Do you know the names of India’s top research institutes after IISc? Do you know there are institutes like IITs but for basic sciences? Have you ever heard of the limitless opportunities that the IISERs (Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research) offer? IISERs are excellent institutes in India in the field of scientific education and research. These government-established institutions seek to combine state-of-the-art basic science research with high-quality instruction. Soon after the foundation in the late 2000s, the IISERs became popular choices for students hoping to pursue careers in academia and scientific research.
In this blog, we will discuss:-
- List of IISERS
- Courses Offered and Fees in Each IISER
- Admission Process and Cutoffs
- Placements
List of IISERs:
There are currently seven IISERs in India:-
- IISER Kolkata: Established in 2006, IISER Kolkata is situated in Kalyani, West Bengal.
- IISER Pune: Founded in 2006 and situated in Pune, Maharashtra.
- IISER Mohali: Founded in 2007, it is situated in Mohali, Punjab.
- IISER Bhopal: Established in 2008 and situated in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
- IISER Thiruvananthapuram: Founded in 2008, it is situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- IISER Tirupati: Established in 2015, IISER Tirupati is in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
- IISER Berhampur: Founded in 2016, situated in Berhampur, Odisha.
Courses Offered in Each IISER:
| Name of the IISER | Courses | Programmes | Fees |
| IISER Kolkata |
|
Int. BS-MS degree, PhD, Int. PhD, Post Doctorate, MS | The gross total for the 5-year BSMS is Rs. 4.76 lakhs, and for the reserved category, it is Rs. 1.08 lakhs. |
| IISER Pune |
|
BS-MS, PhD, Int. PhD ( M.Sc.+ PhD), MS | Gross total for 5 years BSMS: Rs. 3.5 lakhs and for reserved category: Rs. 1.5 lakhs. |
| IISER Mohali |
|
BS-MS, PhD, Int. PhD ( M.Sc.+ PhD) | Total BS-MS Dual degree fees are around Rs. 4.25 lakhs; for the reserved category, it is Rs. 69,550. |
| IISER Bhopal |
|
BS-MS, PhD, Int. PhD ( M.Sc.+ PhD) | The gross total for the 5-year BSMS is Rs. 5.45 lakhs, and for reserved categories, it is around Rs. 2.69 lakhs. |
| IISER Thiruvananthapuram |
|
BS-MS, MS, PhD | The gross total for the BSMS degree is Rs. 2 lakhs, and for the reserved category, it is Rs. 34,925. |
| IISER Tirupati |
|
BS-MS, PhD | The gross total for BSMS is Rs. 3.62 lakhs, and for the reserved category is Rs. 75,788. |
| IISER Berhampur |
|
BS-MS, PhD | For a five-year BS-MS degree, the fees are around Rs. 4.94 lakh, and for the reserved category, it is Rs. 1.6 lakhs. |
Admission Process and Cutoffs:
The total number of seats available for the BS-MS/BS programme in 2024 is 1933. From 2024, IAT will be the only mode of entrance to IISERs as acceptance through JEE Advanced is discontinued.
IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) channel-
Applicants must pass the IAT exam in order to be considered for at least 75% of IISER seats. This channel requires taking the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT), which is an online exam. The questions come from biology, chemistry, maths, and physics. You are free to choose one between biology and maths. However, attempting all four sections to score higher marks is advantageous. The IAT is also used to admit students to the IISc and IIT Madras (4-year BS in medical sciences and engineering).
There are 60 questions in total (15 from each of the four subjects), and the test duration is 180 minutes. The test is MCQ type, and there are no numericals. The maximum mark for the exam is 240, with a negative marking of -1 for each wrong answer. The cutoff marks for IAT vary for every IISER and also depend on the counselling round. In general, you must aim to score around 160 or more marks to get IISER Kolkata or Pune. Check out this blog to learn more about exam patterns, cutoff, and preparation strategies.
