The ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) at Ayapakkam in western Chennai is where much of India’s disease tracking is designed, checked and taught. It was formed on 2 July 1999 by merging the Avadi field unit of the Central JALMA Institute for Leprosy with the Institute for Research in Medical Statistics, Chennai, according to the institute’s website. The Indian Council of Medical Research gives it three jobs: run epidemiological studies, train people in epidemiology and biostatistics, and coordinate such work across ICMR and other institutes nationally, the ICMR institutes page says.
Most residents never deal with it directly, but its studies shape how the health system counts HIV cases, finds outbreaks and judges whether a programme works. It also trains the public health doctors who run district surveillance. Here is what it studies, who can study there and how to reach it.
What NIE works on
The institute’s divisions, listed on its website, are infectious disease epidemiology, non-communicable disease epidemiology, laboratory sciences, health systems research, computing and information science, and the ICMR School of Public Health. Its list of completed projects shows the range:
- HIV: yearly HIV sentinel surveillance; integrated biological and behavioural surveillance in 2014-15; an evaluation of antiretroviral therapy under the national AIDS programme (2018-20); and checks on eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 19 states and union territories (2018-19).
- Outbreaks: investigations into chikungunya in south India (2006) and the Nipah outbreak in Kozhikode, Kerala (2018).
- Leprosy: WHO-linked trials on simpler leprosy treatment from 2001 to 2015, and a study of social factors in leprosy care.
- Fevers and diarrhoea: rotavirus surveillance in hospitals, leptospirosis among fever patients at public health facilities (2015-18), and bacterial causes of acute diarrhoea.
- Chennai-specific work: the health impact of quarrying in suburban Chennai (2014-15) and a nutrition study of people who inject drugs in the city (2008-11).
Data systems the institute runs for national studies include ones for congenital rubella syndrome, the virus research and diagnostic laboratory network, and pneumonia and meningitis surveillance.
The disease detectives programme
NIE’s best-known course is the India Field Epidemiology Training Programme (FETP), often compared to the US “disease detective” model. It began in 2001 as a Master of Applied Epidemiology. Since July 2011 it has run as a two-year India FETP-MPH in epidemiology and health systems, with the degree awarded through Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, according to the programme brochure.
- Who: MBBS doctors working in public health with three years’ experience, nominated and deputed full time by their employer. The age limit in the 2023 brochure was 45, with relaxations.
- Structure: 12 months of contact sessions at NIE interspersed with 12 months of field postings, where trainees analyse surveillance data, investigate an outbreak and evaluate a programme.
- Fees in the 2023 brochure: a one-time ₹30,000 administrative fee; no course fee for those deputed by government departments; ₹1 lakh for others.
By 2021 NIE had trained more than 300 public health professionals from 30 states and union territories through FETPs, 90 of them from Tamil Nadu, BioSpectrum reported when the Union Health Minister laid the foundation for a new School of Public Health building at Ayapakkam. NIE also hosts the southern hub of the India Epidemic Intelligence Service and runs training in non-communicable disease epidemiology.
M.Sc. Biostatistics: an option for graduates
For students without a medical degree, the School of Public Health offers an M.Sc. in Biostatistics, running since 2016. It is a two-year, four-semester course, per the programme page. The 2026 brochure set these terms:
| Item | 2026 intake |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Degree with statistics or mathematics as major, or statistics as an allied subject |
| Application fee | ₹1,000, paid online |
| Course fee | ₹30,000 a year |
| Last date | 13 April 2026 |
| Selection | Written test, interview and degree marks |
Reservation follows Periyar University norms. Final-semester students may apply. The 2027 notice is likely early next year; check the NIE website from January.
Visiting and contacting NIE
NIE is a research and training institute, not a clinic, so it does not treat patients or offer tests to the public. The address is R-127, Second Main Road, Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Ayapakkam, Chennai 600 077. Administrative queries go to 044-26136257, academic and training queries to 044-26136420, and the director’s email is director.nie@icmr.gov.in. The M.Sc. desk uses msc.biostatnie@gmail.com and 044-26136417.
Not to be confused with ICMR’s other Chennai institute, the National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, set up in 1955, which focuses on TB and HIV-TB treatment and prevention. For any personal health concern, see a doctor or your nearest government health centre.
Quick answers
Where is ICMR-NIE?
At R-127, Second Main Road, TNHB, Ayapakkam, Chennai 600 077, in the city’s western suburbs.
Can I get a medical test at NIE?
No. NIE runs studies and training. Patients should use hospitals or government health centres.
Who can join the FETP-MPH?
MBBS doctors in public health jobs with three years’ experience, deputed full time by their employer.
What does the M.Sc. Biostatistics cost?
The 2026 brochure set ₹30,000 a year plus a ₹1,000 application fee.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology home page (ICMR-NIE)
- Reports and institute contact details (ICMR-NIE)
- Completed projects (ICMR-NIE)
- ICMR institutes (Indian Council of Medical Research)
- M.Sc. Biostatistics admission brochure 2026 (ICMR)
- M.Sc. Biostatistics programme (ICMR-NIE)
- India FETP-MPH brochure 2023 (ICMR-NIE)
- Health Minister lays foundation for ICMR School of Public Health in Chennai (BioSpectrum)
