Introduction to AIISH

The All India Institute of Speech and Hearing popularly known as AIISH is a pioneer national organization advancing the causes of human resource development, research, clinical care and public education on communication disorders. The institute was established in the year 1966 as an autonomous institute fully funded by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.

Situated in a lush green campus of 32 acres adjacent to the University of Mysore in Manasagangothri, Mysore, it is a unique institute in the Asian sub-continent which houses eleven departments having state-of-the-art facilities to offer inter-disciplinary research and training to the students, Ladies hostel, Administrative, Academic, Clinical buildings and the Knowledge park along with a well equipped Library and Information Centre. There are two additional campuses one is named as Panchvati and the other newly endowed campus is at Varuna, Mysuru.

AIISH functions as an autonomous organization under the direction of the Executive Council with the Hon'ble Union Minister of Health and family welfare as chairman and the Hon'ble Minister of Health and family welfare, Government of Karnataka as the Vice-Chairman. The major objectives of the institute are to impart professional training, render clinical services, conduct research and educate the public on issues related to communication disorders such as hearing impairment, mental retardation, voice, fluency and phonological and language disorders.

The institute attracts students from all over India and abroad. It has strived in the last 6 decades in furthering the cause of professions of Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology and Special Education throughout the country. The institute started with one post-graduate program in the year 1966 and now offers 14 long-term academic programs ranging from diploma to post-doctoral degrees related to communication disorders and allied areas. Courses, such as, Diploma programs (Diploma in Hearing Aid & Earmould Technology, Diploma in Training Young Hearing Impaired Children and Diploma in Hearing Language and Speech; undergraduate programs (B.ASLP and B.S.Ed - Hearing-Impairment); post-graduate courses (M.Sc. in Audiology, M.Sc. in Speech-Language Pathology and M.S.Ed-Hearing-Impairment) are offered for students. Other than these courses, the Institute offers PhD programs in Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology, Speech & Hearing, Linguistics and Special Education. It also offers Post-Doctoral Fellowships. The institute has collaborated with other reputed institutes of the country and has initiated the Diploma in Hearing Language and Speech (DHLS) program through distance mode; aiming towards the faster rate of manpower development at the Assistant/Technician level. This program is presently running at the All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College & Hospital, Bhagalpur.

Equipped with state of art equipment and techniques, the institute provides clinical services to clients of all ages having a whole range of communication disorders. It caters to persons with speech, language, hearing and swallowing disorders. Assessment and rehabilitation services are provided to pediatric, adult and geriatric groups for any type of communication difficulties. Out-patient consultations by Audiologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, ENT specialists, Clinical Psychologists, Physiotherapists, and Occupational therapists, are offered at the institute on a regular basis. Multi-disciplinary services are also provided by a team of professionals such as Plastic surgeons, Phono-surgeon, Neurologists, Pediatrician, Orthodontists and Dieticians on a consultancy basis. Speech-language therapy, Special education, feeding and swallowing therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapies are provided at the institute on a customary basis; and also, demonstration therapy for shorter duration are provided to needy patients. The institute also offers its services through tele-mode. Tele-assessment and tele-intervention services (therapy, consultation, counseling, parental training) for persons with speech, language and hearing disorders through video-conferencing and other ICT platforms are being carried out. The institute also facilitates specialized clinical services through its special units or special clinics such as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Unit, Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Unit, Clinic for Adult and Elderly Persons with Language Disorders (CAEPLD), Dysphasia Unit, Fluency Unit, Implantable Hearing Devices Unit, Learning Disability Clinic, Listening Training (LT) Unit, Motor Speech Disorders Unit, Neuropsychology Unit, Professional Voice Care (PVC) Unit, Structural Orofacial Anomalies (U- SOFA) Unit, Vertigo Clinic and Voice Clinic. Diagnostic and therapeutic services on communication disorders are also provided through the seven newborn screening centers and 26 Outreach Service Centers (OSCs).

The institute has also been recognized as a Nodal Center for the implementation of the National Program for Prevention and Control of Deafness of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India as well as for generating manpower for the same. Owing to its academic and research excellence, the institute has been assessed and accredited by NAAC with 'A' grade. Also, it is an ISO 9001:2015 certified organization for its brilliance of quality. Furthermore, it has been recognized as College with Potential for Excellence by the UGC, and as a Collaborative Organization for the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), a Govt. of India scheme under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The Institute has been taking various steps to make the common man aware of communication disorders, educate them on prevention of the disorders and provide guidance and counseling to persons suffering from such disorders. The institute carries out various public education activities on communication disorders like monthly public lectures, preparation and dissemination of information resources, street plays and rallies, orientation lectures/sensitization programs to create awareness among public on the prevention of communication disorders. In addition, school screening, industrial screening, elderly screening and bedside screening are carried out. Also, tele-assessment and tele-intervention services to the doorsteps of persons with communication disorders across the country and abroad are being carried out.

The institute organizes communication disorder screening camps in different localities in the state and other parts of the country. As a part of the camps, extensive awareness programs are being conducted to educate the public on the prevention and management of communication disorders. In order to create awareness among parents/caregivers on the management of individuals with communication disorders, the Resource Exchange and Education through Care and Hope (REECH) program is also organized by the institute. Effective utilization of social media for public education is one of the major initiatives taken.

The institute develops and disseminates a variety of information resources on communication disorders in different media formats. The staff of the institute are actively involved in creating mass media-based public education for awareness of communication disorders in the general public, through various mass media and social media platforms in the form of newspaper and magazine publications, live Radio/Television talks, and interviews.

AIISH is proud of its alumni who occupy important positions in academic, clinical, and administrative setups not only in India but also in different parts of the world. They have made us proud by becoming active members of international societies in the area of speech, language, and hearing.

The enthusiasm to excel in reaching out to individuals with communication disorders knows no boundaries. AIISH is committed to bringing out quality professionals who can meet the challenges of helping individuals to overcome the debilitating effects of their communication disorders. We hope to set new standards so that future trained professionals are always on their toes to rise for the cause and bring change in the lives of the people in need. We are sure that our students will make us and the country proud.

The Institute has been recognised as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the field of communication disorders and was dedicated to the nation by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 20th June 2022. Envisioned as a world-class centre for persons with communication disorders, the CoE brings together academicians, clinicians, technologists, and researchers to foster interdisciplinary collaboration. Its mandate is to promote comprehensive research, provide advanced clinical services, and develop innovative assistive and surgical solutions for rehabilitation. The Centre also focuses on training, extension activities, and public empowerment through knowledge and resources, with the overarching goal of generating new insights and reducing the challenges faced by individuals with communication disorders