MSc Mathematics is a two-year postgraduate program with four semesters. The course provides a deeper knowledge of advanced mathematics including a deep knowledge of pure and applied mathematics subjects, and offers wide options of subject choice including – geometry, calculus, algebra, number theory, dynamical systems, differential equations, et al. Students get skilled in a particular area of mathematics after completing a post-grad program in maths and in the course become skilled at collecting big data and analysing the same with diverse tools and methods, and also develop problem-solving and reasoning skills. A post grad degree in maths will help you get placed in the research field or you can also join the government sector, financial sector in private firms and Universities. Work profile can be of Actuarial professional, Teacher, Database Manager, and External Auditor.
After completing your post-grad in mathematics, you can pursue higher studies and join the research field by pursuing M. Phil. or PhD in maths by qualifying the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research – National Eligibility Test (CSIR – NET), University Grant Commission – National Eligibility Test (UGC – NET). However, some also honour Gate Aptitude Test Engineering (GATE) and National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) scores.
A number of colleges and institutes in India offer post-grad and research programs in maths.
Top institutes are:
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR)
TIFR is a National Centre of the Government of India, under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy, as well as a deemed University awarding degrees for master’s and doctoral programs. The Institute was founded in 1945 with support from the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust under the vision of Dr. Homi Bhabha. At TIFR, we carry out basic research in physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computer science and science education. Our main campus is located in Mumbai, with centres at Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is India’s premier institution for advanced research in fundamental sciences. The Institute runs a graduate programme leading to the award of Ph.D., Integrated M.Sc.-Ph.D. as well as M.Sc. degree in certain subjects. With its distinguished faculty, world class facilities and stimulating research environment, it is an ideal place for aspiring scientists to initiate their career. The Graduate Programme at TIFR is classified into the following Subjects – Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Computer & Systems Sciences (including Communications and Applied Probability) and Science Education. It is conducted at the Mumbai campus and various National Centres of TIFR. (https://www.tifr.res.in/)
Main campus
- TIFR, Mumbai
Other centres
- CAM, Bengaluru
- HBCSE, Mumbai
- ICTS, Bengaluru
- NCRA, Pune
- NCBS, Bengaluru
- TIFR, Hyderabad
Admission
Students can apply online by following appropriate link on the website and can take online tests for several subjects. Separate applications must be submitted for each subject and the application fee has to be paid online only.
For admission in TIFR, an annual entrance exam is held in two stages. In Stage I a common entrance exam, is held all over India following which selected candidates take a written exam at the School of Mathematics, TIFR, Mumbai in Stage II. This stage is independent of corresponding stages in the selection process for admission to the programs at TIFR CAM, Bengaluru, and ICTS, Bengaluru. Students are advised to go to the websites of individual centres for more information.
M.Sc. Programme: offered only as part of the Integrated Ph.D. programme.
The Ph.D. and Integrated Ph.D. (I-Ph.D.) Programmes will lead to a Ph.D./I-Ph.D degree in Mathematics. Students without a post grad will be admitted to I-Ph.D program.
The eligibility criterion criterion to be considered for admission to the Integrated Ph.D. programme is a Bachelor’s degree in any of Mathematics, Statistics, Science or Technology (B.A. / B.Sc. / B.Math. / B.Stat. / B.E. / B.Tech.). Students with four-year graduation degree are also considered for admission to the Ph.D. programme.
Harishchandra Research Institute (HRI)
The Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI) is a premier institution dedicated to research in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. The areas of focus in Mathematics are Algebra, Analysis, Geometry, and Number Theory. In Physics the areas are Astrophysics, Condensed Matter, Particle Physics, Quantum Information, and String Theory. The institute runs a Ph.D programme in both Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and has recently started an M.Sc. programme in Physics. The institute also has a visiting students’ programme for bachelors and masters students; and actively runs various outreach programmes. In the past two decades HRI has had significant impact in both research and education in Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. Awards conferred on faculty members include one Dirac Medal, five Bhatnagar Awards and one Padma Bhushan. Around fifty alumni of the institute hold faculty positions in premier scientific institutions in the country. (http://www.hri.res.in/)
The Ph.D. program in mathematics is open to students having a M.Sc. degree in mathematics. The program consists of a rigorous course work and projects during the first three semesters, followed by research work leading to a Ph.D. degree. The Degree is granted by the Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI).
