Back

General Frequently Asked Questions

IIRS (Indian Institute of Remote Sensing) is a institute in South East Asia, transferring technology in Remote Sensing and GIS, since 1966. It is an unit under Indian Space Research Organisation, Government of India . It offers variety of courses ranging from one week to two year duration.

"Promote excellence and professional education in the field of Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Science. Achieve the goal through research, user dialogues and sharing of experience in the field of natural resource survey, mapping, infrastructure development and environmental management for sustainable development. Address on inter-disciplinary interface including attention to socio-economic and environmental considerations."

Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), formerly known as Indian Photo-Interpretation Institute (IPI), was set up in 1966 under the aegis of the Survey of India to provide comprehensive training with hands on experience of the emerging technology. The success of satellite remote sensing in early 70's created a need for manpower trained in the utilization of remote sensing technology, and therefore, Institute was merged with National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) in July 1976. Late 70's and early 80's saw the emergence of remote sensing as a powerful tool for natural resources survey and management and in the year 1980, NRSA came under the umbrella of Department of Space (Government of India). In the year 2011, IIRS became an independent unit under ISRO.

The main focus of IIRS is training and education in the field of Geoinformatics in which technology and applications of Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS will be imparted in the form of training and education at various levels (decision making level to working level / fresh post graduate level). For details please refer to course calendar and different course brochures



Various Programmes at IIRS are:

    Specialisation in- Earth Observation & Geospatial Information Processing, Agriculture & Soils, Forestry & Ecology, Geosciences, Human Settlement Analysis, Marine & Atmospheric Sciences, Water Resources
  • M.Sc in Geo-Information Science & Earth Observation (with ITC, University of Twente, The Netherlands)
    Specialisation in- Geoinformatics
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Remote Sensing & GIS
    Specialisation in- Earth Observation & Geospatial Information Processing, Agriculture & Soils, Forestry & Ecology, Geosciences, Human Settlement Analysis, Marine & Atmospheric Sciences, Water Resources
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Geo-Information Science & Earth Observation (with ITC, University of Twente, The Netherlands)
    Specialisation in- Geoinformatics
  • Certificate Course in Remote Sensing & GIS
    Remote Sensing and Image Processing
  • NNRMS-ISRO Sponsored Certificate Course in Remote Sensing & GIS for University Faculty
    Cartography & Mapping, GIS Technology & Advances, Agriculture & Soils, Forestry/ Ecology/ Environmental Sciences, Geosciences, Coastal & Ocean Sciences, Urban & Regional Planning, Water Resources
  • International Programme- Certificate Course in Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics (Sponsored by ITEC, Govt. of India)
    Remote Sensing (with emphasis on Digital Image Processing), Geoinformatics
  • Awareness Programme
    Remote Sensing- An Overview for Decision Makers
  • Edusat Based Distance Learning Programme
    Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS
  • Special On-Demand Courses




Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS are branch of Geoinformatics discipline. They are all emerging fields and have huge application potential for resource development, planning and management. There is a good scope for scientists, engineers, academicians/researchers, NGOs, service and utility sector personnel, planners and decision makers as it facilitates better understanding, use and manages appropriately. The market potential is increasing at phenomenal rate of 10 to 15 % annually on continuous basis. With increasing spatial resolution of satellites, hyper spectral RS, enhanced Geo-computational tools and precise positional information with GPS we are sure that the future for these disciplines is very much promising.

Government working professionals / NGOs / Academicians / private entrepreneurs / fresh postgraduate students desired to build their career in Geoinformatics can join IIRS courses

Eligible candidates can apply directly to any course after filling up the application form and sending it to Director, IIRS, 4 Kalidas Road, Dehradun. Online application is not supported. Government candidates have to send with proper sponsorship. Foreign candidates have to route through Indian Embassies in their country.

Please see the course calendar under Important Links section in the Home page to know the application deadlines.

