National Institute of Social Defence

What National Institute of Social Defence does

The National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) is an autonomous body of the Government of India, established in 1961 as the Central Bureau of Correctional Services, and operating since 2002 as an autonomous society registered under the Societies Act XXI of 1860. It functions as the nodal training and research institute for social defence under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, with a mandate covering drug abuse prevention, welfare of senior citizens, transgender welfare, and beggary prevention. The institute is headquartered in New Delhi and operates with 51-100 employees across three program divisions: the National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention (NCDAP), the Senior Citizens Division, and the Transgender and Beggary Division.

NISD's product portfolio combines academic and training programs, data platforms, and direct service delivery. Academic offerings include a PG Diploma in Integrated Geriatric Care and certificate courses in geriatric care and drug de-addiction counseling, delivered both in-residence at the New Delhi headquarters and online through the TAPAS portal. Data and service platforms include the Drug Abuse Monitoring System (DAMS) for quarterly substance abuse trend capture, the Elderline 14567 national helpline for senior citizens, the Transgender Helpline (14427) and Drug De-addiction Helpline (14446), and a network of 11 Regional Resource Training Centres (RRTCs) and State Level Coordinating Agencies (SLACs) for distributed delivery. Supporting infrastructure includes a broadcast studio for IEC material production and a library of over 15,000 books and documents.

The institute is entirely grant-funded through Grant-in-Aid from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, with no commercial revenue model, no pricing for training programs (explicitly Nil fees for certificate courses), and no external investor base. Distribution relies on direct training, the RRTC/SLAC partner network, collaboration with NGOs and CBOs under multi-year empanelment cycles, and digital self-serve through TAPAS. NISD's strategic positioning as the statutory conduit between the Ministry and field-level implementation in social defence is the foundation of its operating model rather than any product-market differentiation.

Name

National Institute of Social Defence

Legal name

National Institute of Social Defence

Website

https://nisd.gov.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) is a Government of India autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, functioning as the nodal training and research institute for drug abuse prevention, senior citizen welfare, and transgender welfare, funded entirely through ministry grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Defence Training and Capacity Building Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Educational Support Services (611710), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAC)

Keywords

• Social defence training
• Drug abuse prevention
• Geriatric care education
• Senior citizen welfare
• Transgender welfare programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grant-in-Aid: The institute is primarily supported through Grant-in-aid released by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This is the primary funding source for all operations, training programs, and research activities.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) is a nodal training and research institute operating under India's Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It delivers certificate and diploma courses, capacity-building programs, research, and awareness materials in drug abuse prevention, senior citizen care, transgender welfare, and beggary prevention, and runs the Elderline helpline (14567), the Drug Abuse Monitoring System (DAMS), and the TAPAS online learning portal.

