Ph. D. Advertisement Vasanth 2025

Applications are invited from highly motivated students for admission to the Ph. D. programs of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM) in the Schools of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Data Sciences, Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences (EESS), and in the centres of Advanced Materials Research with International Engagement (CAMRIE) and High-Performance Computing (CHPC) for the session starting from January 2025, i.e., Vasant 2025 semester. Candidates are required to apply through the online portal only. The online application portal will be open from 17th October 2024 at (https://admissions.iisertvm.ac.in/phd/index.php/applicant/register/15)

General Eligibility Criteria

(For School- or Centre-specific eligibility criteria, see the tables below)

1. 6.5 CGPA on a 10-point scale (or first-class equivalent) or first class in Master’s program in a relevant discipline as declared by the respective University. (BE/BTech degree in relevant specialization is admissible for select areas of research in the School of Physics (see Research Areas))
2. The candidate must have qualified at least one of the following examinations: CSIR-JRF, UGC-JRF or GATE or other national-level examinations as specified in the document, with validity as on 01 January 2025 (see School specific Eligibility Criteria for other national-level examinations considered for the selection).
3. BS-MS/MSc/Integrated MSc students from any of the IISERs/IITs/IISc with CGPA 8 or above on a 10-point scale are exempted from national level test eligibility related criteria.

Schoolwise Research Areas

Biological Sciences

• Biophysics and Biochemistry
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sshameer
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/bandan
  • https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/natesh/
  • http://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/tmanna
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/vijayjayaraman
• Cell and Molecular Biology
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ravi
  • https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/natesh/
  • https://facultynishantkt.wixsite.com/gsllab
  • https://nishanalab8.wixsite.com/nishanalab
  • http://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/tmanna
• Ecology & Evolution
  • https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/beelab/
  • https://www.vanasiri.in/
  • https://www.yashrajchavhan.com/
• Genetics and Development
  • https://nishanalab8.wixsite.com/nishanalab
  • https://facultynishantkt.wixsite.com/gsllab
  • https://jishylab.wixsite.com/dreamlab
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ravi/
  • https://stemcelldevlab.wixsite.com/khuranalab
  • https://kamalakannanvijaya.wixsite.com/laboratory-of-parasi
  • https://amruthaswaminathan.wixsite.com/molneurodev
• Infection and Immunity
  • https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/sandhya-lab
  • https://licbgit.github.io/licb-website/index.html
  • https://kamalakannanvijaya.wixsite.com/laboratory-of-parasi
• Neurobiology
  • https://amruthaswaminathan.wixsite.com/molneurodev
• Plant Biology
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/bandan
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ravi
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sshameer
• Theoretical & Computational Biology
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sshameer
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/bandan
  • https://facultynishantkt.wixsite.com/gsllab
  • https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/natesh/
  • https://www.yashrajchavhan.com/
  • https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/vijayjayaraman

Chemical Sciences

• Bio-inorganic Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry
  https://skunduchem.wixsite.com/skgroup
• Biomaterials, Nanoparticles-Immune Cells Interactions
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/rkurapati
• p-Block Chemistry: Bond Activation, Catalysis
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/raviyadav/research-area
• Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis
  https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/bsgroup/home
• Catalysis, Organic Synthesis, Coupling Reactions
  http://www.rameshrasappan.com
• Electrocatalysis for Energy Conversion and Biomass Valorisation
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/muthukrishnan
• Homogeneous Catalysis with s- and p-Block Compounds
  https://www.maingroupchemistrylab.com/
• Macrocycles, Molecular Sensors and Helicity
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/gokul/selected_publications
• Materials Chemistry for Sustainable Energy
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/thiru/research
• Molecular Catalyst Development, Hydrogenation, Lignin Depolymerization
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ramarajayyappan/research-interests
• Natural Products Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Asymmetric Catalysis and Synthesis
  https://grrgroupwebsite.wixsite.com/grr-lab
• New Catalytic Strategies in Organic Synthesis
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/reddy
• NMR Spectroscopy, Biochemistry, Biophysics
  https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/vinesh
• Photochemistry and Photophysics; Crystalline Organic Materials
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/mahesh
• Quantum Cluster, Cluster-Assembly and Metal-Organic Framework Materials
  https://mandalresearchgroup.wixsite.com/home
• Semiconductor Quantum Dots, Metal Nanoparticle, Light-Induced Processes
  https://www.kgtlab.in
• Soft-Materials and Interfaces, Charge Transport in Bio/Molecular Systems
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/jerryfereiro
• Supramolecular Chemistry, DNA nanotechnology, Cancer therapy
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/reji
• Supramolecular Chemistry, Host-Guest Chemistry, Molecular Switches and Machines
  https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/soumen-de-lab/home
• Supramolecular Chemistry, Polymers, Organic Chemistry
  https://kms514.wixsite.com/kmsgroup
• Synthetic Methods for Organic Synthesis, C–H Functionalization, and Asymmetric Catalysis
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/alagiri
• Theoretical and Computational Chemistry
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/siva
• Theoretical Chemistry, Computational Materials Science
  https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/swathi
• Theoretical Physical Chemistry, System's Chemistry, Chemical Physics, biological physics
  https://sites.google.com/view/pushpita-ghosh/home
• Ultrafast Nonlinear Spectroscopy
  https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/adithya

