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IUCAA-NCRA Graduate School

The IUCAA-NCRA Graduate School (conducted jointly with the TIFR-National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune) is meant for the Ph.D. students of IUCAA and NCRA. Coursework is divided into two semesters spread over one year. Each semester is of roughly fifteen weeks’ duration split into two halves. Students are taught courses in astronomy and astrophysics.

The course structure can be found here.

* Please note that not all elective courses may be offered in a given academic year.

+  Project work will be undertaken in the last two months of the second semester.

Syllabus:

The courses are designed, emphasizing the aspects which are directly relevant to Astronomy and Astrophysics. It is assumed that unnecessary repetition of material which is already taught at M.Sc. is avoided. While selecting students for IUCAA/NCRA we usually ensure that the student is familiar with physics at the level of M.Sc. and there is no need for routine material to be repeated in the graduate course.

The syllabus provides enough avenues for topics which are of "local interest" to be included in the graduate school. This is necessary so that graduate students coming out of IUCAA/NCRA not only have a comprehensive grasp of Astronomy and Astrophysics but are also aware of the key research areas in which these two institutions are concentrating at present.

The detailed syllabus for each course can be found here.

Grading System:

Marks out of 100
< 41 1 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 - 100
C B Minus B B Plus A Minus A A Plus
  

Important Points for Coursework:


  1. A Research Scholar getting less than 41 % marks (grade C) fails the course.
  2. A Research Scholar getting more than two C grades (less than 41% marks) during the coursework will be disqualified from the programme.
  3. An overall performance of 65% or higher is required to meet the Graduate School's requirements.
  4. A Research Scholar must clear all core Graduate School courses before they submit their thesis proposal to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
  5. A Research Scholar must complete at least 2 elective credits (usually one course) by the end of the second year.
 
 Important Points Post Coursework:

A Research Scholar must submit a progress report to their RAC every six months.

  1. The grades assigned by the RAC should be understood to have the following meanings:
    A- or higher: The student is performing well.
    B+: The student is performing below par, but the supervisor and RAC feel that the student can improve with some effort. This grade is then intended to be a warning signal to the student.
    B or lower: The student has not performed well despite an earlier B+ grade, and the supervisor and RAC are concerned that the Ph.D. may not be completed to their satisfaction.
    A grade of B or lower will trigger the sequential process listed in 2 below.
  2. A grade of B or lower in any evaluation must necessarily be based on both a presentation and a written report by the student to the RAC, regardless of whether the evaluation stage is mid-year, end-year or mid-semester. For subsequent evaluation, a grade of B or lower may be assigned only if the grade in the previous evaluation was B+ or lower, and should be accompanied with a detailed justification. If a student is awarded a grade of B or lower in a particular six-monthly evaluation, the next evaluation must take place three months later, i.e. mid-semester. This mid-semester evaluation must necessarily consist of both a presentation by the student to the RAC and a written report, regardless of the grade eventually assigned. If the grade in this mid-semester evaluation is again B or lower, then in the subsequent mid-year or end-year evaluation, as the case may be, the Chair, TPC shall attend the evaluation presentation as an observer. If the assigned grade is again B or lower, the next evaluation will again be three months later, i.e., mid-semester, with Chair, TPC and Dean, CAP both attending the presentation as observers.
  3. Starting from the evaluation at the time of submission of Thesis Proposal, if a student gets four consecutive B or lower grades in the evaluation, the RAC may decide to recommend the cancellation of Ph.D. registration and fellowship of the student to TPC. This is in compliance with Clause 11.4 of the JNU ordinance received on May 22, 2024 in effect retrospectively from the Academic Year 2022-23 onwards. This timeline will ensure that the underperforming student will not be dismissed abruptly but rather have a span of one year (i.e. Four quarterly evaluations) to demonstrate sustained improvement.
  4. The evaluation grade assigned by the RAC in each cycle will be conveyed along with the written feedback from the RAC to each student, regardless of the grade assigned, by the Dean CAP’s office.
  5. The above policy will be enforced from the August 2024 semester for all Ph.D. students enrolled at IUCAA
  1. Any Research Scholar getting less than 41 % marks (grade C) fails the course.
  2. Any Research Scholar can get only two Cs (less than 41 % marks) overall.
  3. If any Research Scholar gets three or more Cs overall, then he/she will be asked to leave the Graduate School.
  4. At the end of the Graduate School, the overall performance should be B+ (65%) or above.
  5. Any Research Scholar satisfactorily fulfils all the above norms is said to clear the Graduate School successfully.
  6. All Research Scholars must clear all core Graduate School courses before they submit their thesis to the Jawaharlal Nehru University.
  7. All Research Scholars must complete at least 2 elective credits (usually one course) by the end of the second year.
  8. All Indian Research Scholars should pass the CSIR/UGC NET JRF (or at least Lecturership (LS)) within two years of joining IUCAA.

