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Ph.D. Physics is an academic degree that consists of postgraduate studies in various branches of physics and is a program that builds on the master’s level. Full-time Ph.D. in Physics may take 4-6 years to complete or even more depending on the candidates’ schedules and specific requirements of their academic programs. The program also offers specialized courses in classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, and statistical mechanics or specialized elective subjects such as condensed matter physics, astrophysics, nuclear physics.
The common entrance exams accepted for admission into the Ph.D. Physics programs at various universities are: GRE: Subject Test in Physics, JAM: Joint Admission Test for M.Sc. Junior Research Fellowship in Physical Sciences in the first case having cleared a Joint Admission Test (JAM) conducted by IITs with a good rank in Physics section , National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by CSIR-UGC or State Level Eligibility Test with good rank in Physical sciences respectively.
| Highlight | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Doctor of Philosophy in Physics |
| Duration | 3-5 years |
| Course Level | Doctoral |
| Eligibility | Master's degree in Physics or a related field, with a minimum required percentage (usually 55-60%), and sometimes relevant research experience |
| Top Colleges | IITs, IISc, JNU, DU, BHU, University of Hyderabad, TIFR |
| Entrance Exam | CSIR-NET, GATE, JRF, JEST, university-specific entrance exams |
1. Successfully pass a Master’s degree program in Physics with an average of 55% or its equivalent.
2. Academic tests like CSIR-UGC NET, GATE, or similar tests conducted by universities and colleges have to be cleared.
3. Candidates who are selected to the next level are taken for an interview to determine research ability and the topic of interest.
4. Therefore overall performance in the entrance tests, academic record and the performance in the interview determines the final selection.
5. Letters of recommendation coming from well recognized experts in the field of physics may be useful.
6. Some universities offer the opportunity to submit a research proposal indicating the area of the doctorate the applicant wishes to study.
| Subject | Important Topics |
|---|---|
| Classical Mechanics | Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics, Canonical transformations, Small oscillations, Rigid body dynamics |
| Quantum Mechanics | Schrödinger equation, Quantum operators, Angular momentum, Perturbation theory, Quantum entanglement |
| Electrodynamics | Maxwell's equations, Electromagnetic waves, Radiation, Relativistic electrodynamics, Gauge transformations |
| Statistical Mechanics | Ensembles, Partition function, Phase transitions, Quantum statistics, Non-equilibrium thermodynamics |
| Condensed Matter Physics | Crystal structures, Band theory, Phonons, Superconductivity, Magnetism |
| Nuclear and Particle Physics | Nuclear structure, Nuclear reactions, Particle accelerators, Standard Model, Quark-gluon plasma |
| Mathematical Methods | Complex analysis, Differential equations, Group theory, Tensor analysis, Special functions |
| Computational Physics | Numerical methods, Simulation techniques, Computational fluid dynamics, Monte Carlo methods |
| Experimental Techniques | Detectors and instrumentation, Data analysis, Spectroscopy, Scattering techniques |
| Elective Subjects | Specialized topics such as Quantum field theory, General relativity, Plasma physics, Astrophysics |
| Specialization | Average Salary (INR) |
|---|---|
| Astrophysics & Cosmology | 5,00,000 - 15,00,000 |
| Condensed Matter Physics | 4,00,000 - 12,00,000 |
| High Energy Physics | 6,00,000 - 18,00,000 |
| Medical Physics | 5,00,000 - 16,00,000 |
| Nuclear Physics | 6,00,000 - 18,00,000 |
| Optics & Photonics | 4,00,000 - 14,00,000 |
| Computational Physics | 5,00,000 - 16,00,000 |
