Address: Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore-560 012
Telephone: 91-80-360-0086
Fax: 91-80-360-2648
Email: chairman@serc.iisc.ernet.in
Website: http://www.serc.iisc.ernet.in
Chairman: Professor Sadasiva M. Rao
Subordinate to: Ministry of Human Resource Development
Primary Function: High-performance computing, research, and training

Description and Activities:
The Supercomputer Education & Research Center (SERC) was established in 1987 as part of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore. Since its founding, SERC has instigated rapid growth for IISc in the areas of computer-generated research, development, and training. Although SERC's primary feature is a PARAM 10000 supercomputer from the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in Pune, it also includes an IBM RS/6000 SP supercomputer that was purchased in 1994. This was procured through the US Department of Commerce under strict end-use regulations that required that the computer be used only for academically-based research. After India's May 1998 nuclear tests, several organizations accused SERC of participating in the design of these weapons. A spokesperson for IISc claimed that the Institute never deviated from the end-use clause "in letter or in spirit." Although the United States did not list SERC as an entity of proliferation concern, the British government did accuse SERC of assisting in the design of nuclear weapons.

SERC is fully funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development. In addition to computer research and training, it also serves as a referral agency for governmental and private organizations that wish to establish computer-based systems.

Key Sources: "India IISc denial," Business Line (Madras), 30 May 1998: in LexisNexis Academic Universe, 1 June 1998, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; "India SERC was not used for nuclear weapons IISc," Business Line (Madras), 11 June 1998: in LexisNexis Academic Universe, 11 June 1998, <http://www.web.lexis-nexis.com>; S. Halarnkar and S. David, India Today, 22 June 1998, p. 61; in LexisNexis Academic Universe, 17 June 1998, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>; Supercomputer Education & Research Center (SERC), <http://www.serc.iisc.ernet.in>; Vijay Kumar Saraswat, "Science: Faces of the Millennium," India Today, 27 December 1999: in LexisNexis Academic Universe, 22 December 1999, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com>.

	Updated September 2003