The cutoff of IAT 2023 for various colleges is given in the table below:
| College | General | EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST |
| IISc | 170-200 | 140-160 | 140-160 | 100-120 | 80-100 |
| Pune | 160-180 | 120-140 | 120-140 | 70-90 | 60-80 |
| IIT Madras | 150-170 | 110-130 | 110-130 | 80-90 | 70-80 |
| Kolkata | 140-160 | 100-120 | 100-120 | 70-80 | 60-70 |
| Mohali | 110-130 | 80-90 | 80-90 | 65-70 | 50-60 |
| Bhopal | 110-130 | 80-90 | 80-90 | 65-70 | 50-60 |
| TVM | 110-120 | 80-85 | 80-85 | 55-65 | 40-50 |
| Tirupati | 100-110 | 75-85 | 75-85 | 50-60 | 30-40 |
| Berhampur | 100-110 | 75-85 | 75-85 | 50-60 | 30-40 |
Admission to PhD and Integrated PhD programs at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) typically involves a rigorous selection process. Ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria specified by the respective IISER for the program you are interested in. Eligibility criteria may include minimum educational qualifications, minimum scores in qualifying exams (such as GATE, JAM, JEST, or CSIR-NET), and other requirements. Some departments also take interviews, so you must also be prepared for that.
Placement:
Unlike engineering or management institutes, the IISERs usually do not have formal placement programmes; their primary focus is science education and research. Most students go for a PhD in institutes like TIFR and IISc or in foreign countries like MIT, Max Plank, etc. Nonetheless, IISERs give you many chances to pursue jobs in business, research facilities, academia, and other fields. But you need to apply for jobs of your interests on your own. Placement drives aren’t very smooth or highly functional. Records are also scarce due to the lack of students in placement programs. Check out this blog to learn more about placements from IISERs.
Conclusion:
The IISERs in India are centres of excellence for scientific research and education, developing young people’s minds and encouraging an innovative and inquiring culture. They were founded to improve our country’s research environment. With advanced laboratories, highly skilled researchers, and professors, IISERs are perfect institutes for students interested in basic sciences. With the right guidance and mentorship, you can achieve your dream of getting into IISERs and open doors to many opportunities. Check out our courses and materials to strengthen your preparation for IAT 2024.
FAQs:
Ques: What is the IISER Aptitude Test 2024?
Ans: The IISER Aptitude Test, or IAT, is an entrance exam conducted by the IISERs for admission to IISc, IISERs or IIT Madras.
SciAstra offers the best courses that will help you prepare for the IAT and secure admission into the IISERs. Click here to learn more about the courses provided by SciAstra.
Ques: Which is the best IISER for space sciences?
Ans: IISER Kolkata, Mohali and TVM have a slight orientation toward space science. Check out this blog to know in depth.
Ques: Which is the best IISER for placements?
Ans: Placements are not the attractive features of IISERs, and they aren’t famous for that. However, IISER Bhopal has better placement drives and activity than other IISERs.
Ques: What is IISc?
Ans: IISc, Bangalore, is one of the best institutes for scientific research in India and the world. It stands for the Indian Institute of Science.
Ques: How do I stay motivated throughout my preparation?
Ans: Connect with our supportive community on the SciAstra app and Telegram channel. Find inspiration from success stories and share your own challenges.
About us:
SciAstra is a team of scientists and research scholars from the top research institutes around the world like Oxford, Harvard, Cambridge, and so on. Our vision is to promote critical thinking and scientific temperament by helping students in their careers in science.
We offer many free and paid courses where our mentors from the top research institutes like IISER, NISER, IACS, CMI,ISI IISC Bangalore, etc teach students in live classes, with study materials, mock tests, books, and everything needed. We have taught more than 10,000 students already since 2021 and achieved over 1000 selections with AIR 1, 7,10, 12, and 13 in IISc Bengaluru, IISERs, NISER, IACS, and so on. If you are looking to prepare for IAT / NEST 2024, you can check out our courses and get access to live classes, recorded lectures, study material, mock tests, doubt-clearing classes, and much more!
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