Product overview

National Institute of Social Defence (NISD) operates as a nodal training and research institute under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. The institute functions as an autonomous body offering a portfolio of programs organized into three main divisions: the National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention (NCDAP), the Senior Citizens Division, and the Transgender & Beggary Division. NISD's product suite includes both training/educational offerings (PG Diploma and certificate courses in geriatric care, drug de-addiction counseling) and service platforms (Elderline 14567 helpline, DAMS monitoring system, TAPAS online learning portal). The institute also provides a Broadcast Studio for media production and publishes newsletters and IEC materials for awareness generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drug Abuse Monitoring System (DAMS) Online database for collecting quarterly data on substance types, consumption methods, and clinical/general profiles of treatment seekers at de-addiction centres to track substance abuse trends in India.
• TAPAS (Training and Public Awareness System) Portal Online learning portal offering courses in drug de-addiction counselling, treatment, rehabilitation, and related social defence topics for trainees across India.
• PG Diploma in Integrated Geriatric Care One-year post-graduate diploma program training caregivers and professionals in gerontology, public policy, clinical geriatrics, and geriatric management.
• Three-Month Certificate Course on Geriatric Care for Bedside Assistance Three-month certificate program training bedside caregivers/assistants on body systems, mental health, infection control, nutrition, and care procedures for elderly persons; offered free of charge.
• Elderline 14567 (National Helpline for Senior Citizens) National toll-free helpline (14567) providing information, counselling, and emergency support services to senior citizens across India through a state/UT-wise service provider network.
• National Centre for Drug Abuse Prevention (NCDAP) Programs Division delivering awareness programs, training, and capacity-building activities under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for various stakeholders including students, teachers, police, prison officials, and NGOs.
• Transgender & Beggary Prevention Programs Training, skill development (e.g., Nail Art), and capacity-building programs for transgender welfare and beggary prevention, including workshops on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act.
• NISD Newsletter Monthly electronic publication documenting NISD activities, research outputs, and program updates for stakeholders in social defence.
• Broadcast Studio (Rental Service) In-house broadcast studio facility available for rental, equipped with infrastructure and equipment for creating IEC (Information, Education, Communication) materials and training media.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11 RRTCs designated for old age care training across India
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dr. R.S. Tolia Uttarakhand Academy of Administration, NainitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2026NISD signed an MoU with Dr. R.S. Tolia Uttarakhand Academy of Administration, Nainital on June 12, 2026 to strengthen capacity building on Social Defence issues. This partnership aims to enhance collaborative training and research efforts in the field of social defence.
• Regional Resource Training Centres (RRTCs) - 11 NGOs and 1 State Social Welfare BoardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEleven NGOs and one State Government Social Welfare Board have been designated as Regional Resource Training Centres (RRTCs) to provide training to service providers of ministry-supported IRCAs and Drug Treatment and Counseling Centres. RRTCs also provide documentation, advocacy, research, monitoring, and technical support services.
• State level Coordinating Agencies (SLACs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState level Coordinating Agencies serve as regional extension centres for NISD activities under NAPDDR. Annual consultative meets are organized with SLACs to plan activities and strategize key interventions based on emerging trends and experience.
• Vivekananda Institute of Values (VIVA), Ramakrishna Mission, GurugramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Senior Citizen Division of NISD collaborated with VIVA to host a One-Day Meditation and Spiritual Workshop on August 22, 2024 for senior citizens.
• Indian Yoga AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNISD developed Module on Yoga for Senior Citizens and conducted yoga classes for Senior Citizen Homes through Indian Yoga Association.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD&PR): Autonomous government body under the Ministry of Rural Development that provides training and research for rural development functionaries, structurally and operationally comparable to NISD's role in social defence training.
• Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA): Autonomous public-sector training and research institution focused on capacity building for government functionaries, sharing NISD's nodal-institute model for civil service training and policy support in social sector governance.
• National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS): Government autonomous institute of national importance that conducts training, research, and capacity building in mental health and substance abuse, directly overlapping with NISD's drug abuse prevention and de-addiction training mandate.
• National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW): Autonomous government body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, similar to NISD in structure and mandate, providing training, research, and capacity building for government functionaries and healthcare professionals in social-sector programmes.
• Central Social Welfare Board (CSWB): Government body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that coordinates welfare programmes for women and children, sharing the same parent ministry and overlapping social welfare training and NGO coordination mandate with NISD.

Emerging players

• HelpAge India: Leading non-profit focused on elder care and rights, operating senior citizen programmes, advocacy, and caregiver training that overlap with NISD's Senior Citizens Division and Elderline-related services.
• Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS): Premier social work education and research institution offering postgraduate programmes in social work, mental health, and gerontology that overlap with NISD's PG Diploma and certificate courses, though TISS operates as a deemed university rather than a training arm of a ministry.

Broad incumbents

• National Health Mission (NHM): Large-scale government initiative covering public health service delivery including mental health and substance abuse, representing a broader incumbent platform whose training and capacity-building components overlap with NISD's NCDAP activities.
• National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA): Autonomous government body under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs undertaking research, training, and policy advisory on urban issues, sharing NISD's autonomous-body governance model and ministry-driven capacity-building mandate.
• National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS): Autonomous government body under the Ministry of Education that delivers open and distance learning at scale, comparable to NISD's TAPAS online training portal in delivering structured training programs to dispersed learners.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NISD_India
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQuDfBYq__H0fmI-NehpTuQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/NISD.Ind
• Instagraminstagram.com/nisd_india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-institute-of-social-defence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Institute of Social Defence