Top Physics and Astronomy Colleges in India

While elaborating on the world of Physics, one should not forget the significant contributions of CV Raman, Tathagat Avatar Tulsi, Sisir Kumar Mitra and Aryabhatta, that will be remembered for centuries to come. Following these physics geniuses, many students are opting for top Physics colleges in India to gain the necessary knowledge and then venture into research just like them.

CV Raman’s work in the field of light scattering, Sisir Mitra’s deep investigations into ionosphere or Arya-Siddartha of Aryabhatta are some of the path-breaking contributions in the world of physics. These contributions are highly relevant in the modern world and are a source of inspiration to budding scientists in the field of physics and astronomy.

The popular physics colleges in India are constantly trying to prove their dominance in the world by producing scientists with innovative ideas and talent. Almost every state university in the country has a Physics department and a number of private colleges offer courses in Physics and Astronomy. The number of colleges has increased over the years giving the opportunity to more aspirants to pursue these courses.

In Asia, India is one of the dominant countries for physics and astronomy education. Some of the prestigious physics and astronomy colleges in India have contributed a lot to the world through their research and innovations.

CollegeDekho brings you the list of some of the top physics and astronomy colleges in India that offer structured courses in the field. All the colleges listed below have shown their dominance in world rankings too.

Top Physics and Astronomy Colleges in India

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay

IIT Bombay’s Department of Physics is one of the best in India. The premier institute bagged 34^th rank in QS Asia University Rankings 2017. The Department of Physics at this premier institute undertakes path-breaking and innovative research in Physics. Be it Nano Science or High Energy Particle Physics research, IIT Bombay has been showing its dominance in the world.

Physics Courses Offered by IIT Bombay:

• BTech in Engineering Physics
• MSc Physics
• Dual BTech-MTech in Engineering Physics
• Dual MSc-PhD in Physics

The PhD course offered by the Department of Physics of IIT Bombay is the most sought-after course among the students.

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore

For scientific research in India, IISc Bangalore is considered as one of the finest institutes. The premier science institute bagged the 51^st spot in QS Asia University Rankings 2017. The number of citations per faculty at IISc Bangalore is outstanding.

Physics Courses Offered by IISc Bangalore:

• Integrated PhD in Physics
• PhD in Physics

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras

IIT Madras is one of the reputed institutes in India, specifically for research. The premier institute carries out cutting-edge research in the fields of theoretical and computational physics, optical and laser physics and experimental solid-state physics. In QS Asia University Rankings 2017, IIT Madras bagged 48^th spot.

Physics Courses Offered by IIT Madras:

• MTech in Solid State Technology
• MSc in Physics
• Dual Degree BSc-MSc Physics
• BTech in Engineering Physics

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi

IIT Delhi is one of the top technological colleges in the country, which bagged 41^st rank in QS Asia University Rankings 2017. The premier institute is also known for its innovative research activities in diverse fields associated with Physics.

Physics Courses Offered by IIT Delhi:

• MTech in Applied Optics
• MTech in Solid State Materials
• MTech in Optoelectronics & Optical Communication
• MTech in Physics
• UG, PG & PhD courses in Physics and associated fields

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur

For science-based education in India, IIT Kanpur is considered as one of the dominant institutes. The premier institute secured 59^th rank in QS Asia University Rankings 2017. Apart from outstanding research initiatives, quality of education in IIT Kanpur is top-notch.

Physics Courses Offered by IIT Kanpur:

• PhD in Physics
• Dual Degree MSc-PhD in Physics
• MSc in Physics
• Four-year BSc course in Physics

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Mumbai

Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India has the responsibility of functioning TIFR Mumbai. Apart from Physics, the institute also undertakes innovative research in the fields of Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Biology.

The Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at TIRF offers diverse courses in the field along with excellent research activities. The department offers courses related to Astronomy in the following specialisations: -

• X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Astronomy
• Theoretical Astrophysics
• Infrared and Optical Astronomy

As far as Physics concerned, TIFR has some specific departments including Department of Nuclear and Atomic Physics, Theoretical Physics, High Energy Physics, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science.

The TIFR campus located in Pune has the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics.

University of Delhi (DU)

Department of Physics & Astrophysics at the University of Delhi offers a wide range of specializations with top-notch faculty in the country. In QS Asia University Rankings 2017, DU bagged 74^th spot.

