Which IISER is Best for Astronomy?

Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) are the premiere institutes for fundamental sciences in India. There are seven IISERs nationwide- in Pune, Kolkata, Mohali, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati, Bhopal and Behrampur. Founded not more than two decades back, IISERs have gained their prestigious reputation because of high research outcomes and excellent academic results in almost all fields of fundamental science. Some IISERs produce outstanding results in physics, while some in earth sciences. If you are an astronomy enthusiast and want to know the best IISER for astronomy, this blog is for you.

In this blog, we will discuss:

• Astronomy in India
• Which IISER is best for Astronomy?
• CESSI

Astronomy in India:

To become an astronomer, you need a solid foundation in mathematics, physics, and computer science. You must have a bachelor’s degree in astronomy, physics, or a related field. Astronomy is a very advanced field of Science; thus, you must pursue a master’s or even Ph.D. degree. You can go for either Basic Sciences Or Engineering. It’s very advantageous if you are familiar with programming. There are many institutes in India providing degrees in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Some of them are: 

• Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru
• Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram
• Indian Institute of Science Education Research, Thiruvananthapuram
• Centre for Excellence in Space Science India, IISER-Kolkata
• Old IITs( Roorkee, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Bombay, Delhi, etc.)
• Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad
• Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune

You can pursue a PhD or apply to foreign universities after graduating from these institutes. IIST is linked to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and offers jobs once you finish your bachelor’s. If you wish to get a job in astronomy, consider applying there. To learn more about IIST and what career opportunities it offers, check out this blog. 

There are hardly any institutes in India that provide bachelor’s degrees in astronomy. This is because of broadness, high specialisation and pre-requisite knowledge for this subject. However, you can get great courses while doing your degree in Physics in any of the above-mentioned institutes.

Which IISER is the best for Astronomy?

Though IISERs like Kolkata, Pune, Mohali and Thiruvananthapuram are known for research in physical sciences, it is hard to order them based on astronomy. None of the IISERs provides an entire dedicated program on Astronomy or Astrophysics for undergraduates. It is essential to understand that to pursue astronomy as a career, you must be good in physics, mathematics and computation. IISER Pune and Kolkata are the best choices for this. You can also check faculty profiles to know which institute has professors from your desired fields. Your personal interest plays a significant role in determining your progress in astronomy. If you want to know more about astronomy, check out this blog.

Centre for Excellence in Space Sciences India (CESSI):

CESSI is a multi-institutional Center of Excellence hosted by IISER Kolkata and has been established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The Center uses high-performance computing facilities, cloud computing and the high-speed National Knowledge Network grid to achieve its goals. CESSI aims to explore 

• Sun’s activity
• the necessity of space weather forecasting, 
• hunt for gravitational waves, 
• support national space science initiatives, 
• participate in international capacity-building activities and pursue public-private partnerships in space science research. 

CESSI faculty are drawn from IISER Kolkata, IISER Pune, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (Pune), Indian Institute of Astrophysics (Bangalore), Udaipur Solar Observatory-Physical Research Laboratory (Udaipur), Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (Nainital) and the Indian Space Research Organization (Bangalore), Raman Research Institute (Bangalore) have wide-ranging interests in the astrophysical space sciences, and have the experience of handling international and national space science projects. CESSI has already contributed to major projects like Aditya-L1, the first direct detection of astrophysical gravitational waves from a binary Black Hole merger system and is currently involved with the LIGO-India mega project.

CESSI offers an MS program for B.Tech or B.E. graduates and a PhD program for M.Tech or MS graduates. Candidates need to apply to CESSI after they release vacancies. It is important to have exams like JEST or GATE qualified before applying. Students with engineering backgrounds and research interests are generally preferred and called for interviews after shortlisting.

Conclusion:

You should understand that astronomy is a broad subject, and it becomes complex as you learn more about it. No IISER provides a direct bachelor’s degree in astronomy. Hence, it is essential to have your concepts strong in physics and have enough experience in computation and mathematics. You must start with a strong foundation in Physics, for which IISER Pune and Kolkata are considered best among other IISERs. Internships and workshops are the best way to gain experience and skills in any subject. If you want to know more about internships, check out this blog.

Indian Institute for Space Science and Technology, IIST, is the only institute in India that provides astrophysics courses to bachelors and jobs in ISRO right after completion of bachelor’s degree. Check out this blog to learn more about IIST.

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