Maarg Manthan · Topic 13.7

Department of Atomic Energy and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

Science & Technology › Nuclear Technology and Energy · Topic 13.7

The Department of Atomic Energy, DAE, is the Government of India department in charge of nuclear energy research and development, nuclear power, atomic minerals and nuclear science. It was set up on 3 August 1954 and works directly under the Prime Minister, with the Atomic Energy Commission, formed in 1948 with Homi Bhabha as chairman, as its policy body. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, BARC, at Trombay in Mumbai is India's premier nuclear research centre. It began in January 1954 as the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay, and was renamed BARC in January 1967 after Bhabha's death. It has built research reactors such as Apsara, CIRUS, Zerlina, Purnima and Dhruva, and works on reactor design, fuel, isotopes, radiation technology, agriculture and health.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Nuclear Technology and Energy

At a Glance

DAE set up 3 August 1954
Atomic Energy Commission 1948
BARC Trombay, Mumbai
First research reactor Apsara, 1956
Head of DAE Prime Minister
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Nuclear Technology and Energy

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of nuclear reactors. It presents the institutions behind India’s nuclear programme, which are often asked in questions on organisations and personalities. Previous topic: Nuclear Reactors in India (Kudankulam Project, Jaitapur Plant). Next topic: Radiation and Radioactivity.

What Are the DAE and BARC?

Body	Facts
Atomic Energy Commission	Set up in August 1948 with Homi Bhabha as first chairman. Advises on policy, and is chaired by the Secretary of the DAE
Department of Atomic Energy	Created on 3 August 1954, under the Prime Minister
BARC	Started as Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay in 1954, renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1967
Apsara	Asia’s first research reactor, a 1 MW swimming pool type reactor, started on 4 August 1956
CIRUS	Canada-India Reactor Utility Services, a 40 MW research reactor from 1960, now shut down
Dhruva	100 MW indigenous research reactor, started 1985, for isotopes and research
Other BARC reactors	Zerlina, Purnima and the new reactors

Which Other Units Come Under the DAE?

Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research: Kalpakkam, for fast reactor technology
Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology: Indore, for lasers and accelerators
Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre: Kolkata, for accelerators
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research: Mumbai, founded 1945 and funded by DAE
Tata Memorial Centre: Mumbai, cancer treatment and research
Institute for Plasma Research: Gandhinagar, for fusion and plasma science
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited: operates nuclear power plants
Other public sector undertakings: Uranium Corporation of India, Electronics Corporation of India, Indian Rare Earths, and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam

What Else Should You Remember?

Homi Bhabha: physicist who led the early programme, died in an air crash on Mont Blanc in January 1966
Vikram Sarabhai: succeeded Bhabha as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, linking atomic and space work
Raja Ramanna: scientist who headed the team for the 1974 peaceful nuclear explosion at Pokhran
1974 and 1998: India conducted nuclear tests at Pokhran in May 1974 (Smiling Buddha) and in May 1998
Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology: BRIT produces and supplies radioisotopes, as in Radiation Technologies and Their Applications
Heavy Water Board: makes heavy water for reactors
Nuclear Fuel Complex: makes fuel bundles in Hyderabad, as in Stages of India’s Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Research areas of BARC: reactor design, fuel reprocessing, waste management, radiation technology, lasers, desalination, nuclear agriculture and medicine
Bhabhatron: a cobalt-60 teletherapy machine for cancer designed by BARC
Seawater desalination: BARC has developed nuclear desalination technology
Training: Homi Bhabha National Institute is a deemed university of the DAE
Link: DAE’s nuclear safety regulator, AERB, is a separate body, as in Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and Safety Standards in Nuclear Plants
Apsara-U: a new 2 MW Apsara-Upgraded reactor at BARC began operation in 2018 and replaced the old Apsara for radioisotope production and research
Compact High Temperature Reactor: BARC is designing a small high temperature reactor for hydrogen production and remote areas
Nuclear agriculture: BARC has released over 60 improved crop varieties made by radiation induced mutation, such as groundnut and pulses
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Training School: trains new scientists and engineers for DAE units every year
Rare earths and minerals: DAE oversees the survey of atomic minerals through the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research in Hyderabad
Budget and oversight: the Atomic Energy Act gives the Government control, and the DAE budget funds research, power projects and public sector companies
Strategic and civil work: the DAE carries out both civil and strategic nuclear work, and strategic facilities remain outside international safeguards

