The National Centre for Earth Science Studies(NCESS) is an autonomous research centre to promote technological and scientific research and development research in the sciences. NCESS pursues issues related to sea, land and air. It had been instituted by the government of Kerala in 1978, at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. CESS was the earliest institute in the country to adopt the concept of Earth System Science (ESS). CESS donations through the years have improved knowledge of the geological evolution of south India, the complexity of coastal processes and natural hazards, as well as in suggesting mitigatory measures to take care of natural hazards.

CESS carries out research in river basin test, groundwater control, coastal erosion, and other special problems. CESS does research in the earth system, micro-level watershed planning, natural hazards management, compound investigation, CRZ mapping, and research of atmosphere, water, land, noise pollution, etc..

CESS conducts research courses leading to a doctoral level.

Recognizing the growth potential of CESS, resource constraints of this State Government and the role CESS can play in national development, the government of Kerala suggested the taking over of the institute from the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India. An expert committee created an assessment of the scientific programs pursued by the institute and deliberated on a long-term vision for the institute as a federal centre. The predicted thrust regions of research would be crustal evolution and geodynamics, sedimentology and depositional processes, coastal dynamics and cloud microphysics.

The overall estimated budget demands of CESS will probably be Rs.128.67 crore for the balance period of the 12th FYP.