Tuesday, July 23, 2013

IUCAA-NCRA ADMISSION TEST [INAT] – 2013

INTER-UNIVERSITY CENTRE FOR ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS, PUNE
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR RADIO ASTROPHYSICS, PUNE

IUCAA-NCRA ADMISSION TEST [INAT] – 2013

NAT – 2013
IUCAA - NCRA ADMISSION TEST 2013-2014

For a Research Scholarship towards a Ph.D. in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Physics

Applications are invited from highly motivated students for a 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 the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).

Prospective applicants need to complete their M.Sc, Int. M.Sc. (in Physics, Electronics, Astronomy or Applied Mathematics), or B.EV B.TechV M.E./ M.Tech. (in any branch) by August 2014 with 55% marks or more. Candidates with B.Sc. degree (in one of the above fields) are eligible for pre-selection for a Ph.D. at IUCAA or an integrated Ph.D. at NCRA.

Candidates should apply online at www.ncra.tifr.res.in/inat. More details, including information for walk-in candidates, are also provided at the same URL. The last date for submission of applications is September 1, 2013.

The selection for the research fellowship will be through a written test on December 30, 2013 and two interviews on December 30 and/or December 31, 2013, both to be held at NCRA, Pune.

Inter-University Centre for Astronomy And Astrophysics (IUCAA)
(An autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission) Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune University Campus, Pune 411 007, India.
Tel: +91 20 2560 4100 | Fax: +91 20 2560 4699 Website; www.iucaa.ernet.in

NCRA • 11F R
National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA)
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Post Bag 3, Ganeshkhind, Pune University Campus. Pune 411 007, India.
Tel: +91 20 2571 9000 | Fax: +91 20 2569 2149

INAT-2013

IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR:
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 neighbouring campuses in the Pune University Campus.

IUCAA offers challenging opportunities to young researchers in theory, observation, and instrumentation in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Recently, IUCAA has acquired a share in the 10-m Southern African Large Telescope; it also operates the IUCAA Girawali Observatory with a 2-m optical telescope. Both these telescopes have imaging, spectroscopic and polarimetric capabilities. IUCAA also has a high-performance computational facility and a good library.

NCRA-TIFR offers exciting opportunities for research in Astronomy and Astrophysics, and instrumentation, with an emphasis on Radio Astronomy. NCRA-TIFR has built and operates the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, which is located near Pune, and is the biggest and most powerful radio telescope in the world at low radio frequencies. NCRA-TIFR also operates the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT), which is located near Udhagamandalam. Both GMRT and ORT have yielded several significant discoveries. NCRA-TIFR has modern computing facilities and an excellent library.

IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test (INAT-2013):
The IUCAA-NCRA Admission Test (INAT-2013) is being conducted to select candidates for a research scholarship towards a Ph.D. at either IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR.


Eligibility
Applications are invited from students who expect to complete their M.Sc., Integrated M.Sc. or B.E./B.Tech./M.E./M.Tech. degrees by August 2014 with 55% marks or more. In addition, talented final-year B.Sc., 1st year M.Sc., 4th year Integrated M.Sc. and 2nd/3rd year B.E./B.Tech. students may also apply to be PRE-SELECTED for a research scholarship towards a Ph.D. at IUCAA for Physics, or Astronomy and Astrophysics. Students in any branch of the 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-2013. Students who have already completed any of the above degrees are also eligible.

Students in the final year of the B.Sc. (in the above branches) or who have completed their B.Sc. degree may also apply for selection to NCRA's integrated Ph.D. programme. Such students would attend one year of courses (taught in collaboration with IISER-Pune) before joining the IUCAA-NCRA graduate school.

Selection Procedure:
We are looking for highly motivated students with a consistently good academic record. While we strongly encourage students from engineering backgrounds to apply for INAT-2013, we emphasize that we are looking for students who are interested in carrying out doctoral research in Physics, or Astronomy and Astrophysics. We hence expect prospective candidates to have a good understanding of basic Physics.

Based on the applications and referee assessments, a subset of the candidates will be short-listed and invited to take the written test, to be held in Pune on Monday, December 30, 2013. Candidates with 55% or more marks in the qualifying examination may walk-in for the written test by producing a valid photo identification and a copy of their most recent marksheet. They should report at the Chandrasekhar Auditorium, IUCAA by 9:00 a.m. for verification of these documents, to ensure that there are no logistical problems. The final selection to the research scholarship will be based on the results of the written test (on Monday, December 30, 2013) and two interviews (on Monday, December 30, and/or Tuesday, December 31, 2013), both to be held in Pune. Note that, for both IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR, the selection through INAT is in addition to the selection through the Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST).

Nature of the Written Test:
The test will be of TWO hours duration. The question paper will have two parts, A and B. Part A will contain twenty objective-type questions on basic Mathematics, Physics and Electronics. Part B will contain another twenty 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. For a correct answer, there will be +3 (plus three) marks, and for a wrong answer, there will be -1 (minus one) mark. Based on their performance in the written test, a limited number of candidates will be invited for two interviews, which will be conducted on December 30 and/or 31, 2011. The final selection will be based on the scores in the written test and interviews. Candidates selected by either IUCAA or NCRA are expected to join in August 2014 (except for pre-selected candidates), after satisfactory completion of their qualifying examination.

Travel and Stay:
Outstation candidates will be paid one and one-third times the train/bus fare by second-class sleeper (NOT air-conditioned) from their place of residence (as given in the INAT-2013 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. Outstation walk-in candidates who are shortlisted for the interviews will also be paid travel support as above.

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 Co-ordinator, INAT-2013, at the e-mail address inat@ncra.tifr.res.in , before December 1, 2013.

Accompanying persons will have to find accommodation elsewhere; a list of lodges and hotels located close to IUCAA and NCRA-TIFR is given here, with approximate charges. Candidates (and accompanying persons) may have meals on payment in the IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR canteens on the days of the written test and interviews.

The best mode of transport between IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR and the Pune railway station or bus stand is autorickshaw. The fare is as per the tariff card with the driver. During the day, the autorickshaw fare from Pune railway station to IUCAA or NCRA-TIFR will be about Rs. 100/-.

What to bring (and what NOT to bring) :
All the 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. At the time of interviews, the candidates are requested to bring all original mark sheets (starting from Class X) and any other relevant certificates. Mobile phones, digital diaries, laptops, etc. are NOT allowed in the test and interview halls.

Important Dates for INAT-2013:
Last date to apply online:  1st  September 2013
The Admission (written) test will be held on:  December 30, 2013, at 9 am
Venue: Chandrasekhar Auditorium, IUCAA, Pune University Campus, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411007, Maharashtra
Short-listed candidates will be interviewed on:   December 30 and 31, 2013, at NCRA-TIFR.

For details, logon to the website link:

No comments: