The IUCAA-NCRA  Admission Test

The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune (an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission), 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 neighboring campuses in the Pune University Campus.


IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR jointly conduct the IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test (INAT) every year, to select candidates for a research scholarship towards a Ph.D. at either IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR or an integrated Ph.D. at NCRA-TIFR. INAT is a written test with objective, multiple-choice questions, and is typically conducted during the last two weeks of December every year. Candidates who clear the written test (typically, the top 30 or so candidates) are then interviewed by two independent panels. Based on their marks in the written test and the two interviews, candidates are then selected for the Ph.D. or Int-Ph.D. programs at IUCAA and/or NCRA-TIFR.

Applications for INAT are usually opened in September every year, via the link to the online application form below. The deadline for applications is around mid-October; the specific deadline for a given year is listed in the link below. About 400 applicants are typically invited to take the INAT test every year; however, applicants are also allowed to walk in for the written exam. Walk-in candidates are treated exactly on par with the invited candidates in the selection process; the only difference is that the travel and local expenses of the invited candidates are covered by IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR.

 

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