Data Sciences

• Machine/Deep Learning, 5G/6G Networking and Communication, Edge/Cloud Orchestration, Internet-of-Things, Distributed Machine/Deep Learning (Federated and Gossip Learning), Smart Applications https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/mainak
• Networking and Communication, Network Slicing, Edge/Fog/ Cloud computing, Internet-of-Things, Next generation intelligent transportation system, Federated-Sparse Learning, Drone and vehicular Communication Network https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=xbBml1sAAAAJ&hl=en
• Biomedical/Clinical Data Science, Generative Machine Learning, Machine Learning in predicting structures in graphs, Neuromorphic Machine Learning https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sbej
• Dependence modelling using Copula, Mathematical Theory of Reliability, Stochastic Degradation modelling, Applied Statistics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/shyamal
• Design and analysis of Cluster Randomized Trials, Survival Analysis, Reliability Theory, Applied Statistics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/priyanka
• Computer Vision, Deep Learning applications to Medical Imaging, Computational Imaging, Biomedical Data Science, Spatial Data Science https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/rajisusanmathew
• Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Emotion Recognition, Intelligent Systems, Image Processing, Signal Processing, and Classification Systems Using Machine Learning Models https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/alwinpoulosepalatty
• Theoretical Computer Science: Algorithms and Complexity, Graph Algorithms, Graph Theory and Combinatorics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/dhanyamolantony

Mathematical Sciences

• Analysis: Matrix Analysis, Functional Analysis, Harmonic Analysis.
• Linear Algebra
• Applied Analysis: Partial Differential Equations (PDEs), Nonlinear Analysis, Numerical Analysis of PDEs, Mathematical Biology, Financial Engineering, Signal Processing, Data Sciences, Machine Learning
• Number Theory

Physical Sciences

Experimental Physics

• (*) Energy Storage, Solid-state Batteries http://shaijumon.iisertvm.ac.in
• Quantum Magnetism
• Excitons in 2D materials, Quantum Emitters, Epsilon Near Zero Systems https://jmitra.wixsite.com/joygroup
• Superconductivity, quantum materials https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/quemat
• Physics of semiconductor devices (solar cells, light emitting diodes, transistors, memory, bioelectronic) based on quantum/Organic/perovskite/2D materials using various optical and electrical spectroscopy techniques.
• Ultrafast Optical Spectroscopy of 2D nanomaterials https://rajeevkini.iisertvm.ac.in/
• Nonlinear optics, frequency combs, microwave photonics
• (*) Development of Light Sheet Microscopy (LSM) or Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM) imaging system; Development of photacoustic imaging (PAI) system - both microscopy and tomography https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=CGKTXz0AAAAJ&hl=en; https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/suhesh.kumar
• Quantum Engineered Electronic and Photonic Devices https://bikas.iisertvm.ac.in/
• (*) Advanced semiconductor devices for power / energy conversion https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/guru
• (*) 2D materials for thermoelectric transport studies and devices https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/smartlab/
• (*) Quantum Materials and Spintonics https://www.fmdlab.in/
• (*) Ultrafast molecular dynamics, Generation of attosecond pulse train. https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/krishnendugope

