Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in the Catholic Church are popularly known as Religious Congregations. These Institutes are divided in the Eastern Catholic Church Law (Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches - CCEO) as Monasteries, Hermitages, Orders, Congregations, Societies of Common Life in the Manner of Religious, Secular Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life. The difference between these Institutes and Societies is mainly on the basis of the nature of the vow they profess and the rigorousness or the less rigorousness of their life-style. The Church Law envisages also the emergence of new forms of consecrated life.

All these Institutes and Societies are further divided into three categories, namely of Pontifical, Patriarchal/Major Archiepiscopal or Diocesan Right. A Religious Institute canonically erected or approved by the Pope is known as Pontifical. Similarly those erected or approved by a patriarch is known as Patriarchal and those by a major archbishop is known as major archiepiscopal. On the other hand Religious Institutes canonically erected or approved by diocesan bishops are known as diocesan or eparchial. In an Institute of Pontifical Right normally permissions etc. are to be obtained from the Pope. In other two cases they are to be obtained from the Patriarch/Major Archbishop or the diocesan bishop as the case may be.

In each of the Churches that make up the Catholic Communion there have come into existence various types and categories of Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life according to the needs of time and place. The institutes for men are divided into clerical and non-clerical. Clerical comes from the word clergy. If the members of a given Institute or Society are priests then it is called clerical. In some Institutes the members are not priests, but they are known as brothers. Such institutes are called non-clerical.

There is no clear evidence for the existence of Religious Institutes in the Syro-Malabar Church before the arrival of the missionaries from the Latin Church under the Portuguese Padroado regime that was introduced in India in the 16 th century. The reason could have been the Indian tradition of having individual ascetical life. There is little evidence for any attempt on the part of the East Syrian Bishops who governed the Indian Church until the end of the 16 th century either to found any Religious Institute here. With the arrival of the Portuguese there were some attempts here and there to begin some form of organized religious life. Finally the first Indian Religious Institute for men came into existence under the initiatives of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Thomas Porukara and Thomas Palackal. The first Institute for women Congregation of the mother of Carmel ( CMC ) was started on 13 February 1866 by blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Fr. Leopold OCD. The first Institute with exclusively non-clerical members, Congregation of St. Therese of Child Jesus (CST) was founded at Mookannur in 1931.

Ever since the first Religious Institute was founded by Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara a number of Religious Institutes and Societies both for men and women took origin in the Syro-Malabar Church. There are also some Institutes, though their members imitate the life of Religious, are not canonically erected as a Religious Institute. They are called pious unions. They are capable of becoming Religious Institute in due course.

At the same time many young men and women from the Syro-Malabar Church joined the Religious Institutes belonging to the Latin and Malankara Churches as well. In some of them there were considerable number of Syro-Malabarians. Following the teaching of the Church in the Second Vatican Council some of them started their Syro-Malabar provinces or regions.

About the middle of the 20th century Religious Institutes of Latin Church of mainly European origin began to recruit candidates from India when they had a steep fall in the number of vocations in Europe. Many of these Institutes eventually established in India their own houses, some of them in the Latin Church and some others in the Syro-Malabar Church. In the course of time the foundations of some in the Syro-Malabar Church became Syro-Malabar regions or provinces of those Latin Congregations. Yet some others who do not have the system of provinces started entirely independent branches in the Syro-Malabar Church.

The Religious Institutes that exist in the Syro-Malabar Church currently can be put into one or other of the categories mentioned above. There are a total of 209 Religious Institutes in the Syro-Malabar Church. Among them 49 are of Syro-Malabar origin and one is of Syro-Malankara origin. All the rest are of Latin origin either in India or abroad.

