Doctoral Admissions - Department of Physics
Important Dates
Ph.D. Admission
| Task | Dates |
|---|---|
| Portal opening date | 29-09-2025 |
| Portal Closing date | 17-11-2025 |
| Date of Dispatch of Call letter | 24-11-2025 |
| Date of Examination | 08/09-12-2025 |
| Date of Declaration of Result | 12-12-2025 |
| Last Date of Payment of Fee | 02-01-2026 |
| Date of Reporting | 05-01-2026 |
Eligibility Criteria
Master’s degree in Physics or in a relevant subject with 55% marks or equivalent CPI/CGPA.
OR
Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering (typically a 4-year programme) relevant to Physics with a minimum of 75% marks or equivalent CPI/CGPA, with a valid GATE score in the relevant area.
The students awaiting their qualifying examination results are also eligible to apply. They need to submit the qualifying mark sheets and/or certificates at the time of admission.
Please note that the qualifying degree of applicant should be from an accredited university /deemed-to-be-university or an institution of higher learning of comparable standing. The eligibility criteria given above are the absolute minimum. Institute may prescribe any requirements over and above these. In case the candidates are awarded grades/CPI/CGPA instead of marks, applicant would have to produce the grade-percentage conversion criterion or formula provided by the university/institution from where the applicant has obtained the degree. In case, where, a university/institute does not provide any scheme for converting CPI/CGPA into equivalent marks, UGC and AICTE guidelines would be applicable.
For Part-Time PhD program
- The minimum qualification for these candidates is the same as for full-time candidates except for experience requirement.
- Experience required for admission to part-time Ph.D. Programmes (Physics) is
Experience required for admission to part-time Ph.D. Programmes | |
Qualifications | Work Experience (Post Qualification) |
Master’s degree in relevant subject | 1 Year |
Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering (a 4- year programme) relevant to the field in which the candidate is applying. | 3 Years |
3. The part-time candidates should submit, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the organization, in which s/he is employed, at the time of admissions giving an undertaking that s/he would be released from the normal duties to fulfill the course-work requirement (and qualifier examination, if applicable).
Note: The Institute reserves the right to decide the threshold scores obtained by the candidate in national-level examinations for admission to the Ph.D. Programme.
Admission Procedure
Admission to the Ph.D. Programme is offered to eligible candidates on the basis of an entrance examination and an interview. Consequently, all applicants who qualify in the written examination have to appear for the personal interview on the same day or very next day. Candidates who have qualified for national level fellowships like GATE, CSIR/UGC-NET-JRF, DST-INSPIRE, NBHM Ph.D. scholarship or equivalent valid fellowship in the relevant subject/discipline may be exempted from the written examination but not from the interview. No request for remote interviews would be entertained.
Candidates who have qualified NET in June 2024 or onwards may be exempted from the written test and called for personal interview directly. For merit, 70% weightage may be given for NET marks and 30% weightage for the interview. Candidate having a GATE qualified scorecard during the last five years are exempted from the written exam.
Note: DST-Inspire candidates will have two choices:
Choice 1 (Default choice): To be exempted from the written test: In this case, if finally admitted, they will not be getting any Institute fellowship and their fellowship will be subject to acceptance and approval by DST, whenever it happens. Their admission will be with fellowship status as DST-Inspire Fellowship, from the beginning.
Choice 2: NOT to be exempted from the written test: In this case, if finally admitted, they will be under Institute fellowship category until they get DST-Inspire fellowship. If they get DST-Inspire fellowship, then their fellowship status will be changed from Institute Fellowship to DST-Inspire Fellowship.
Syllabus for Ph.D. Entrance Exam
The entrance examination shall contain both objective and subjective type of questions. The syllabus for the written entrance examination shall consist of 50% of research aptitude/methodology and 50% shall be subject-specific. Research aptitude/methodology part shall be of generic nature, intended to assess the research aptitude of the candidate. This part primarily shall contain questions to test research aptitude, reasoning ability, graphical analysis, analytical and numerical ability, data interpretation, quantitative aptitude of the candidate. The subject specific syllabus is as follows:
- Classical Mechanics :
- Conservation of linear momentum, energy, and angular momentum, Lagrangian, action principle, Euler-Lagrange equations, Lagrangian formalism, Generalized coordinates, Hamiltonian, Hamilton’s equations of motion, Phase space and phase trajectories, Hamiltonian systems and Liouville’s theorem, Canonical transformations, Poisson brackets.
- Electrodynamics :Electrostatics, Gauss law and its application, Magnetostatics, Electromotive force, Faraday laws, Maxwell equations, wave equation, electromagnetic waves in vacuum, wave equation for E and B, scalar and vector potential, gauge transformations, electric and magnetic field in matter, Polarization, magnetization.
- Quantum Mechanics :Basic principles of quantum mechanics, Probabilities and probability amplitudes, linear vector spaces, Eigen states and eigenvalues, wave function, Heisenberg uncertainty principle, Schrödinger equation, one dimensional potential problems, linear harmonic oscillator, Orbital angular momentum operators, spherical harmonics, hydrogen atom problem. Charged particle in a uniform constant magnetic field, Time independent perturbation theory, Time dependent perturbation theory, variational methods.
- Statistical Mechanics : First law of thermodynamics, Second law of thermodynamics, Third law of thermodynamics, microcanonical ensemble, canonical ensemble, grand canonical ensemble, quantum statistics, phase diagrams, phase equilibria and phase transitions.
- Mathematical Methods :Orthogonal and curvilinear coordinates, Scalar and vector fields, Vector differential operators, Gauss’ theorem, Green’s theorem, Stokes theorem and their applications, Laplace and Poisson equations, Linear vector spaces and representations, Elements of complex variables, various special functions, Fourier analysis, Fourier transforms, and Laplace transforms.
Fellowship
- The institute fellowship is INR 50000/- per month for three years.
(An extension of a maximum of 6 Months (twice, at most) based on valid reasons), leading to effectively 3+1=4 years maximum fellowship period. - Provisions for semester fee waivers for both full-time and part time candidates in recognition of outstanding publications, as per the institute norms.
- Partial financial support is available to the meritorious students to attend the workshops, short term courses and for paper presentation at high quality refereed conferences as per the Institute norms.
Note:
- Students may avail financial assistantship from external funding agencies (such as UGC/CSIR/NBHM/DST/DAE etc.) as well as from industries.
- Part time candidates are not eligible for the institute fellowship.
- All Ph.D. students must work as TAs/RAs if they are being funded by the Institute.
- PhD Students are also advised to explore external financial assistance available in form of scholarships at the following links:
Major Research Areas
- Experimental Physics : Material Science, Nano materials and their applications in Optoelectronics, Organic Electronics, Flexible Solar Cells, Biosensors.
- Theoretical Physics: Cosmology, Gravity, High Energy Physics, Biophysics and Statistical Mechanics, Condensed Matter Physics.