Uniform protocols and procedures for the seed quality evaluation and field standards for seed production were required during 1960s when some new maize varieties were introduced and Government’s initiative for making the quality seed of improved varieties available. In this direction the lead was taken by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi where a separate section of seed testing was established in the erstwhile Division of Botany in 1961. Later on in 1968 it was upgraded to a full-fledged Division of Seed Technology to provide leadership in maintenance breeding, seed production, certification, quality evaluation, storage, physiology, pathology, variety identification, genetic purity evaluation and DUS testing for plant variety protection, development of seed quality assessment procedures and human resource development. The present nomenclature as Division of Seed Science and Technology was given in 1984 with the following mandate.