IUCAA Ph.D. Programme

We are now accepting applications for IUCAA's Ph.D. Programme through IUCAA National Admission Test (INAT-2027).

>> Please click here for more details

We are now accepting applications for IUCAA's Ph.D. Programme 2026.
(For those who have qualified in JEST-2025/JEST-2026 and/or CSIR-UGC NET for JRF (Physics) 2024 & 2025)

>> Click here to apply.
>> [ The Deadline for receipt of applications: May 28, 2026 ]

 

We have now stopped accepting applications for IUCAA's Ph.D. Programme 2026.

Please "click here" to view the list of candidates shortlisted for Ph.D. Interviews based on INAT-2026 written examination.

Applications are invited from eligible candidates for admission into the Ph.D. programme of the institute based on JEST 2025 or valid CSIR/UGC-JRF scores and two rounds of interviews.

Note: The application for admission to the Ph. D. programme has been closed. The interviews for JEST-2025 / CSIR-UGC NET(JRF) qualified candidates will be held on August 11 - 12, 2025 at IUCAA, Pune. The candidates shortlisted for interviews will be informed via email shortly.

Candidates applying solely based on the JEST-2025 score may do so by providing their Roll Number and other JEST-2025 application details. These candidates will be shortlisted for Ph.D. interviews, subject to the timely declaration of JEST-2025 results.

Candidates applying based on valid CSIR/UGC-JRF scores may also do so by using the application form below. These candidates will be shortlisted for the Ph.D. interviews based on the details of the valid CSIR/UGC-JRF scores provided by them in the application form.

Interested candidates may apply by clicking here. The further extended last date to apply is July 24, 2025.  

The intake of students into IUCAA's Ph.D. Programme is through

  1. IUCAA National Admission Test (INAT)

    INAT is conducted by Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune. This test will be conducted on Third Sunday of January in various cities across the country in addition to Pune. The list of candidates shortlisted for two rounds of in-person interviews to be conducted at IUCAA, Pune will be published on our website tentatively after 15-20 working days of the written test.

    • Link to apply online for INAT-2026: https://inat.iucaa.in
    • Application deadline: November 24, 2025
    • Last date for online submission of Assessment forms: November 26, 2025
    • Admission (Written) test: January 18, 2026
    • Short-listed candidates will be interviewed on: To be announced

  2. Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST)

    JEST written test is conducted in February-March every year at more than 30 centres across the country. For more details about JEST, test syllabus, sample question papers, etc. please visit http://www.jest.org.in/

  3. CSIR-UGC NET for JRF (Physics)

    Only those who have qualified for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in the previous two years are eligible to apply. Those who have qualified for only Lecturership are NOT ELIGIBLE.

