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Updated By Ankita Jha on 07 Nov, 2025 08:39
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JEST Counselling Process 2026: The Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) is an entrance exam in India for those seeking admission to PhD and Integrated PhD programs in fields like physics, theoretical computer science, neuroscience, and computational biology. It is organized by leading institutes such as IISc, IISERs, and NISER.
The JEST 2026 Counselling process will be handled separately by each participating institute. Candidates will be shortlisted for interviews based on JEST cut-off scores set by the institutes. After shortlisting, interview details, including dates and venues, will be shared via email and SMS. During interviews, the candidate's knowledge, academic commitment, and aspirations will be assessed.
To participate in JEST counselling process 2026, candidates are required to apply separately to PhD programs of their desired institutes based on their JEST scores and fulfill institute-specific eligibility criteria. They can check here the steps involved in JEST 2026 Counselling Process, documents required, and the list of institutions participating in the process!
Each institute participating in JEST 2026 will manage its own counselling process. Candidates should carefully check the specific procedures and timelines of the institutes they are interested in. The main steps involved in the JEST counselling process 2026 include:
JEST exam offers candidates the opportunity to secure admission into PhD and integrated PhD programs at various top institutes across India. Given below is a list of the participating institutes in the JEST counselling process 2026:
Institute Name | Subjects Offered |
|---|---|
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Nainital | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Atmospheric Physics. |
Bose Institute, Kolkata | Atmospheric Sciences, Biophysics, Complex Systems and Networks, Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, High Energy Physics and Astroparticle Physics, Quantum Physics and Quantum Information, Nuclear and Radiation Physics. |
Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai | - |
Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad | Theoretical Physics, Astrophysics. |
International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (TIFR), Bangalore | Astrophysical Relativity, Data Assimilation and Dynamical Systems, Statistical Physics and Turbulence, String Theory and Quantum Gravity. |
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam | Solid State Phase Transformations, Superconductivity, Structure and Dynamics of Soft Condensed Matter, Band Structure Studies, Accelerators Based Irradiation Induced Phenomena, Low-Dimensional Systems, Physics of Interfaces, Nanomaterials, Thin Films Technology, Theoretical Physics. |
Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore | Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astronomical Instrumentation, Optics, Atomic Physics. |
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore | Condensed Matter Physics (Experiments and Theory), Astronomy and Astrophysics (Theoretical), Atomic and Optical Physics (Experimental), Biocrystallography and Bioinformatics, High Energy Physics (Theoretical). |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal | Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiment), Soft Matter Physics (Theory), Biophysics, Laser Plasma Interactions, Ultrafast Physics (Experiment), Astrophysics and Cosmology, High Energy Physics (Theory, Phenomenology and Experiment), Nonlinear Optics. |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur | Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiment), Electronic Materials & Devices, High Energy Physics (Theory, Phenomenology, Experiment), Nuclear Structure, Photonics, Quantum Theory, Quantum Information. |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata | Condensed Matter Physics, Field Theory, Classical and Quantum Gravity, Cosmology, Solar Science, High Energy Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Statistical Physics, Soft Matter, Optics and Spectroscopy, Atomic Physics, Biophotonics, Spintronics, Nanoscience. |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali | Quantum Information (Experiment and Theory), Complex Systems and Networks, Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology, Particle Physics and Field Theory, Statistical Physics, Quantum Thermodynamics, Condensed Matter (Theory and Experiment), NMR-Methodology. |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune | Field Theory, Theoretical Particle Physics, Condensed Matter Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems and Networks, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Quantum Information Processing. |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram | Experimental: Magnetism, Superconductivity; Nanoscience; Photonics; Semiconductor Physics; Surface Sciences; Nanoscale Plasmonics; Ultrafast Spectroscopy; Nonlinear Optics. Theory: Cosmology; Quantum Information; Statistical Physics; Condensed Matter; String Theory. |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Tirupati | Theoretical Astrophysics; Observational Astronomy; Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics; Soft Matter Physics; Nonlinear Physics; Experimental High Energy Physics; Atomic and Molecular Physics. |
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology | Astronomy and Astrophysics; Atmospheric Sciences; Applied and Adaptive Optics; Atomic and Molecular Physics; Condensed Matter Physics; Nanotechnology; Nonlinear Dynamics; Photonics; Quantum Information; Statistical Physics. |
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences Chennai | Theoretical Physics; Theoretical Computer Science; Computational Biology. |
Institute of Physics Bhubaneswar | Condensed Matter Physics; Nuclear Physics; High Energy Physics; Accelerator-based Research. |
Institute for Plasma Research Gandhinagar | Experimental and Theoretical Physics. |
Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics Pune | Physics; Astronomy and Astrophysics. |
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research Bangalore | Experimental and Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics; Statistical Mechanics; Materials Science. |
National Brain Research Centre Manesar | Molecular Neuroscience; Computational Neuroscience; Systems Neuroscience; Sensory & Motor Systems; Learning & Memory; Language & Speech Processing. |
National Centre for Radio Astrophysics TIFR Pune | Astronomy and Astrophysics. |
National Institute of Science Education and Research Bhubaneswar | Theoretical High Energy Physics; Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics; Experimental High Energy Physics; Condensed Matter Physics (Theory and Experiment); Optics and Metamaterials. |
Physical Research Laboratory Ahmedabad | Theoretical Physics; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Solar Physics; Space Sciences; Atmospheric Sciences. |
Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology Indore | Lasers and Their Applications; Laser Plasma Interaction; Cold Atom Physics; Condensed Matter Physics (Superconductivity); Nanomaterials Applications. |
Raman Research Institute Bangalore | Astronomy & Astrophysics; Light & Matter Physics; Soft Condensed Matter & Theoretical Physics. |
Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics Kolkata | Condensed Matter Physics (Theory & Experiments); Nuclear Physics (Theory & Experiments); High Energy Physics (Theory & Experiments); Astroparticle Physics; Quantum Gravity; String Theory. |
Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences Kolkata | Astrophysics & Cosmology; Chemical & Biological Physics; Condensed Matter & Material Science; High Energy Physics & Quantum Field Theory. |
TIFR Centre for Interdisciplinary Sciences Hyderabad | Condensed Matter & Materials Science of Nonequilibrium Systems; Soft & Living Matter; Fluid Dynamics. |
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Mumbai | Astronomy & Astrophysics; Condensed Matter & Material Science; High Energy Physics. |
UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research Indore | Surfaces & Interfaces Studies using Synchrotron Sources.; Electrical Properties of Condensed Matter.; Experimental Nuclear Techniques including Gamma Ray Spectroscopy.; Nuclear Reactions Studies.; Magnetic Neutron Diffraction Techniques in Condensed Matter Studies. |
Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre Kolkata | Accelerator physics.; Condensed matter physics & materials science.; Nuclear physics (Experiment & Theory). |
Want to know more about JEST
The JEST counselling process 2026 will be conducted separately by each participating institute. Students should check the specific timelines and procedures of their chosen institutes.
Students need to submit the necessary documents for verification for JEST 2026. The commonly required documents include:
The main steps include registration, document verification, seat allotment based on merit and preferences, confirmation of admission by paying fees, and interviews (if required).
Students will be informed about their interview dates and venues via email and SMS after the results are announced.
To participate in JEST counselling process 2026, students must register separately for PhD programs at their desired institutes based on JEST scores and fulfill institute-specific eligibility criteria.
There will be no centralized counselling for JEST 2026. Instead, each participating institute will conduct its own counselling sessions based on their individual criteria and schedules.
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