Conducted by the Centre for Advanced Training in Earth System Sciences and Climate, or CAT (CAT—ESSC), of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and hosted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), the programme helps students to place themselves in any one of the institutes of the Ministry of Earth Sciences as scientists in suitable grades (Scientist B/C) based on their basic qualifications and performance. The nature of the job will be mainly research in the area of climate science with some amount of teaching, technology development, wherever required. Students get an option of pursuing MTech in Atmospheric Sciences from the Pune University before or after placement.
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MSc in Wildlife Sciences
Fast Facts
Institute: Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun
Duration: 2 years
Eligibility: Bachelor of Science with Biological Science as a major subject with minimum 55% aggregate marks OR Bachelor’s in Veterinary, Forestry, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Minimum of 15 years of formal education. Minimum 25 years of age with relaxation of five years for reserved candidates.
Website: http://www.wii.gov.in
The WII is an autonomous institution of Environment and Forests Ministry. It introduced the Master of Wildlife Science course in 1988 with an aim to train biologists and managers in protected area management and wildlife research. The course seeks to develop in students the spirit of scientific enquiry and sensitivity to environmental issues. Both theoretical and practical methods are used to train the students so as to meet the increasing demand for research and monitoring of wildlife and their habitats. After completion of this course, postgraduates work as trained biologists to tackle the issues and challenges in wildlife conservation. Its various subjects include landscape ecology, remote sensing and conservation genetics.
The course is offered in the form of Choice-based Credit System organised in four semesters. Each semester is structured into theory papers, assignments, field practicals, tour journal and lab practical papers. The students, who come from different nationalities including Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, are expected to read and discuss original research papers as background to lectures and seminars, which help them gain competence. The field tours include Orientation tour, Techniques tour, National Park tour, Wetland field tour, High Altitude Techniques tour and Conservation Practice and Management tour, making the course more interesting. Dissertation is also given due importance and students need to submit a 1000 words pre-proposal about their dissertation project. It is submitted to a committee comprising three faculty members. Successful candidates are awarded MSc (Wildlife Science) degree.
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Integrated M.Tech-PhD in astrophysics
Fast Facts
Institute: Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Duration: PhD: Minimum four years (one year coursework), Integrated M.Tech-PhD: six years, Integrated MSc-PhD: six years
Fellowship: PhD: JRF-Rs. 16,000, SRF-Rs. 18,000, Integrated M.Tech-PhD:
Rs. 16,000 (first two years), Rs. 18,000 in third year and Rs. 20,000 from the fifth year, Integrated MSc-PhD: Rs. 10,000 (first two years), Rs. 16,000 in third year and Rs. 18,000 from the fifth year.
Eligibility: PhD: MSc/MTech, Integrated Programmes: Depending
on the course.
Website: www.iiap.res.in
Astronomy is the science that deals with the study of celestial objects, such as stars, planets, and comets. It is the physics of the universe including physical properties of these objects. The Indian Institute of Astrophysics is devoted to research in astronomy, astrophysics and related physics. It has a research programme in collaboration with Pondicherry University, which leads the scholars to a PhD degree. Scholars are required to undergo a course work normally for a period of one year before beginning the work towards their PhD thesis. Students admitted to the PhD are initially offered a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) of Rs. 16,000 per month. On completion of two years as a Junior Research Fellow, a student is offered senior research fellowship (SRF) of Rs. 18,000 per month.
The institute also offers an Integrated M Tech- PhD (Technology) in Astronomical Instrumentation in collaboration with Department of Applied Optics and Photonics, University of Calcutta (CU). The IIA also offers integrated MSc-PhD Programme in Physics and Astrophysics in collaboration with IGNOU. Upon completion of two years Master’s, the candidates with a minimum grade point would continue to work for their PhD advancing the topic of their MSc dissertation The main subjects of these courses include Mathematical Techniques for Astrophysics, Electromagnetics and Wave Optics, Optical Testing and Metrology, Sensors and Transducers, Control Electronics and Control Instrumentation, Simulation to name a few.