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Indian Standard Time (IST) is the common timeline the entire country uses as the reference. All activities are scheduled based on this time.
IST is calculated through scientific methods considering India’s longitudinal position relative to the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which is located at a longitude of zero degrees.
This blog discusses what IST is, how it is calculated, and its importance in connecting all parts of India with a standardized time reference to streamline and synchronize all activities.
IST Full Form
The full form of IST is Indian Standard Time. IST is the common timeline used everywhere within India. It means officially there is no time difference between the eastern and western ends of the Indian subcontinent.
All activities, including events, academics, business, transportation, etc., follow the IST. It provides a uniform, efficient, and coordinated system for executing regional tasks and interactions.
Why is IST Required?
The longitudinal extent of India’s mainland is from 68°7’E to 97°25’E. This means that the span is approximately 29 degrees longitude.
The Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours, meaning for every 15° change of longitude, the time differs by 1 hour. So, there is a time difference of almost two hours between India’s westernmost and easternmost regions.
It would cause significant confusion in scheduling and daily life. That’s why a standard and common time is required for the Indian subcontinent. It helps organizations, businesses, institutions, and the general population to maintain a synchronized timing structure.
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IST Calculations
Indian Standard Time calculations are based on an interesting geographical concept. Considering India’s longitudinal position on the earth, there must be a time difference with UTC, which is at zero degrees longitude.
Inthe IST calculations, the 82.5 degrees East longitude is taken as the standard time zone for India which passes through almost the centre of India longitudinally. Each degree difference in longitude corresponds to a time difference of 4 minutes.
So, by calculating the time difference for 82.5 degrees, we get 82.5 x 4 minutes = 330 minutes, which is 5 hours 30 minutes. So, the Indian Standard Time is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of UTC. The time is advanced because India’s position is towards the east from the Coordinated Universal Time zone.
IST Importance
IST is the designated time standard for India. The official time zone ensures uniformity across diverse sectors.
Everyone can plan, schedule, and execute tasks with synchronized timing, minimizing confusion and discrepancies from variations in local time standards. The IST importance is explained below:
- Uniformity- IST provides a unique and uniform time reference for the entire country. It prevents all time-related confusions and variations.
- Coordination- It enables easy coordination for various activities, including transportation, business operations, and communication.
- Economic Activities- IST helps synchronize economic activities, helping businesses operate on the same schedule, which is essential for trade and commerce.
- Social and Cultural Events- Many social and cultural events and festivals are scheduled based on IST, creating a sense of order and organization.
- International Relations- IST is a reference point for communication and coordination with other countries and international organizations.
- Technological Applications- IST is crucial for accurate timekeeping in scientific research, data analysis, and technological applications.
IST History
The concept of Indian Standard Time was first adopted by the British Government on January 1, 1906. They declared that the latitude passing through Allahabad was the standard time line for India.
After independence, the Indian government took the initiative to declare IST as India’s official time for all purposes. IST was implemented on September 1, 1947. The Central Observatory, which was located in Chennai, was moved to a location in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, to keep it closer to the standard meridian of India.
IST and DST
India follows a single time system as IST throughout the year and doesn’t apply Daylight Saving Time (DST) as used in many other countries. The DST system follows a practice where an administrative order is given to advance the clocks’ timing by 1 hour in summer to take advantage of the early morning light.
Similarly, according to an order from the same authority, the clocks are delayed by 1 hour during winter. The reason that India doesn’t follow the DST is due to India’s position in the equatorial zone; there are no major variations in daylight timings.
IST Issues
India observes sun rise nearly two hours earlier in the east of India than in the far west. Since the sun rises and sets earlier in India’s Northeast regions, the activities based on IST can’t maximize the benefits of daylight.
The electricity consumption is also higher as sunsets are much earlier than official working hours. Considering the IST issues, a proposal is given on implementing two time zones in India as follows:
- IST-I: It will cover the regions falling between longitudes 68°7′E and 89°52′E
- IST-II: It covers the regions between 89°52′E and 97°25′E.
However, there are some other complexities involved in the two time zones. It requires resetting the time for each crossing time zone. It might also affect the coordination in banking, transport, and industry operations between two parts of India.
Conclusion
The full form of IST is Indian Standard Time. It standardizes the time reference across all areas and synchronizes activities in different sectors. Considering the solar time difference between east and west of the Indian subcontinent, the implementation of IST provides great benefits by maintaining consistency and uniformity. It helps avoid confusions and inconveniences with local time zones.
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FAQs on IST Full Form
Who calculates the IST?
The National Physical Laboratory of India maintains the Indian Standard Time, coordinating with the Allahabad Observatory.
Are UTC and GMT the same?
UTC is equivalent to GMT for time calculation purposes. However, GMT is from midday, whereas UTC is from midnight.
Which area of India is IST based on?
IST is calculated from the reference longitude of 82.5 degrees passing through Mirzapur district in Uttar Pradesh.
What is the UTC corresponding to IST 11:30 pm?
The IST 11:30 pm corresponds to UTC 6 pm.
