Do you want to work in Astrophysics?
Do you wonder about the scope of career of an Astrophysicist in India?
Is it possible for you to join ISRO or NASA?
Do you want to become an Astronaut?
Do you want to explore more about galaxies, stars, and the universe?
If you have any or many of these questions in mind, let’s answer them all at once!
Eligibility Criteria:
- It is compulsory to have Physics and Mathematics in class 11th and 12th to become an Astrophysicist. You can take Biology with Physics and Mathematics if you like but only if you are able to manage it with Mathematics.
- You should have scored a minimum aggregate of more than 50% in classes 11th and 12th.
Who is an Astrophysicist?
An Astrophysicist is a scientist having done his bachelor’s degree, master’s degree as well as Ph.D in Astrophysics.
Colleges & Exams for Astrophysics
You can opt for relevant courses from colleges like IISER, NISER, IITs, IAST, Delhi University, Osmania University, etc.
In order to get admission into these colleges, you will have to clear relevant entrance exams like IISER Aptitude Test, NEST Exam, and CUET for Delhi University. There are different exams for different institutes.
Note – If you do your bachelor and masters from institutes like IISER, NISER, IASD, IASC, etc. then you will get better research and lab exposure as compared to other institutions.
Top Astrophysics Institutes in India:
- Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) Bangalore (for masters/Ph.D.)
- Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram (only institute with direct relations with ISRO. If you score 8+ CGPA in your masters, you can interview directly for ISRO)
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai (Has one of the best astrophysics research going on throughout the world).
- Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore
- Raman Research Institute (RRI) Bangalore (one of the oldest research institutes in India established by Dr. CV Raman)
- Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune
Fees Structure:
The fees in the top research institutes can range from Rs. 5000 to Rs. 5,00,000 based on your eligibility for scholarships, etc.
Career Opportunities:
- You can opt for becoming a professor in top institutes after doing postdoctoral in this field.
- You can also become an independent researcher
- You can also get a job in the top organisations like ISRO, NASA, IUCAA, etc.
Salary of an Astrophysicist
- The basic salary of an Astrophysicist starts from Rs. 50,000 a month
- It can go up to 8-10 lakhs per annum based on your educational background and stature of working organisations.
- If you have done your Ph.D. from MIT or Stanford, your packages can also cross Rs. 1 Cr per annum.
Courses to Consider:
Bachelor –
B.Sc in Astronomy
B.Sc in Astrophysics
B.Tech in Relevant Engineering
Masters –
M.Tech in Astronomy and Space Engineering
M.Sc in Astronomy
Ph.D. –
Ph.D. in Atmospheric Science & Astrophysics
Ph.D. in Astronomy
Ph.D. in Astrophysics
Ph.D. in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Syllabus
Syllabus can vary from institute to institute but the general syllabus is as follows –
- Astrophysics
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Properties of Matter
- Laboratory Work
- Special Relativity
- Stars & Planets, Galaxies & Universe
- Oscillations and Waves
- Quantum Mechanics
- Cosmology
- Thermal Physics
- Electromagnetism
- Practical Laboratory
- High Energy Astrophysics
- Optics and Quantum Mechanics
More career options:
- Observational Research in Astrophysics
- Theoretical Research in Astrophysics
- Jobs in institutes like BARC, TIFAC, IUCAA, etc.
- Lecturer
- Astronomer
- Astronaut
- Research Scientist
For any queries or doubts, check out the SciAstra App today!
Can I earn more than 1 crore per annum if I did my PhD in other top universities iisc , Harvard ,uc Berkeley, Princeton , Oxford , Cambridge etc other than mit and Stanford pls tell
Maine Meri beti ke liye, jo abhi 8th me hai, future course ki jaankaari iss site se li. Kaafi vyapak jaankaari mili. Dhanyavaaf
I am Ayan podder study in class 10 and lived In west bangal on raiganj city but I have done reletevity critical equation so can I get your WhatsApp number to talk about more on astrophysics
Send your number will talk I’m in 8th class
9735509524
I am a bsc mathematics student, I had a dream to become astrophysicist, but I chose math in ug now how I can become astrophysicist
My parents are not so confident about this career path as they ar not sure what will be my age when I will actually start to income even if it is while studying (we are financially not that good). Can you please help me with this?
Hello sir,
I am Prutha Tilay, I wish to become an astrophysicist, currently I am studying in 12th grade and am also preparing for JEE, not for engineering but for BSC physics course which is available in IIT. I wanted to ask you about the difference between bachelor’s of engineering physics and Bsc physics . what is the difference b/w both?? and if I do engineering physics will I be able to pursue my career in astrophysics??,is it possible??.
sir, I really look forward for your response as it would guide me and clear my confusion and doubt about some stuff.
Thankyou sir
I was studying some of your content on this internet site and I believe this internet site is very instructive! Keep on putting up.
Great guide on becoming an astrophysicist in India! Your step-by-step advice is clear and motivating for aspiring scientists. Thanks for sharing this helpful resource!
My name is Shashank Nag .. I’m from Chattisgarh. My interest is truly in Astrophysics, but unfortunately, I’ve choosed Pcb in 11th & 12th due to Covid-19.. Now Currently I’m pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Physics Honours 2nd year from a private university ( course duration – 3 year’s)..
So can I do M.sc in Astrophysics from a top research Institutes from India?…
Can I eligible for all the Entrance exam like Jest, nest , iat etc..?
great post
fac–segc.