INAT – 2011, IUCAA - NCRA Admission Test

INAT 2011

IUCAA - NCRA Admission Test (INAT - 2011)

(For Research Scholarship (to do Ph.D.) in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Physics)

Applications are invited from highly motivated students for a research scholarship to do a Ph.D. at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune (an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission), or the National Centre for Radio Astrophyiscs (NCRA), Pune of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) (a deemed university and an autonomous institution of the Department of Atomic Energy).

Prospective applicants need to complete their M.Sc. (in Physics, electronics, Astronomy or Applied Mathematics) or B.E./ B.Tech./ M.E./ M.Tech (in any branch) by August 2012 with 55% marks and above.

Pre selection for a Ph.D. in IUCAA or selection for an integrated Ph.D. in NCRA is also possible. More details (including information for walk-in candidates) are provided in the following website:http://www.ncra.tifr.res.in/inat

LAST DATE TO RECIEVE ONLINE FILLED IN APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT FORMS IS OCTOBER 15, 2011.

Selection to the research scholarship will be through a written test on Janyary 5, 2012, and two interviews on January 5 and/ or 6, 2012, both to be held in Pune.

IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR:The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, and the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (NCRA-TIFR), Pune, are two leading centres of research in a wide range of areas in Physics and Astronomy and Astrophysics. IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR are located on neighbouring campuses in the Pune University Campus.

IUCAA offers challenging opportunities to young researchers in theory, observation, and instrumentation in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Recently, IUCAA has acquired a share in the 10-m Southern African Large Telescope; it also operates the IUCAA Girawali Observatory with a 2-m optical Telescope. Both telescopes have imaging, spectroscopic and polarimetric capabilities. IUCAA also has a high-performance computational facility and a good library.

NCRA-TIFR offers exciting opportunities for research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and instrumentation, with an emphasis on radio astronomy. NCRA-TIFR has built and operates the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, which is located near Pune, and is the biggest and most powerful radio telescope in the world at low radio frequencies. It has been used internationally and has led to several significant discoveries. NCRA-TIFR has modern computing facilities and a well-stocked library.

IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test (INAT-2011):The IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test (INAT-2011) is being conducted to select candidates for a research scholarship towards a Ph.D. at either IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR.

Eligibility :Applications are invited from students who expect to complete their M.Sc. or B.E/B.Tech/M.E/M.Tech. degrees by August 2012 with above 55% marks. In addition, talented final year B.Sc, 1st year M.Sc and 2nd/3rd year B.E./B.Tech. students may also apply to be PRESELECTED for a research scholarship towards a Ph.D. at IUCAA for Physics or Astronomy and Astrophysics or at NCRA-TIFR for Astronomy and Astrophysics. Students in any branch of the B.E, B.Tech, M.E. or M.Tech. degrees, or in the Physics, Electronics, Astronomy or Applied Mathematics branches of the B.Sc. or M.Sc. degrees, are eligible to apply for INAT-2011. Students who have already completed any of the above degrees are also eligible.

Students in the final year of the B.Sc. or the first year of the M.Sc. degrees (in the above branches) may also apply for selection to NCRA's integrated Ph.D. programme. Such students would attend one year of courses (taught in collaboration with IISER-Pune) before joining the IUCAA-NCRA graduate school.

Selection Procedure:
We are looking for highly motivated students with a consistently good academic record. While we strongly encourage students from engineering backgrounds to apply for INAT-2011, we emphasize that we are looking for students who are interested in carrying out doctoral research in Physics or Astronomy and Astrophysics. We hence expect prospective candidates to have a good understanding of basic physics.
The selection to a research scholarship will be through a written test and two interviews. Note that, for both IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR, the selection through INAT is in addition to the selection through the Joint Entrance Screening Test. The selection to a research scholarship is through a written test, on January 5, 2012, and two interviews, on January 5 and/or 6, 2012, both to be held in Pune.

For more information visit http://www.ncra.tifr.res.in/inat