The pattern followed for IIRS is first screening of applications for suitability, then a screening test is conducted and then interview. There is no format of screening test and any type of (suitable) questions, mainly related to General Knowledge related to the course can be asked. Moreover it also depends on number of applications. In case of a few applications no screening may be required.
For M.Tech and M.Sc. ( long term courses) it takes 3 months time for selection process. For other courses it takes only 2 months time. Selected candidates please rest assured that you'll be intimated on time. IIRS takes special care to inform about your admission in a particular course. The admission department will intimate the selected through phone, e-mail, fax and also Speedpost. The admission list shall be published on this website. At present those who have failed to secure admission at IIRS will not be informed.


IIRS is a premier institute for Remote Sensing and GIS technology transfer through training. Various courses are offered in which rigorous training pattern and heavy infrastructure setup is there for learning and hands on experience. IIRS faculty is well experienced and trained at various international institutes of repute. The seats are limited. Only 285 to 360 students attend to various courses (short and long term) every year. Only around 130 students can be attending courses at any time. IIRS net spends more than Rs. 5 lacs (as of 2005) per year per student in various courses, which would be higher in comparison to money spent on per student by leading scientific institutes in India. With a faculty strength of 50, the student-faculty ratio, here at IIRS is 3:1. The array of RS & GIS software in IIRS speaks for itself. The labs are open throughout the night and well fitted with A.C.s. All classrooms are Air Conditioned and fitted with LCD projectors. Above all a certificate from IIRS gets immediate attention for job seekers. A certificate from IIRS can only be earned after rigorous training. The fees spent by a student is quite nominal compared to the amount invested by IIRS for the benefit of the students.

IIIRS courses are divided into short and long (>=3months) courses. It is around Rs. 6000/- for Indian students and US$ 600/- for foreign students. Course fee includes tuition fees, course material and POL (i.e. local transport for field visit). All the other expenditure like to and fro travel to IIRS, boarding and lodging, project field work expenses, report generation, book allowances and medical expenditure etc. are to be born by the candidates / sponsoring organizations in addition to course fees.
In case of short customized courses, fees are Rs 2000/- per week for Indian students and US $ 200 per week for foreign students.
Important note: Tuition fee is waived off for Government sponsored candidates for regular courses of three months and above duration.

All courses are open to all including foreign nationals.

Foreign students are welcome at IIRS. Though IIRS does not differentiate students based on their nationality, foreign students study or get trained like other students in the class. Nevertheless they are important to IIRS and India because of the foreign relations enjoyed by India with the countries of the respective students. Foreign students stay at the International Hostel exclusively built for foreign students. The hostel room is provided with good kitchenette, Air Conditioner, washing machines and TV.

As mentioned above foreign students stay at International Hostel and are provided with a good kitchenette. You'd need to buy groceries or eatables from nearby market and cook yourself. This is how the foreign students currently staying at International Hostel manage. A few have been able to like Indian food at the mess in the Indian Hostel.

It costs minimum Rs. 1700 per month (for Indian nationals) with ordinary accommodation at IIRS and hostel mess food. It costs Rs. 750/- extra for AC room with Cable TV facility. For trainees of short duration, it may cost Rs. 100 to Rs, 150 per day for stay and food.
Foreign nationals are provided with attached kitchenette, Cable TV, AC and Internet (common facility) that costs Rs.1000/-(USD 22) per month. They can cook their own food.

IIRS is the only institute for the last 40 years since its establishment has offered courses according to the changing user needs and it is only one of its kind in India where courses are conducted at various levels. Over the years the institute has trained around 6000 from India and Abroad. The institute has 50 professionals, most of them with doctoral degree and the remaining with postgraduate in sciences/ engineering, well trained at ITC, Netherlands and responsible for capacity building in education and training.