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Dates: 1948, 1954, 1956, 1967
Names: Apsara, CIRUS, Dhruva
Units: which unit does what
Current affairs link: BARC technologies and new DAE initiatives
Common errors: confusing BARC with IGCAR or saying DAE is under the Ministry of Science

As an analytical point, DAE’s wide network of research, industry and medical institutions shows how one department has shaped India’s strategic and civil nuclear capability. Its challenge is to keep research open and linked with industry.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Dates Founding years
Reactors Apsara, Dhruva
Units DAE family

What Came Next?

The next topic covers radiation and radioactivity. Next topic: Radiation and Radioactivity.

Key People and Terms

DAE Department of Atomic Energy
AEC Atomic Energy Commission
BARC Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
IGCAR Fast reactor research centre
BRIT Isotope board
HBNI Homi Bhabha National Institute

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

DAE: 3 August 1954.
AEC: 1948.
Apsara: 1956, first in Asia.
BARC named in 1967.
Dhruva: 100 MW, 1985.

Do Not Confuse With

BARC and IGCAR Trombay general centre versus Kalpakkam fast reactor centre
DAE and AERB Promoting department versus safety regulator
AEC and DAE Policy body versus department

Memory Hook

Forty-eight the Commission, fifty-four the Department; Apsara glowed in fifty-six, sixty-seven named BARC.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for dates, names and units. These points help.

Institutions DAE network
Contribution Power to health
Reform Openness

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Describe the role of the Department of Atomic Energy and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in India’s nuclear programme.”

How to Answer

Bodies AEC, DAE, BARC.
Reactors Apsara to Dhruva.
Units Research and PSUs.
Role Power, isotopes, health.

GS Relevance

Prelims: DAE and BARC founding, reactors, units and PSUs under DAE. GS Paper 3: science and technology, nuclear institutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Department of Atomic Energy established?

The Department of Atomic Energy was established on 3 August 1954 and works directly under the Prime Minister. It is responsible for nuclear power, atomic minerals, nuclear research and related industries. The Atomic Energy Commission, formed in 1948 with Homi Bhabha as chairman, is its policy making body.

What is the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre?

The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, or BARC, at Trombay in Mumbai is India's main nuclear research centre. It started as the Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay, in 1954 and was renamed after Homi Bhabha in 1967. It works on reactors, fuel cycles, isotopes, radiation technology, agriculture, health and desalination.

Which was Asia's first research reactor?

Apsara, a one megawatt swimming pool type research reactor at Trombay, was Asia's first research reactor. It started on 4 August 1956 and was designed and built in India with British help. It was used for isotope production and neutron physics, and a new Apsara-U reactor has replaced it.

What is the Dhruva reactor?

Dhruva is a 100 megawatt research reactor at BARC, designed and built in India and started in 1985. It uses natural uranium and heavy water, and produces radioisotopes and plutonium and is used for materials research. It replaced the older CIRUS reactor as the country's main research reactor.

Which institutions come under the Department of Atomic Energy?

The DAE includes research units such as BARC, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology and the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre, aided institutions such as the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Tata Memorial Centre, and public sector companies like NPCIL, UCIL and IREL.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 The Atomic Energy Commission was formed in 1948.

True

With Homi Bhabha as chairman.

2 Apsara was India's second research reactor, built in 1985.

False

Apsara started in 1956; Dhruva in 1985.

3 BARC is located at Trombay in Mumbai.