The School of Applied Life Sciences (SALS), primarily a self financed institution, was established in 1995 to meet the increasing manpower demands in Aquaculture and other areas in the fisheries sector of Kerala.  The Institution is part of  one of the  fast developing Regional Centers of the Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies (CPAS)  at Pathanamthitta ,situated nearly 1km from the Mini Civil Station at the central junction of Pathanamthitta ,and  about 60 kms from the main campus of CPAS.This regional centre at Pathanamthitta comprises of four  Departments of which SALS  is the only one under CPAS which undertakes programmes in the broad area of Fishery Science.

The inland fishes, especially those inhabiting the rivers and streams of Western Ghats , comprise a vivid spectrum of Ichthyofauna offering challenging avenues of taxonomical, ecomorphological and biological pursuits .Although many courses have been introduced in some of the  fisheries institutions in Kerala none of them  seem to have given much importance in the study of Inland fishes of Kerala. This clearly felt need led to the establishment of SALS in the inland district of Pathanamthitta