or 5-year Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 60% marks (55% for SC/ST/PH candidates). Candidates who have completed a 3-year Bachelor’s and 2-year Master’s degree may also apply if they have qualified for NET/GATE.
Senior Research Fellow (SRF): To be eligible, candidates must have a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Soil Science, Agricultural Chemistry, Soil Physics, Agricultural Physics, Geology, Agronomy, or Basic Sciences, along with a 4 or 5-year Bachelor’s degree.
Research Associate: Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or a Master’s degree in Soil Science, Agronomy, Agricultural Physics, Environmental Science, or Agricultural Meteorology, along with a 4 or 5-year Bachelor’s degree, at least 60% marks, and a minimum of 2 years of research experience.

Candidates applying for these positions must bring original documents and self-attested photocopies of mark sheets, date of birth proof, qualifications, experience certificates, caste certificates, photographs, and four sets of complete bio-data.