Theoretical Physics

• Condensed Matter Theory: Strongly correlated electron systems, Neural quantum state (NQS) wave function for quantum many-body systems, topological phases of matter.
• Solar Physics, Lower Solar Atmosphere, Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Simulations, MHD Waves
• Condensed matter theory: Quantum Materials, Magnetism and Spintronics https://sites.google.com/view/souvikpaul-cmslab
• Beyond Standard Model of Particle Physics, Dark Matter https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/mathewthomas or https://inspirehep.net/authors/1413667

(*) BE/BTECH candidates are eligible for selected areas marked with asterisk

Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences

• Marine and estuarine biogeochemistry https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/bhavya
• Tropical Meteorology: Monsoon Dynamics and Tropical Storms https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/vishnu
• Atmospheric waves and circulation, Cloud Physics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/pramitha
• Land-Atmosphere Interaction and Hydrology https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/prasanth
• Regional Climate Downscaling https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/prasanth
• Atmospheric Optics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/anandn
• Atmospheric Aerosols https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/anandn
• Atmospheric boundary layer https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/anandn
• Hydrogeochemistry and aquifer dynamics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/manojkumar

Centrewise Research Areas and Eligibility

CAMRIE (Centre of Advanced Materials Research with International Engagement)

CHPC

School/Centre wise Selection Procedure

Biological Sciences

It is mandatory for a candidate to submit a short “Statement of Purpose” of 300-400 words, based on a research area the candidate finds interesting. While applying online, the proposal has to be uploaded under the section “Statement of Purpose (SOP)”. The proposal need not be related to the research ongoing at the School of Biology, IISER TVM. Short-listed candidates will have to appear for interviews conducted by IISER TVM in hybrid mode. There will be two rounds of interviews. The first round of interviews will be conducted online. Candidates who are shortlisted further for the final round of interviews will have to appear in person at IISER TVM campus. The final selection of candidates will solely be based on the performance during the interviews.

Chemical Sciences

Marks and Ranks (CSIR-JRF/UGC-JRF/GATE) based shortlisting and interview in person.

Mathematical Sciences

Candidates meeting all the eligibility criteria will be further shortlisted and be called for online interviews.

Physical Sciences

During the application process, the candidates will be asked to enter one of the choices among 1) Theoretical, 2) Experimental. The shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend interviews conducted in online mode.

Data Sciences

During the application process, a candidate will be asked to select one or more choices of the research areas for the School of Data Science based on her/his qualifications. The shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend interviews which will be conducted in online mode at IISER TVM.

Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences

Applications will be shortlisted based on marks and the shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend interviews which will be conducted in hybrid mode at IISER TVM.

CAMRIE

During the application process, a candidate will be asked to select one or more choices of the research area for the centre based on her/his qualification. The shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend interviews which will be conducted in hybrid mode at IISER TVM.

CHPC

During the application process, a candidate will be asked to select one or more choices of the research area for the centre based on her/his qualification. The shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend interviews which will be conducted in hybrid mode at IISER TVM.

Important Dates

General Information and Application Procedure

1. Applicants should complete the online application form at the url: (http://admissions.iisertvm.ac.in/phd/index.php/applicant/register/15).
2. Only applications complete in all respects would be considered. Do not forget to click the "Submit" button after completing your application.
3. Applicants will also be prompted to upload all the supporting documents online.
4. Applicants should provide Name/Affiliation/Contact number and Email addresses of two referees in the application form.
5. Applicants belonging to GEN/OBC and SC/ST/PH categories are required to make a payment of Rs. 500/- and Rs. 250/-, respectively, as a processing fee online through the application portal.
6. On submission of the online application form, the applicants will receive an acknowledgement email with a unique application number.
7. Applicants are NOT required to post a hard copy of the application to IISER TVM.
8. In case of any application-related queries, please contact the Ph.D coordinator by email at: phdprogramme@iisertvm.ac.in. Any other mode of communication will not be entertained.
9. Mere fulfilment of the eligibility criteria does not entitle a candidate to be called for the interview.
10. Relaxation for reserved categories to the eligibility criteria will be applicable as per Government of India rules.