Admission to the Integrated Ph.D. Programme in Physical Sciences is through the Joint Admission Test for M.Sc. (JAM) and Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) followed by an interview (of those candidates who are short-listed) at IISc.

Eligibility:

Physics:
• M.Sc. in Physics or M.Sc. / M.E. / M. Tech in related disciplines.
• M.Sc. in Mathematics / Applied Physics / Applied Mathematics / Optics and Photonics / Instrumentation / Electronics will also be considered at IIA.
• B.E. or B. Tech will also be considered at IISc, IMSc, IUCAA, JNCASR, NCRA-TIFR RRI, IISER Mohali, IISER Pune, IISER Thiruvananthapuram and SNBNCBS.
• Talented final year B.Sc. and first year M.Sc. in Physics / Electronics / Astronomy / Applied Mathematics students may also apply to be pre-selected for research scholarship at IUCAA.
• MSc in Physics, Engineering Physics or Applied Physics will also be considered at IPR.

JEST Physics Syllabus

Mathematical methods
Vector algebra and vector calculus, tensors, curvilinear coordinate systems, linear algebra; Linear differential equations, elements of Sturm–Liouville theory;
Special functions; Complex analysis; Fourier series and Fourier transforms, Laplace transforms; Elementary properties of discrete groups; Elements of probability theory, error analysis.

Classical mechanics
Newton’s laws, conservation of energy and momentum, collisions; generalized coordinates, principle of least action, Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of mechanics; symmetry and conservation laws; central force problem, Kepler problem; small oscillations and normal modes; special relativity in classical mechanics.

Electromagnetism & optics
Electrostatics and magnetostatics, boundary value problems, multipole expansion; fields in conducting, dielectric, diamagnetic and paramagnetic media; Faraday’s law and time varying fields; displacement current; Maxwell’s equations; energy and momentum of electromagnetic fields; propagation of plane electromagnetic waves, reflection, refraction; electromagnetic waves in dispersive and conducting media; diffraction, interference, polarization.

Quantum mechanics
Uncertainty principle; Schrodinger equation; central potentials, hydrogen atom; orbital and spin angular momenta, addition of angular momenta; matrix formulation of quantum theory, unitary transformations, Hermitian operators; variational principle, time independent perturbation theory, time dependent perturbation theory.

Thermodynamics & statistical physics
Laws of thermodynamics, work and heat, thermodynamic potentials; Elements of kinetic theory; Maxwell’s relations; statistical ensembles; partition function; classical ideal gas, harmonic oscillators; classical and quantum statistics; Fermi and Bose gases; black body radiation; statistics of paramagnetism

Electronics
Basics of semiconductor; p-n junctions, diodes, transistors; LCR circuits, rectifiers, amplifiers, active filters and oscillators; basics of OPAMPs and their applications; basics of digital electronics