I want to study astrophysics. What shall i do if i have completed 12th?

Hello Anagha AnuZ,

About Bachelor's in Astrophysics:

• A degree in astrophysics aims at inculcating the knowledge about celestial bodies and them physical and chemical properties, along with this the courses also is very explanatory about the natural phenomena occurring in the universe.
• Courses studies under this degree programme include electromagnetism, thermodynamics, newtonian dynamics, optics, waves, modern physics, nuclear physics, atomic physics, quantum physics, solid state physics, fluid mechanics, relativity etc.
• The course is a three year undergraduate programme. It runs as a full time degree course and most of the universities follow a semester system.
• In order to be eligible for this course you need to have completed your 12th grade with physics, chemistry and mathematics as your core subjects from a recognised board  or university.

Examination for the course:

• For B.Sc. in Astrophysics there are specific university based examinations which you are required to give and along with them you might even have to give a personal interview or group discussion round.
• For B.Tech. you need to give national level examinations like GATE, JEST, JEE Mains, JEE Advance etc. and state level examinations like TS Eamcet, AP EAMCET, MHT CET, KCET etc. and university level examinations like BITSAT, VITEEE, SRMJEE etc.

Universities which offer this course:

• Osmania University, Hyderabad
• Andhra University, Vishakhapatnam
• Punjabi University, Punjab
• IIT Bombay, Mumbai
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
• IIT Madras, Chennai
• IIT Delhi, New Delhi
• IIT Kanpur
• Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai
• Delhi University
• IIT Kharagpur
• Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Trivandum
• Indian Centre for Space Physics, Kolkata
• Savtribai Phule Pune University - Department of Atmospheric and Space Science, Pune
• Cochin Institute of Science and Technology - Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Cochin
• IISER, Bhopal
• IISER, Kolkata
• IISER, Pune

Career prospects after this course:

• As a beginner you can work as a researcher on one of the existing research project. It will be hard to start you own research as being a beginner you will not get a lot of sponsors.
• You have an option of studying further. You can do your M.Sc. and Ph.D. The more you study the better will be your chances at research and securing better jobs.
• Most of the astronomers are under the employment of the federal government or under federally supported laboratories.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Naval Research Lobaratory (NRL), Niels Bohr Institute, Naval Observatory, Space Telescope Science Institute, Nicolaus Copernicus are global organisations which recruit research scientists.
• The positions which you get hired for are observational astronomers, researcher, theoretical astrophysicists, solar astronomer, stellar astronomers, research assistants, technicians etc.

All the best!

I hope this answers your queries.

Do revert back in case of any further questions.

Yes astrophysics have a good scope in India