Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI started as the School of Mathematics, SPIC Science Foundation, in the year 1989. The SPIC Science Foundation was founded in 1986 by Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Ltd (SPIC) which is among the major industrial houses in the country, to promote Science and Technology. In 1996, the School of Mathematics became an autonomous organization and renamed itself to SPIC Mathematical Institute. In 1998, so as to better reflect the upcoming role of
.....Continuing reading the institute, it was renamed as Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI.
From its beginning, the Institute has had a promising PhD courses in Mathematics and Computer Science. In the first few years, the PhD courses were affiliated to the Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani and the University of Madras. In December 2006, Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI was acknowledged as a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act 1956. In 1998, CMI decided to bridge the gap between teaching and research by offering B.Sc. and M.Sc. courses in mathematics and related subjects. In 2001, the B.Sc course was extended to add in two courses with research components, leading to an M.Sc degree in Mathematics, and an M.Sc degree in Computer Science. In 2003, a new undergraduate program was included leading to a B.Sc degree in Physics.
Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI was previously situated in T. Nagar in the centre of Chennai in an office complex. Later, CMI moved into its new campus that is spread across five acres of land at the SIPCOT Information Technology Park in Siruseri in October, 2005. The new campus is situated along the Old Mahabalipuram Road.
The new building in the campus has an auditorium, accommodation for guests, more hostel rooms as well as additional academic space - faculty offices, library and lecture halls. At present, it is compulsory for all students to stay in the hostel.
Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI is an institute of higher learning, and has PhD courses in the subjects of Computer Sciences and Mathematics. In addition, CMI has been offering B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Mathematics and Computer Science. This three-year course also includes few courses in humanities and physics.
Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI also offers a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Physics. This is again a three-year course and the topics are largely in theoretical physics. In the summer after the first year, physics students go to HBCSE (under TIFR) in Mumbai for practical training and in the following year, they go to IGCAR, Kalpakkam. In 2001, Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI started to offer separate M.Sc. degrees in Mathematics and in Computer Science.
All the Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI courses are run in union and coordination with programmes at IMSc, a leading institute for research in mathematics, theoretical computer science and theoretical physics, situated in Chennai. Chennai Mathematical Institute-CMI faculty members also coordinate the training and selection of students to represent India at the International Olympiad in Informatics through the Indian Association for Research in Computer Science (IARCS).....Reading in short