Institutes for Men

Of Syro-Malabar Origin:

Clerical:
• Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI)

• Missionary Congregation for the Blessed Sacrament (MCBS)

• Vincentian Congregation (VC)
• Congregation of St Therese (CST Fathers)

• Missionary Society of St Thomas the Apostle (MST)

• Oblates of the Sacred Heart (OSH)
• Missionaries of St. Pius X (MSP)

Non Clerical:
• Congregation of St Therese (CST Brothers)
• Malabar Missionary Brothers (MMB)

Of Latin Origin:

Clerical:

• Association of Christ Redeemer Idente Missionaries of Christ Crucified (M.Id)

• Claretian Missionary Fathers (CMF)

• Clerics Regular Minor Adorno Fathers (CRM)

• Congregation of the Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists- CSsR)

• Congregation of Mission (CM)

• Congregation of the Rogationists of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (RCJ)

• Congregation of the Rosarians (CR)

• Congregation of the Sons of Immaculate Conception (CFIC)

• Friars Minor Capuchins

• Holy Cross Fathers (CSC)

• Indian Missionary Society (IMS)

• Josephites of Murialdoaries of Christ Crucified

• Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette

• Missionaries of St Francis Sales (MSFS)

• Oblates of St. Joseph (O.S.J)

• Order of Carmelites (O.Carm)

• Order of Discalced Carmelites (OCD)

• Order of Friar Minors Capuchin (OFM Cap)

• Order of Friar Minors Conventuals (OFM Conv)

• Order of Praemonstrense (O. Praem.- Norbertines)

• Order of St Benedict (OSB)

• Order of St Camillus (OSC)

• Order of the Most Holy Trinity (OSST - Trinitarians)

• Pallotines (SAC)

• Poor Servants of Divine Providence (PSDP)

• Priests of the Sacred Heart (S.C.J)

• Sacerdotal Secular Institute of Apostolic Sodales (AS)

• Sacred Heart Fathers

• Salesians of Don Bosco (SDB)

• Secular Institute of Schonstatt Fathers

• Society of Divine Vocation

• Society of Divine Word (SVD)

• Society of Jesus (SJ)

• Society of St Paul (SSP)

• Society of St. Francis Sales

• Third Order Regular (TOR)

Non Clerical:

• Congregation of Alexian Brothers (CAB)
• Congregation of the Missionaries of St Francis Sales (CMSF)
• Congregation of St Gabirel (Montfort)
• Don Bosco Lay Association (DBLA)
• Hospitaler Order of St John of God (OH)
• Missionaries of Charity (MC)
• Brothers of the Holy Cross (ORC)
• Society of the Brothers of St Patrick (FSP)

Of Syro-Malankara Origin:

• Order of The Imitation of Christ (OIC)

Institutes for Women

Of Syro-Malabar Origin:

• Apostolic Sisters of Mary Immaculate (ASMI)
• Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate (Greengardens- ASMI))

• Caritas Secular Institute
• Congregation of The Holy Family (CHF)
• Congregation of The Mother Of Carmel (CMC)
• Congregation of The Sisters Of Charity (CSC)

• Congregation of the Sisters of Martha
• Congregation of The Sisters Of Nazareth (CSN)

• Daughters of St Thomas (DST)
• Deena Bandhu Samaj (DBS)

• Fervent Daughters of the S Heart of Jesus (FDSHJ)
• Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC)

• Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary

• Josephine Sisters (JS)
• Little Apostles of Redemption (LAR)
• Little Sisters of Divine Providence (LSDP)
• Little Sisters of St Terese (LST)

• Medical Mission Sisters (MMS)
• Medical Sisters of St Joseph (MSJ)
• Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate (MSMI)
• Nazareth Sisters (NS)

• Sacred Heart Congregation (SH)
• Sadhu Sevana Sabha (SSS)
• Samaritan Sisters (SS)
• Secular Institute of Mary Immaculate
• Sisters of Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament (SABS)
• Sisters of Our Lady of Carmel (O.Carm)

