The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India and the University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari Campus jointly launched, in September 2007, a Centre for Excellence in Basic Sciences (CEBS) offering high-quality undergraduate teaching embedded in a postgraduate and research environment. CEBS offers a five-year Integrated M.Sc. program in the Basic Sciences for students who have completed 10+2 schooling or its equivalent and a Ph.D. programme.

A modern, flexible, integrated and seamless curriculum has been developed that places considerable emphasis on practical training and development of analytical and problem-solving skills in addition to formal learning. Some of the best teachers from University of Mumbai departments and University of Mumbai-affiliated colleges, and from proximate institutions like Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, IIT Bombay and the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, have helped design courses and are participating in teaching activities of the Centre in the areas of physics, life sciences, mathematics, chemistry.

CEBS is an autonomous centre and is governed by a Council chaired by The Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy and co-chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Mumbai. Other members of the Council include the Directors of BARC, TIFR and IIT Bombay, and the Joint Secretary (R&D) of DAE, Government of India. The complete list of members of the Governing Council is available on this website. Professor Deepak Mathur was the first Director appointed at CEBS and Professor S.M. Chitre, the first Chairperson of the CEBS Academic Board. The current CEBS Director is Prof. A. K. Tyagi