Ph. D. Advertisement Vasanth 2026

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, Physics, Data Sciences, Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences (EESS), and in the centre High-Performance Computing (CHPC) for the session starting from January 2026, i.e., Vasanth 2026 semester. Candidates are required to apply through the online portal only. The online application portal will be open from 17th October 2025 at (https://admissions.iisertvm.ac.in/phd/index.php/applicant/register/19)

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 for General/OBC-NCL candidates and a minimum of 50% marks (or a CGPA of 5.5 in the 10-point scale) for SC/ST and PwD candidates. (BE/BTech degree in relevant specialization is admissible for select areas of research in the School of Physics/ Data Sciences/ Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences (see Research Areas))
2. The candidate must have qualified at least one of the following examinations : CSIR-JRF, UGC-JRF (Category-I or II or III) or GATE or other national-level examinations as specified in the document with validity as on 01 January 2026. (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 a CGPA of 8 or above on a 10-point scale are exempted from national level test eligibility related criteria.
4. JRFs at IISER TVM, recruited under extramural projects, with a valid national-level qualification as specified in point 2.

Schoolwise Research Areas

Biological Sciences

• Biophysics and Biochemistry
  • Dr Bandan Chakrabortty https://www.bandanchakrabortty.com/
  • Dr Ramanathan Natesh https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/natesh/
  • Dr N. Sadananda Singh https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/nssingh
  • Dr Sanu Shameer https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sshameer
  • Prof Tapas K. Manna http://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/tmanna
• Cell and Molecular Biology
  • Dr Ramanathan Nateshhttps://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/natesh/
  • Dr Nishana Mayilaadumveettil https://facultynishantkt.wixsite.com/gsllab
  • Prof Tapas K. Mannahttp://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/tmanna
  • Dr N. Sadananda Singhhttps://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/nssingh
• Ecology & Evolution
  • Prof Hema Somanathan https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/beelab/
  • Prof Ullasa Kodandaramaiahhttps://www.vanasiri.in/
  • Dr Yashraj Chavhan https://www.yashrajchavhan.com/
• Genetics and Development
  • Dr Nishana Mayilaadumveettil https://nishanalab8.wixsite.com/nishanalab
  • Prof Nishant K. T https://facultynishantkt.wixsite.com/gsllab
  • Dr Satish Khuranahttps://stemcelldevlab.wixsite.com/khuranalab
  • Dr Amrutha Swaminathan https://amruthaswaminathan.wixsite.com/molneurodev
  • Dr N. Sadananda Singhhttps://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/nssingh
• Infection and Immunity
  • Prof S. Murty Srinivasula https://licbgit.github.io/licb-website/index.html
  • Dr Kamalakannan Vijayan https://kamalakannanvijaya.wixsite.com/laboratory-of-parasi
  • Dr Sandhya Ganesan https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/sandhya-lab
  • Dr V Stalin Rajhttps://www.virology-scientific-research-laboratory-iisertvm.com
  • Dr Manish Kumar https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/mkumar
• Host-Pathogen Interaction
  • Dr Sandhya Ganesanhttps://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/sandhya-lab
  • Dr V Stalin Rajhttps://www.virology-scientific-research-laboratory-iisertvm.com
  • Dr Kamalakannan Vijayanhttps://kamalakannanvijaya.wixsite.com/laboratory-of-parasi
  • Dr Manish Kumar https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/mkumar
• Neurobiology
  • Dr Nisha N Kannanhttps://nishankannan.wixsite.com/cblab
  • Dr Amrutha Swaminathan https://amruthaswaminathan.wixsite.com/molneurodev
  • Dr Poonam Thakur https://sites.google.com/view/thakurlab/home
• Plant Biology
  • Dr Bandan Chakraborttyhttps://www.bandanchakrabortty.com/
  • Dr Ravi Maruthachalam https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ravi
  • Dr Sanu Shameerhttps://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sshameer
  • Dr Nitin Kamble https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/nitinkamble
• Theoretical & Computational Biology
  • Dr Bandan Chakraborttyhttps://www.bandanchakrabortty.com/
  • Dr Ramanathan Natesh https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/natesh/
  • Prof Nishant K. T https://facultynishantkt.wixsite.com/gsllab
  • Dr Sanu Shameer https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/sshameer
  • Dr Yashraj Chavhan https://www.yashrajchavhan.com/

