IISER Pune PhD admission 2027: apply for Science Education by October 25

The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, has commenced the application process for its PhD programmes for the January 2027 session. Prospective candidates can apply for various departments, with specific deadlines for each programme.

The PhD programmes offered by IISER Pune include Biology, Chemistry, Data Science, Earth and Climate Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Science Education. The application process, which began on October 5, 2026, requires candidates to submit their applications online.

Application Deadlines and Key Dates

While the overall application process is underway, specific deadlines apply to different departments. For the PhD programme in Science Education, interested candidates must submit their applications by October 25, 2026. The written examination for Science Education is scheduled for November 2, 2026, followed by interviews for shortlisted candidates on December 3 and 4, 2026.

Other departments have earlier deadlines. The application window for Biology PhD closed on October 18, 2026, at 5 PM IST. Chemistry and Earth and Climate Science PhD applications closed on October 21, 2026, at 5 PM. The deadline for Humanities and Social Sciences PhD is October 23, 2026, at 5 PM.

Eligibility Criteria and Required Qualifications

Candidates applying for the PhD programmes must hold a master’s degree in science or mathematics, or a four-year bachelor’s degree, with a minimum of 60% aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA for the General, OBC, and EWS categories. For SC, ST, or PwD categories, a minimum of 55% aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA is required. Students whose final results are pending can also apply and may receive provisional offers if selected.

Applicants must have qualified a National Eligibility exam that provides a 5-year PhD fellowship, such as CSIR–JRF or UGC–JRF, valid on January 1, 2027. Other acceptable qualifications include JEST or GPAT or NBHM in the last two years, INSPIRE-PhD fellowship (with a provisional selection letter at the interview), or qualified GATE exams valid on January 1, 2027. IISER BS-MS dual degree students with a CGPA of 8.0 or above are also eligible.

Application Process and Selection

The application form, available on the official portal iiserpune.ac.in, requires candidates to submit a Statement of Purpose (SOP) explaining their interest in a PhD in Science Education and an updated CV of no more than four pages. The application form also includes a question requiring candidates to describe a specific research question and design a short study.

Responses to application questions will be checked for plagiarism, and any detected plagiarism will lead to the rejection of the application. IISER Pune reserves the right to employ more stringent criteria for shortlisting candidates for interviews, including evaluating scores from the ‘Research Question’ and ‘Design a study’ sections. Final admission will be based on interview performance for shortlisted candidates.

PhD Programme Structure and Fellowships

The PhD programme at IISER Pune is structured as a blend of classroom curriculum, mentoring undergraduate students, and a significant research component. Research scholars are expected to complete at least 16 credits of coursework within the first two semesters, followed by a detailed examination.

Students receive a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) for the first two years. Upon successful completion of the detailed examination, they become eligible for a Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) for a maximum of an additional three years. Research progress is monitored annually by a Research Advisory Committee (RAC).

Further reading

• Pune Law: Apply for direct admission to colleges by October 17, 2026
• IISER Bhopal PhD admission 2027 application open: apply by October 12
• UCEED 2027 registration deadline October 31: apply with regular fee by end of month
• IBA Bangalore PGDM 2027-29 admissions open; apply online from October 20
• Delhi University non-teaching recruitment 2026: apply for 126 posts from October 23

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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