The Asia Theological Association is a direct outcome of the South Pacific Congress on Evangelism held in Singapore in 1968, resulting in formation of A.T.A., and this association in turn has designed and implemented an accreditation programme for evangelical theological education in Asia.  The A.T.A. with its accreditation programme is a member body of the International Council of Accrediting Agencies, a newly-formed alliance of regional bodies from around the world, set up for promoting cooperation and improvement in evangelical theological schools.

 

In 1981 correspondence was initiated by South India Biblical Seminary with A.T.A. towards possible accreditation, and upon the completion of the "self-evaluation questionnaire" and the visit of the Visiting Evaluation Team of the A.T.A., the Seminary was granted full accreditation at the B.Th. level in 1983.

 

In 2003 correspondence was initiated by SIBS with ATA India to seek the possibility of accreditation at M.Div. level with Biblical Studies, Christian Education, Missions and Counselling majors.  With formal permission from A.T.A., M.Div. was started from the year 2004.

 

In 2003 SIBS started the One-year Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling (PGDC). In the year 2005 this one year program was affiliated to Senate of Serampore College and to Christian Medical Association of India and at that point of time, it is re-christened as Diploma in Clinical Pastoral Counselling (DCPC).

 

In 2017 SIBS initiated to begin Two Years residential Master of Theology degree program. In the process, all the required groundworks were prepared for due time ATA accreditation. Initially, the biblical branch of the New Testament would run in the first phase of upgrading higher theological education.