CSIR-National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, New Delhi is devoted to a study of various aspects of interaction among science, society and state and exploring continuously the interface between Science, Technology and Society. NISTADS is one of the 38 institutes/laboratories of the Government of India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi.
Currently, the faculty comprises 15 members. This faculty is drawn from a variety of academic discipline. This intellectual diversity is the mainstay of the institute. Research students enrolled in the Institute obtain Ph.D. degree from different universities. NISTADS has a vibrant visiting scholars programme, under which researchers from India and abroad are encouraged to spend time at the Institute.
Vision:
To act as both driver and toll for Socio-economic transformation at regional, national and global scales with policy and decision support, S&T design and translation.
Mission:
Creation of a techno-socio-economic platform to enable Sustainable Development Goals through development and application of acceptable, relevant, and commercializable S&T products through Policy Advocacy. Acting as a Think Tank, with Translational Research, Inclusion of Proof of Concepts and Integration of Outreach.
Mandate:
1. Provide Policy Advocacy on Techno-socio-economic issues identified by CSIR/Govt.
2. Act as a Think Tank for Technology Foresight and S&T Design integrating socioeconomics to create enabling and applicable S&T and its inclusive penetration and provide periodic inputs.
3. Identify S&T needs for national missions and create road maps for Sustainable Development Goals.
History
The roots of Nistads go back to August 1973 when the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) set up at its headquarters a Centre for the Study of Science, Technology and Development. On 30 September 1980, the Governing Body of the CSIR approved that the Centre “should function as an autonomous Centre with a separate budget”. Its objectives “would continue to be the same”, but it “will be autonomous, headed by a scientist of the rank of a Director of a National Laboratory, with its own infrastructure”. 30 September 1980 is then the birthday of the Institute (even though the present name came into effect on 1 April 1981).
