Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), known as the “cradle of space sciences” in India, is a premier national research institution under the aegis of the Department of Space, Government of India. Applications are invited from highly motivated students for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), leading to a Ph.D. degree. The broad areas of ongoing research activities in PRL are Astronomy, Astrophysics, Solar Physics, Space & Atmospheric Sciences, Atomic, Molecular & Optical Physics, Astrochemistry, Theoretical Physics, Geosciences and Planetary Sciences.

The JRF programme will start from July 2018.

For more details visit web pages of respective divisions of PRL.
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Solar Physics
Geosciences
Planetary Sciences
Space and Atmospheric Sciences
Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Theoretical Physics

Eligibility criteria for applying to the JRF Programme

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Science or Engineering with first class (60%) or equivalent grades at both Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. We encourage science/engineering students to apply for our JRF programme and emphasize that students should be interested in carrying out doctoral research in the above-mentioned areas only. We expect prospective candidates to have a reasonably good proficiency in basic physics and mathematics.
• Master’s degree should be on or after 2016. Those students expecting Master's degree by August 2018 are also eligible to apply, subject to having secured first class (60%) or equivalent grades up to the last semester.
Nationality: Only candidates with Indian citizenship can apply.
Age Limit: 25 years as on 31.12.2017 (born on or after 31.12.1992).


• Applicants should have qualified in any one of the following examinations:
  • CSIR-UGC National Eligibility Test, NET-JRF [December 2016/June 2017/December 2017] in Physical Sciences / Chemical Sciences / Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean and Planetary Sciences.
  • Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) [GATE 2016/GATE 2017/GATE 2018] in Physics / Geology and Geophysics / Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences / Chemistry.
  • Joint Entrance Screening Test [JEST 2018] in Physics.

Please note if the applicant possesses more than one score in either GATE or NET then the best among them has to be provided in the application.

Selection Procedure :

1. All the candidates interested in applying to the PRL JRF programme must fill the online application form.
2. Fulfilling minimum qualification and filling online application do not guarantee a call for an interview. The applications received in response to this advertisement shall be scrutinised by taking into account their CSIR-UGC-NET-JRF/GATE/JEST and Post Graduation scores and shortlist will be prepared. Candidates shortlisted as per PRL norms will be called for an interview.
3. Those candidates whose Post Graduation final results are not declared but qualify through the interview will be provisionally offered JRF in PRL. However, their joining will be regularised subject to their scoring an aggregate of the first class (60% marks) in Post Graduation.

General Information for Online Application :

1. Candidates are advised to apply well before the closing date and not wait till the last date to avoid the possibility of disconnection/local server issues/power failure etc.
2. A valid e-mail ID and Mobile Number is mandatory for registration. E-mail ID should be kept active. Status of successful registration will be sent to the registered e-mail ID.
3. Candidates are requested to fill in the online application form with utmost care as no modifications will be allowed after submitting the application form. Request for change/correction in the Application Form shall not be entertained under any circumstances after submitting the application form.
4. PRL will not be responsible for any consequences arising due to furnishing incorrect/incomplete details or failure to provide the required details. Submitting the online application does not guarantee a call for the selection procedure.

Course Work

All the students will be required to undergo two semesters of course work after joining PRL, and only after the successful completion of the course work, students will be allowed to join the various research groups.

Stipend and other financial Support:

1. Selected JRFs will be paid a fellowship of ₹ 25,000/- per month which will be raised to ₹ 28,000/- per month after two years, subject to a satisfactory academic review. Renewal of fellowship is based on a review conducted each year. The total duration of fellowship will be five years.
2. An academic allowance of ₹ 10,000/- per year will be given for five years.
3. Expenses connected with the registration for a Ph.D. degree, such as, tuition fees and examination fees will be borne by PRL.
4. Students are offered financial support up to ₹ 1.0/- lakh (Rupees One lakh only) for participating in an international academic meeting during the Ph.D. tenure, excluding the duration of the course work and subject to fulfilling extent PRL norms.

Allotment of Guides:

The extant PRL norms for the allotment of guide are as follows:

1. Allotment of guide will be done after the completion of course work.
2. A faculty member can take only ONE research scholar from a batch.
3. Only THREE research scholars can be associated with a guide at a time.
4. A PRL faculty member who already has three students working with him/her will become eligible to take another student only after an SRF submits his/her thesis to the University/IIT.
5. A faculty member nearing superannuation can only take a research scholar if he/she will be at PRL at least till the time of the research scholar’s fourth year review. If not, a co-guide is required.