Eligibility:

The academic year at IUCAA begins in August every year. Students, who expect to complete their M.Sc. degree (in Physics, Applied Physics, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Electronics, or Astronomy) or B.E./ B.Tech./ M.E./ M.Tech. degree (in any branch) with 55% marks or more by July are eligible to apply. In addition, talented final year B.Sc., 1st year M.Sc. (in Physics / Applied Physics / Electronics / Astronomy / Applied Mathematics), 2nd / 3rd year Integrated M.Sc. and 2nd / 3rd year B.E. / B.Tech. (any branch) students can also apply to be PRE-SELECTED for research scholarship (to do Ph.D.) at IUCAA.

A relaxation of 5% in the qualifying marks, from 55% to 50%, is applicable for candidates belonging to SC/ ST/ OBC-NCL/ EWS or Person with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category.

We are looking for highly motivated students with consistently good academic record. Students who have already completed the above degrees can also apply. Selection to research scholarship is through a written test and interviews.

Application procedure, shortlisting of candidates and interviews:

  1. INAT: The application procedure is completely online. Offline applications are not accepted. No fee is charged for applying. Screening committees involving IUCAA faculty members evaluate the applications and shortlist students for the written test to be conducted in various cities across country. Candidates who qualify in the written test are invited via email to appear for two rounds of interviews at IUCAA, Pune. The dates of interviews will be communicated to the shortlisted candidates via registered email IDs.
  2. JEST: The application procedure is completely online. Offline applications are not accepted. An application fee is charged, details of which are available at https://www.jest.org.in/ This test is conducted at various cities throughout India. After the declaration of JEST results, students are required to apply online. Screening committees involving IUCAA faculty members evaluate the applications and shortlist students for interviews. All such shortlisted students are informed by email. Interviews are conducted either during May or June every year.
  3. CSIR-UGC NET for JRF (Physics): Students are required to apply online. Screening committees involving IUCAA faculty members evaluate the applications and shortlist students for interviews. All such shortlisted students are informed by email. Interviews are conducted either during May or June every year. Please note that the student has to produce a letter from the CSIR-UGC informing qualification as JRF at the time of interview.

Associateship Programme

Visitors

Refresher Course

ICARD

University Programmes

Associateship Programme ( Current Associates List )

The online application link will be made available here on March 15, 2020. The last date for applying will be May 31, 2020.

One important component of IUCAA's academic activities is the Associateship Programme, under which a faculty member of an Indian university or a post-graduate department in a college can visit IUCAA for periods of short and long durations over a span of three years to develop his or her interest and expertise in astronomy and astrophysics.

The Associateship Programme has been designed to promote mobility and, to this end, the travel and local living expenses of an associate for these visits will be borne by IUCAA as per its rules. The associate will continue to carry out the existing commitments at his or her parent organisation. However, since IUCAA has been created by the UGC as a field station for these activities, it is expected that those visiting IUCAA under this programme will be treated as on duty by their respective organisations.

We have now stop accepting applicaiton for Associateship Programme (2026 - 2029)
We are currently accepting applications for Associateship Programme (2026 - 2029): Click here to apply online for the current year.
  • Last date for receipt of applications: May 01, 2026
  • Last date for receipt of referees reports: May 04, 2026

Applications are invited for associateships for a tenure of three years, starting from August 1, every year. Please apply online at the link which will be accessible from April 1 onward till the first week of May.

The selected candidates are usually informed by the end of July every year.

For any queries, please send email to the Administrative Officer (Visitor Services) at vs followed by @iucaa.in

Refresher Course in Astronomy and Astrophysics

Click here to view the Refresher course announcement poster.

IUCAA conducts a Refresher Course in Astronomy and Astrophysics for teachers at Indian universities and colleges for five weeks from the middle of May to the middle of June. The course is held in person at IUCAA every odd year. The topics generally include observational and theoretical aspects of astronomy and state-of-the-art methods of data analysis.

This year a topic-specific, two-week Refresher Course will be held at site in IUCAA from the 25th of June to the 5th of July 2025.

For any enquiries regarding the Refresher Course, please email Coordinator - Prakash Arumugasamy at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.