Opportunities in Government Organizations, State government departments like State Remote Sensing Centers, Geology and Mining/ Forest/ Agriculture/ Soil/Irrigation/ Panchayatraj/ Rural Department etc and Central Government Departments like Department of Space, Department of Science and Technology, Central Water Commission, Indian Agriculture Research organization, Defense Research Development Organization, Department of Ocean Development, Central Scientific and Industrial Research and Academic/Research Organizations

Opportunities in Private Sector
There are many private companies like ESRI-India, ERDAS India, RMSI, Rolta India, Satyam, Relliance Infosys, TCS, PCI India, ENVI, INCA, Datacore, many NGOs and private companies situated at Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Bhopal.

Research Opportunities
There is huge scope for research opportunities at national level organization, academic institutions in India as well as abroad. Geoinformatics is considered one of the advanced technologies like Biotechnology, Nano technology etc





ESRI-India, ERDAS India, RMSI, Rolta India, Satyam, Reliance Infosys, TCS, PCI India, ENVI, INCA, Datacore, many NGOs and private companies situated at Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Bhopal etc.

IIRS offers different level of courses in many disciplines such as:

  • Geoinformatics
  • Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
  • Agriculture & Soils
  • Forestry & Ecology
  • Geosciences
  • Marine Science and Atmospheric Science
  • Human Settlement Analysis
  • Water Resources

The candidates can choose their courses from any of the above disciplines according to their area of specialization. However they can consult either Programme Coordinator (Academic) or the faculties of concerned divisions if need any advice to choose suitable course.






IIRS promises high quality level of training, facilities and learning environment to the students. IIRS is committed to excellence in teaching, training and research in Remote Sensing and GIS. Student's grievances or issues are redressed promptly. Our faculties take utmost care to solve the problems of students at any time. Students desiring to get admission into IIRS can contact Programme Coordinator (Academic) who is there to help persons like you. To get research related info or help any faculty can be contacted.
IIRS taken feedback given by the students very seriously as per the Quality Management System (QSM) and try to imbibe into the system.




Contact Details of all IIRS faculty is available on our website under Faculty Section. Should you need career/course related guidance talk directly to Head of the concerned Departments.

Hostel facility is provided to all. In case of shortage, students from outstation will have a preference in Hostel accommodation allotment. Students get a shared room, two per room. Students who wish to stay with their families will have to make alternate arrangements outside IIRS campus.

Dehradun is lush with greenery, beautiful surroundings and mountains. Dehradun is surrounded by forests and one side by The Himalayas. Dehradun is famous mainly as a tourist place and its cool weather. More detailed information can be obtained from the internet.

The food served at the hostel is mostly North Indian. Full hygiene and cleanliness is maintained at the IIRS mess. The menu and the items to be served are decided by the students's committee. IIRS does not charge anything for mess facility or the infrastructure so provided. Curd is served on demand and rice is always served. Non-veg too is served. The water at Dehradun is hard. An Aquaguard UV filter along with water softener to remove water hardness has been fitted in the hostel. Students can rest assured of safe drinking water.

Hostel facilities are provided to the students only. Students desirous of staying with families are advised to make alternate arrangements and book accommodation in nearby areas before landing at IIRS. While it is difficult to find a single room with a kitchen accommodation in the adjoining residential areas of IIRS (Kalidas Road), such accommodation is available in nearby localities. Be ready to shell out minimum of Rs. 2000 per month for such an accommodation.

IIRS activities are updated and posted at IIRS website. IIRS also publishes its activities through "Contact" Newsletter.

Page last updated: 2 April 2022, 14:14

IMPORTANT LINKS

indian institute of remote sensing, indian space research organisation

Department of Space, Government of India

4, Kalidas Road, Dehradun - 248 001 (India)

Tel: + 91 -135 - 2524399 Fax:+ 91 -135 - 2741987

Training & Academic

admissions[at]iirs[dot]gov[dot]in

ppeg[at]iirs[dot]gov[dot]in

dean[at]iirs[dot]gov[dot]in

Outreach & Distance Learning

dlp[at]iirs[dot]gov[dot]in

elearning[at]iirs[dot]gov[dot]in

Director IIRS

director[at]iirs[dot]gov[dot]in

space centers in india

visitors

national portal of india

Image of National Portal Of India