Research at Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics – Mathrubhumi English

Kozhikode: Applications have been invited from highly motivated students for the award of 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 at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA-TIFR), Pune, a centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Pune Campus.

The selection for the research scholarship will be through IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test (INAT) 2017, a written test at IUCAA, on December 7, 2017 (Thursday) and two interviews on December 7 and/ or 8, 2017 (Thursday and Friday), at NCRA-TIFR, Pune.

Eligibility: Students in any branch of 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-2017.

Those expecting to complete their M.Sc./Integrated M.Sc./M.E./M.Tech degrees by July 2018 with a minimum of 55% marks will be eligible for selection to the Ph.D. programme of both IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR. Those who complete their B.E./B.Tech degrees by July 2018 are eligible for selection to the Ph.D. programme at IUCAA and to the Integrated Ph.D. programme at NCRA-TIFR.

Students who complete their B.Sc. degrees by July 2018 will be eligible for selection to the Integrated Ph.D. programme at NCRA-TIFR and for pre-selection to the Ph.D. programme at IUCAA. In addition, talented final-year B.Sc., 1st year M.Sc., 3rd/4th year Integrated M.Sc. and 2nd/3rd year B.E./B.Tech students may also apply to be pre-selected for the Ph.D. programme at IUCAA.

Those who have already completed any of the above degrees are also eligible.

Applicants should have consistently good academic record. Students from engineering backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply for INAT-2017. Applicant should be interested in carrying out doctoral research in Physics or Astronomy and Astrophysics and should have a good understanding of basic Physics.

Written Test: The Written Test will be of 2 hours duration. The question paper will have two parts, A and B with Part A containing 20 objective-type questions on basic Mathematics, Physics and Electronics. Part B will also have 20 objective-type questions from advanced Physics, Mathematics and Electronics/Engineering. For each question, candidates will have to identify and mark the correct answer from the given four answers. Each correct answer will carry 3 marks while for each wrong answer, one mark will be deducted.

Interview: Based on the performance in the written test, a limited number of candidates will be invited for two interviews, which will be conducted on December 7 and/or 8, 2017 by two different committees.

Final Selection: The final selection will be based on the scores in the written test and interviews.

Candidates selected by either IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR are expected to join in August 2018 (except for pre-selected candidates), after satisfactory completion of their qualifying examination.For both IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR, the selection through INAT is in addition to the selection through the Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST).

Application: Applications can be submitted at the Apply Online link, at http://inat.ncra.tifr.res.in/INAT2017/. Applicant must first register by entering name and valid e-mail address in the appropriate registration boxes at http://inat.ncra.tifr.res.in/INAT2017/candidate/ApplyOnline.ncra.

An application password will then be automatically sent to the candidate's e-mail address; the e-mail address and the password must be entered in order to fill out the Online Application Form. The Application Form also requires the names and e-mail addresses of two referees.

Online Application Form has to be submitted by September 15, 2017. When the form is submitted, the candidate will receive an e-mail containing his/her Online ID, an account password, and confirmation that s/he has applied for INAT-2017. E-mails will also be automatically sent to the two referees, requesting them to fill and submit the online Confidential Assessment Form. The candidates should inform their referees about the Assessment Form. The last date for the online submission of the Assessment forms is September 20, 2017.

Each applicant must submit his/her Application Form before the referee fills the Assessment Form. Applicants may send e-mail to the Co-ordinator at inat@ncra.tifr.res.in in case of any problems with the online forms.

Based on the applications and referee assessments, applicants will be short-listed and invited to take the written test, to be held in Pune on December 7, 2017 (Thursday). All candidates who are invited to take the IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test should bring the Admit Letter with them. For the written test, the candidates should bring a pen, a pencil (HB), an eraser, and a simple mathematical calculator.

Those with more than 55% in the qualifying examination may walk-in for the written test by producing valid photo identification and bringing a copy of his/her most recent mark sheet. They should report at the Chandrasekhar Auditorium, IUCAA by 9 a.m for verification of these documents, to ensure that there are no logistical problems.

Based on the marks in the written test candidates will be shortlisted and invited to attend two interviews, by two different committees. Candidates have to bring all original mark sheets (starting from Class X) and any other relevant certificates when attending the interviews.

All outstation candidates who are invited to take the test will be paid travel support as per the prevailing rules. Outstation candidates will be paid one and one-third times the train/bus fare by second-class sleeper from their place of residence, as given in the INAT-2017 Application Form, to Pune and back by the shortest route, as well as a halting allowance, as per the prevailing rules, for each day of stay for the interviews. In the case of walk-in candidates, travel support will be paid as per rules only to those candidates who qualify for the interviews.

The final selection will be based on a combination of the marks obtained in the written test and the interviews.

Limited accommodation, restricted to candidates who will appear for the written Admission Test, may be available on the IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR campuses at a nominal charge. Those who wish to avail of this accommodation should send an e-mail request to the Coordinator, INAT-2017; at the e-mail address inat@ncra.tifr.res.in, before November 15, 2017.

Candidates should apply online at http://inat.ncra.tifr.res.in/inat. More details, including eligibility for selection to the different programmes at IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR as well as information for walk-in candidates, are available at the same URL.

Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) (An Autonomous Institution of the University Grants Commission) Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, S. P. Pune University Campus, Pune 411 007, India. Tel: +91 20 2560 4100 | Fax: +91 20 2560 4699 Website: http://www.iucaa.in.

National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Post Bag 3, Ganeshkhind, S. P. Pune University Campus, Pune 411 007, India. Tel: +91 20 2571 9000 | Fax: +91 20 2569 2149;Website: http://www.ncra.tifr.res.in ;http://inat.ncra.tifr.res.in/INAT2017/candidate/welcome.ncra