Chemical Sciences

• d-Block Organometallic Chemistry, Small Molecule Activation, Development of Molecular Catalysts for Hydrogenation https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ramarajayyappan/research-interests
• Catalysis for Sustainable Organic Synthesis https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/bsgroup/home
• Coordination and Bioinorganic Chemistry https://skunduchem.wixsite.com/skgroup
• Development of New Synthetic Methods for Organic Synthesis, Asymmetric Synthesis & Catalysis https://sites.google.com/view/alagiri-research-group/home
• Electrocatalysis for Energy Conversion and Biomass Valorisation https://muthukrishnan42.wixsite.com/my-site
• Inorganic and Materials Chemistry for Energy Applications https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/thiru/research_
• Main Group Chemistry https://www.maingroupchemistrylab.com/
• Medicinal chemistry, Organic synthesis, Computational drug discovery https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/ayanmukherjee
• Metabolic chemistry, Organic chemistry, Mass spectrometry https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/metachem-lab/
• Organic chemistry, Supramolecular chemistry https://kms514.wixsite.com/kmsgroup
• Organic Synthesis and Catalysis, Cross-Coupling Reactions, Machine Learning and AI in organic reactions – Chem informatics https://www.rameshrasappan.com
• Physical Organic Chemistry, Photochemistry and Photophysics, Molecular Spectroscopy https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/hariharan/
• Quantum cluster and Metal-Organic Framework https://mandalresearchgroup.wixsite.com/home
• Radical Chemistry in Organic Synthesis https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/yvr-group/home
• Self-healing Polymers and Biomaterials https://sites.google.com/view/biomaterialslab/home?authuser=0
• Supramolecular Chemistry, DNA nanotechnology and Cancer therapy https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/reji/personal_information
• Supramolecular Chemistry: Molecular Switches, Host-Guest Chemistry and Foldamer Chemistry https://sites.google.com/iisertvm.ac.in/soumen-de-lab/home
• Theoretical and Computational Chemistry https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/siva/publications
• Theoretical Chemistry; Computational Materials Science https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/swathi
• Theoretical and Computational Physical Chemistry, Chemical Physics and Biophysics https://sites.google.com/view/pushpita-ghosh/home
• Total synthesis of natural products and drug molecules, Asymmetric synthesis & catalysis and Medicinal chemistry https://grrgroupwebsite.wixsite.com/grr-lab

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
• (*) 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
• (*) Next Generation Intelligent Transportation System, V2X, AI-assisted B5G/6G Communication and Networking, 3D-Networking, Zero Touch Network, Connected & Autonomous Vehicle, Edge AI https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/suresh
• (*) Theoretical Computer Science: Algorithms and Complexity, Graph Algorithms, Graph Theory and Combinatorics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/dhanyamolantony
• (*) Data Security and Privacy Using Advanced Cryptography https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/laltusardar
• (*) Computer Vision https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en& user=kd3XIUkAAAAJ

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

Physical Sciences

Experimental Physics

• (*) Super capacitors, Solid-state Lithium Batteries https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/shaijumon/
• 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 https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/manoj/
• Ultrafast Optical Spectroscopy of 2D Nano-materials https://rajeevkini.iisertvm.ac.in/
• (*) Biomedical Instrumentation and Imaging, Development of Light Sheet Microscopy (LSM) or Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM) imaging system; Development of photoacoustic 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
• (*) Advanced Semiconductor Devices for Power / Energy Conversion https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/guru
• (*) Semiconductor Devices for Sensors and Energy Harvesting https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/smartlab/
• (*) Quantum Materials (Topological Materials, and Van der Waals Heterostructures), Spintronics (Multiferroics) and Device Physics https://www.fmdlab.in/
• (*) Materials Engineering and Device Physics https://bikas.iisertvm.ac.in/
• (*) Quantum Dot Spin-Qubits, 2D Superconducting Circuits https://faculty.iisertvm.ac.in/qtran/

Theoretical Physics

• Condensed Matter Theory: Quantum Materials, Magnetism and Spintronics https://sites.google.com/view/souvikpaul-cmslab
• Beyond Standard Model of Particle Physics, Effective Field Theory, Baryon Number Violation, Dark Matter https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/mathewthomas or https://inspirehep.net/authors/1413667
• Quantum Information Theory, Quantum Materials (Theory) and Quantum-Limited Sensing and Metrology
• Theoretical Cosmology and Analysis of Cosmological and Astrophysical Datasets https://iisertvm.irins.org/profile/94131
• Beyond the Standard Model of Particle Physics, Collider Phenomenology
• Soft Matter, Complex Systems, Biophysics
• Gravitational Waves, Pulsars
• Soft Matter Physics, Biophysics, and Computational Modelling
• Stochastic Lattice Gas Models Far from Equilibrium

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

Earth, Environmental and Sustainability Sciences

• (*) Atmospheric Optics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/anandn
• (*) Atmospheric Aerosols https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/anandn
• (*) Reconstructing Holocene Sea Level https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/fousiya
• (*) Stable Isotope Geochemistry https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/fousiya
• (*) Atmospheric Dynamics https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/pramitha
• (*) Tropical Meteorology & Monsoons https://www.iisertvm.ac.in/faculty/vishnu

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

Centrewise Research Areas and Eligibility

CHPC Centre of High-Performance Computing

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.

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 hybrid 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 in-terviews 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 inter-views 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: ( https://admissions.iisertvm.ac.in/phd/index.php/applicant/register/19 ).
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.