HBCSE is a National Centre of the TIFR, Mumbai. The Centre aims at promoting equity and excellence in science and mathematics education from primary school to undergraduate college level and encourages the growth of scientific literacy in the country. It has a wide spectrum of inter-related activities which includes research and development concerning STEM education, teacher education, science popularisation and talent nurture. HBCSE is the nodal centre of Olympiad programmes in mathematics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, and biology. Another important programme of HBCSE is the National Initiative on Undergraduate Science (NIUS), concerning tertiary science education in India. With thrust on promoting undergraduate research and learning, the NIUS programme has been contributing towards training of students and teachers in theoretical and experimental science, preparation of pedagogical material and R&D in science education/laboratory training.
HBCSE also runs a Graduate School in Science Education. Students admitted to the School go through a programme of courses and field work or project work, followed by a dissertation leading to the degree of Ph.D. in Science Education of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, which is a Deemed University.