• Sisters of Destitute (SD)
• Sisters of Jesus (SJ)
• Sisters of St Martha
• Sisters of St Thomas (SST)
• Sisters of Visitation of the Most Blessed Virgin (SVM)
• Snehagiri Missionary Sisters (SMS)
• Society of Devapriya Sisters (DP)
• Society of Kristhudasis (SKD)
• Society of Ladies of Mary Immaculate (SLMI)
• Society of Nirmaladasikal (SND)
• Society of the Sisters of Bl. Alphonsa (SBA)

• St Joseph's Congregation (SJC)
• Sadhu Sevana Sabha (SSS)

Of Syro-Malankara Origin:

• Daughters of Mary (DM)

• Sisters of the Imitation of Chirst (SIC)

Of Latin Origin:

• Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC)

• Ancillae Secular Institute (ASI)

• Apostolic Carmel (AC)

• Apostolic Oblates (AO)

• Association id of Christ the Redeemer Idente Missionaries Of Christ Crucified

• Augustinian Sisters (OSA)

• Augustinian Sisters of Most Holy Annunciation

• Augustinian Sisters of Servants Of Jesus And Mary

• Benedictine Sisters of St Lioba (OSB)

• Carmelite Missionaries (CM)

• Carmelite Sisters of Charity of Vedruna (CCV)

• Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa (CSST)

• Compassioniste Servents Of Mary Sisters

• Congregation of Catechist Sisters Of St. Anne

• Congregation of Charity of the Good Shephered of Angels (RGS)

• Congregation of Jesus Mary Joseph (JMJ)

• Congregation of St Anne

• Congregation of Teresian Carmelites (CTC)

• Congregation of The Apostolic Carmel

• Congregation of the Handmaids of Mary (HM)

• Congregation of The Sisters Of St. Charles Borromeo

• Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood (DCPB)

• Daughters of Divine Providence (DDP)

• Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA)

• Daughters of Nazareth

• Daughters of Our Lady of Protection

• Daughters of Presentation of Mary in the Temple (DPM)

• Daughters of Sacred Heart of Jesus (DSHJ)

• Daughters of St Camillus (DSC)

• Daughters of St Francis de Sales (DSFS)

• Daughters of St Joseph (DSJ)

• Daughters of St Mary of Leuca (DML)

• Daughters of the Church (EF)

• Daughters of the Cross of Liege (FC)

• Daughters of The Crowned Virgin

• Daughters of The Divine Zeal

• Daughters of The Heart Of Mary

• Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

• Daughters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (DSHJ)

• Deena Sevana Sabha (DSS)

• Deena Sevana Sabha (DSS)

• Disciples of Christ (DC)

• Domenican Sisters of Our Lady Of Rosary

• Dominican Sisters of Presentation (OP)

• Dominican Sisters of the Holy Trinity

• Franciscan Clarist Missionaries of the Most Blessed Sacrament

• Franciscan Handmaids of the Good Shepherd (FHGS)

• Franciscan Missionaries of Mary

• Franciscan Missionaries of Mary (FMM)

• Franciscan Missionaries of St Clare (FMC)

• Franciscan Sisters of All Saints (FSAS)

• Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen (OSF)

• Franciscan Sisters of Holy Annunciation (FSHA)

• Franciscan Sisters of Mary of Angels (FSMA)

• Franciscan Sisters of Sacred Heart (FSSH)

• Franciscan Sisters of St Elizabeth (FSSE)

• Franciscan Sisters of St Joseph (FSSJ)

• Franciscan Sisters of The Immaculate Heart of Mary (FIH)

• Handmaids of Mary (HM)

• Handmaids of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus

• Hospitalar Sisters of Mercy (HS)

• Institute of Daughters of St Joseph (DSJ)

• Institute of the sisters of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

• International Medical Association (IMA)

• Little Daughters of St Francis Xavier (LDFX)

• Little daughters of St John Gaulbert (LDSJG)

• Little Sisters of Christ (LSC)

• Little Sisters of Mother of Sorrows (LSMS)

