NISER has been set up at Bhubaneswar and has started functioning from Institute of Physics (IOP) campus. However, it will function with its own administrative and financial setup. The Governing Council of IOP was the apex body for NISER in the initial years. Its progress and activities on various fronts is being monitored by a Board of Governors consisting of eminent scientists from various fields in addition to representatives from DAE and Govt. of Orissa.