The GSI with the Director General as its head functions under the Ministry of Mines (MOM). The Director General has the overall responsibility of planning, programming, financial and material management of the organisation. The responsibility of overall monitoring of scientific activities, dissemination of information and advice to Govt., public and private entrepreneurs also rests with the Director General. There are six Regions (geographically based), three specialised Wings (activity based) and Training Institute, besides the Central Headquarters. The Senior Deputy Directors General/Deputy Directors General are at the helm of affairs in these Regions/Wings.

Besides having functional Units in the respective headquarters, each of the Regions comprises State based Operational Units. The specialised Wings also comprise sector wise functional Units in addition to the headquarters set-up. The Training Institute, located at Hyderabad, has satellite-training centres in different parts of the country.

The primary functions of collecting the basic geological information is carried out by GSI through its Divisions/Projects. Clusters of such Divisions and Projects, normally headed by Directors are located at the Regional and Operational offices and in many outlying stations, totalling 33 cities/towns in the country. These Divisions/Projects are manned by scientific officers, who constitute the field parties actually engaged in data collection at the ground level and in laboratories, synthesis and preparation of reports and publications.

The support activities to the geological investigations are provided by complementary divisions like geophysics, chemistry, drilling, mechanical engineering, materials management, finance and administration. Each of these establishments is based at Regional or Operational offices.