• Little Workers of the Sacred Hearts (LWSH)

• Marian Congregation of The House Of Charity

• Missionaries of Charity (MC)

• Missionaries of Little Flower (MLF)

• Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (MMI)

• Missionaries of Mary Mediatrix (MMM)

• Missionary Sisters of Ajmeer (MSA)

• Missionary Sisters of Immaculate (MSI)

• Missionary Sisters of Incarnation

• Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver (SSPC)

• Missionary Sisters of the Queen of the Apostles (SRA)

• Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSPS)

• Oblate Missionaries of Mary Immaculate (OMMI)

• Order of Poor Clares Colletines

• Order of The Most Holy Saviour And St. Bridget

• Passionist Sisters of St. Paul Of The Cross

• Pious Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM)

• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration

• Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration (PCPA)

• Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ (PHJC)

• Prabhu Dasi Sisters of Ajmeer (PSA)

• Religious of Assumption (RA)

• Riparatrix Sisters of The Sacred Heart

• Salesian Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMMI)

• Schoenstatt Secular Institute

• School Sisters of St Francis (OSF)

• Servants of Mary (SM)

• Servants of Our Immaculate Lady (SOIL)

• Seva Missionary Sisters of Mary (SMSM)

• Sisters Hand Maids of Charity  Of Vincent De Paul (SMCD)

• Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary (SCJM)

• Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Good ad Perpetual Succour (BPS)

• Sisters of Charity of Saints (SCS)

• Sisters of Charity of SSB Capitanio And V. Gerosa

• Sisters of Charity of St John of God (SCJG)

• Sisters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul (SCV)

• Sisters of Charity of the Holy Cross (Ingenbhol) SCSC)

• Sisters of Charity  of St. Anne

• Sisters of Chrity of St Anne (SCHSA)

• Sisters of Divine Vocation

• Sisters of Dorothy (DSHS)

• Sisters of Holy Nativity

• Sisters of Mary Help of Christians (SMA)

• Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI)

• Sisters of Mercy of St. Mariya Madgalena Postel

• Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross (SCSC)

• Sisters of Mount Calvary (SMC)

• Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima (FS)

• Sisters of Our Lady of Mission (RNDM)

• Sisters of Our Lady of Providence (OLP)

• Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows Servants Of Mary Of Pisa

• Sisters of Our Lady of the Garden (OLG)

• Sisters of Providence (SDP)

• Sisters of Providence of Gap (SPG)

• Sisters of Redemption

• Sisters of Servants of Mary (SM)

• Sisters of St Agatha (SSA)

• Sisters of St Anne of Providence (SA)

• Sisters of St Anne of Tiruchirappilly (SAT)

• Sisters of St Francis of Assisi (OSF)

• Sisters of St John of the Baptist (SJB)

• Sisters of St Joseph

• Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy (SJA)

• Sisters of St Joseph of Chamberry

• Sisters of St Joseph of Cluny (SJC)

• Sisters of St Joseph of Lyons (SJL)

• Sisters of St Joseph of St Marc (SJSM)

• Sisters of St Joseph of St Trudpert (SJST)

• Sisters of St Philip Nery (SFN)

• Sisters of the Cross of Chavanad (SCC)

• Sisters of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorian Sisters SDS)

• Sisters of The Holy Cross Menzingen

• Sisters of the Holy Spirit (SHSP)

• Sisters of The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (M.S.C. Sisters)

• Sisters of the Poor of St Catherine of Sienna (SDP)

• Sisters of The Sacred Heart (SSH)

• Sisters of the Sacred Heart (SSH)

• Society of Catholic Medical Missionaries (SCMM)

• Society of Helpers of Mary (SHM)

• Society of Our Lady Of The Way (Secular Institute)

• Society of the Sisters of St Anne of Luzern

• Ursuline Sisters of Tildonk (OSU)

• Ursulines of Mary Immaculate (UMI)

• Visitation Congregation