Courses Offered by Department of Physics and Astrophysics at DU:

• M.Sc Physics
• BSc Physics
• BSc Applied Physics
• PhD

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur

As far as research is concerned, IIT Kharagpur is also one among the top premier institutes in India. It bagged the 62^nd spot in QS Asia University Rankings 2017. IIT Kharagpur is popular for its Master’s course in Physics and Research.

Physics Courses Offered by IIT Kharagpur:

• Five-Year Integrated MSc in Physics
• Joint MSc-PhD course in Physics
• PhD in Physics
• MTech in Solid State Technology

Indian Institute of Space Science & Technology (IIST), Trivandrum

IIST, located in Kerala, is one of the popular institutes for Aerospace and Astronomy courses in India. It is a deemed university and issues a separate admission notification for various courses every year.

Popular Courses Offered by IIST:

• MSc in Astronomy and Astrophysics
• MTech in Solid State Technology
• BTech in Aerospace Engineering
• MTech in Optical Engineering

Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences

ARIES is one of the leading reserach institutes of India. It is located in Nainital, Uttrakhand. ARIES has made many contribution in the development of the nation. 

Field of Reserach offered by ARIES:

• Solar Physics
• Astronomy
• Astrophysics
• Atmospheric Science

Eligibility Criteria for Physics and Astronomy in India

The first step towards getting admission to any course of physics or astronomy is clearing the eligibility criteria set for it. Candidates must check if they fulfil the conditions that are stated by their desired college for admission to the programme. The basic eligibility criteria for physics and astronomy courses in India have been listed below. It is advised to the candidates to go through the list before they proceed to apply for the course of their choice.

• For admission to bachelor level programmes like BSc, BTech, or BTech + MTech dual degree, candidates are required to have completed their education up to the higher secondary level.
• In order to be eligible for any master's level programme, the candidate must have completed graduation from a recognised university.
• PhD admissions are open to only those candidates who have a master's degree in the required subject.
• It is mandatory for the applicant to have completed the qualifying degree in a relevant stream and with the relevant subject combination. For example, BTech admissions are available only to students who have cleared class 12th in the science stream with Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry as compulsory subjects. Similarly, admission to MSc in Physics is provided to those who have done their B.Sc or any equivalent degree in Physics.
• The aggregate score of the candidate in the qualifying degree for UG admissions must be 50 per cent or more.
• For admission to PG courses in Physics or Astronomy, the candidate must have scored at least 55 per cent marks in aggregate in his/ her graduation degree.
• Usually, the students who belong to reserved categories like SC and ST are given a relaxation of 5 per cent in the aggregate score required.
• The applicant must have compulsorily received passing marks in all the exams that he/ she undertakes in the qualifying degree.
• Additionally, the candidate might also have to appear for an entrance exam that is accepted by the institute of his/ her choice for selecting applicants.

Admission Process for Physics and Astronomy in India

The admission process for Physics and Astronomy in India varies from college to college. Candidates will have to check the selection process that is followed by their choice of institutes prior to applying for the course. This will help them get an understanding of the method used by the college and the conditions that they will have to fulfil.

• In most cases, admission to Physics and Astronomy courses in the colleges of India is done through entrance exams. Candidates have to appear for national level, state level, or institute level entrance tests depending upon the college in which they seek admission.
• Some colleges conduct their own entrance tests while some accept the scores of national level competitive examinations.
• There are some institutes that might shortlist students on the basis of their marks in the qualifying degree.
• Some popular entrance exams that are conducted for UG level admissions to the institutes listed above are JEE Main and JEE Advance.
• Entrance exams like GATE and IIT Jam are conducted for providing admission to the postgraduate and doctoral level courses at various institutions.

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Other Popular Physics and Astronomy Institutes in India

Some other popular physics and astronomy colleges in India have been given below along with their fee structure.

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The admission to most of the institutes mentioned-above is based on national-level entrance exams. For example, for the admission to UG courses, JEE Advanced score is mandatory, while for PG and PhD courses, GATE/ IIT JAM score is mandatory. In most cases, respective institutes hold a separate entrance test for PhD courses. For more such news and updates stay connected to CollegeDekho!

We hope that the above information is useful to you. All the Best!