The Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics (IAP) falls under the Division of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering. The department was established in the year of 1996.

The department aspires to become a world class research venue in the areas of electronics, imaging science, photonics, quantum technology, and applied physics. This department has a unique characteristic of combining fundamental principles of physics with cutting-edge technologies working on innovative methods to drive advancements in various fields with special emphasis on social good.

IAP pursues a wide area of interdisciplinary research topics encompassing fiber optic sensors, nanometrology and precision motion control, nanoscience, super resolution microscopy, nanolithography, amorphous semiconductors, imaging cytometry, biomedical instrumentation, imaging science, tomography, opto-fluidics,  microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip, optical metrology, optical sensors, vacuum and thin-film technology, semiconductor devices and integrated circuits, flexible electronic systems,  quantum computation using superconducting circuits and more.

Having spun-off 3 startups in the recent past, the department is making a dent in creating a social impact on solving real-world problems in the context of clean water, point-of-care diagnostics, etc. The department pursues a wide area of interdisciplinary research activities in the broad domain of applied physics, and provides post-graduate degrees (M.Tech., M.Tech.[Research] and Ph.D.) in these broad disciplines.