Admission
The procedure involves two level selections. For the Preliminary Screening Test Harish-Chandra Research Institute uses the national level NBHM Ph. D. Scholarships Examination as a preliminary screening. Candidates who score marks above a cut off mark (announced yearly) will be eligible to appear for the Admission Exam for the HRI Ph.D. programme. NBHM test is the main screening test. Those getting cut off marks (announced yearly) in the national level joint UGC-CSIR Fellowship examination held in the last July / December month, can also appear for the HRI Ph.D. admission Exam.
In order to appear for the admission exam for the Ph. D. Programme you need to apply online with relevant details including PDF file of mark sheets of the relevant qualifying exams and passport size photograph.
Selection for Ph.D. programme is through the entrance examination conducted at the institute, usually on the first Sunday of June.
Those scoring 46 marks or more the national level NBHM test held in 2020, or secured a rank from 1 to 20 in the last July/ December national level joint UGC-CSIR Fellowship exam qualified for taking the HRI Ph.D. admission exam this year.
Up to five candidates are normally selected for the Ph.D programme, based on their performances. Selected candidates are expected to produce a document showing that they have qualified for the M.Sc. degree, at the time of joining. Details of NBHM Ph.D. Scholarships examination are advertised in all leading national dailies during the last quarter of each year.
Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)
Founded by the renowned Statistician, P. C. Mahalanobish on 17th December, 1931, ISI is dedicated to the research, teaching and application of statistics, natural sciences and social sciences. The institute was endowed with the status of an Institution of National Importance by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1959.
Headquartered in Kolkata, the institute has four other centres at Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Tezpur. The Institute’s diverse bodies across the country are deeply engaged in projects and consultancy in Statistical Quality Control and Operations Research. (www.isical.ac.in)
Post grad in maths
Post grad in maths is called M. Math at ISI and is a two years course available in ISI Kolkata and Bengaluru. A 3-year Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics, or B. Stat. degree from ISI, or BE/B. Tech. degree with Mathematics as a subject id required to get admission in the program. Stipend of rupees 5000/per month is offered at Kolkata.
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in maths
M. Stat./M. Math. degree from ISI, or (ii) MA/M. Sc. or equivalent degree in Mathematics or, (iii) ME/M. Tech. degree or equivalent with Mathematics as a subject; offered at Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai.
Candidates residing in India can apply only online, those from abroad should write to the Dean’s office at: dean@isical.ac.in. An admission test is conducted at various centres across India and students applying from overseas will also have to write the test at one of the test centres. Selection is based on the candidates’ performance in written tests followed by interviews taken by the Institute and is also subject to having desired academic qualification.
Placement offers come from companies like Goldman Sachs, Walmart, Reliance, Capital One, Delloite, Novartis, Samsung, United Bank of Switzerland etc and pay packages vary between is 17-18 lakh per annum. Students of ISI often get into Ivy Leagus universities in USA including standard, John Hopkins, North Carolina State University, University of pennsylvania, Berkley, Texas and others for research.
Chennai Mathematical institute (CMI)
Chennai Mathematical Institute is a centre of excellence for teaching and research in the mathematical sciences. Founded in 1989 as part of the SPIC Science Foundation, it has been an autonomous institute since 1996. The research groups in Mathematics and Computer Science at CMI are among the best known in the country. The Institute has nurtured an impressive collection of PhD students. In 1998, CMI took the initiative to bridge the gap between teaching and research in India by starting BSc and MSc programmes in Mathematics and allied subjects. Students who have graduated from CMI have gone on to join leading institutions throughout the world. CMI occupies a unique position in Indian academia, attracting substantial funding from both corporate and government sources. In October, 2005, CMI moved to its new campus at Siruseri, on the southern outskirts of Chennai. In December, 2006, CMI was recognized by the Government of India as a University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. CMI’s vision is to build on its early success and develop into a well-rounded academic institution, in the tradition of the best universities around the world. (https://www.cmi.ac.in/)
Academic programmes offered at CMI
- B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mathematics and Computer Science (3 year course)
- B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mathematics and Physics (3 year course)
- M.Sc. in Mathematics
- M.Sc. in Computer Science
- M.Sc. in Data Science
- Ph.D. in Mathematics
- Ph.D. in Computer Science
- Ph.D. in Physics
Admission
Eligibility for applying includes an undergraduate degrees such as B.A., B.Sc., B.Math., B.Stat., B.E., B.Tech with a strong background in Mathematics are eligible to apply for the programme. Admission is through an entrance examination is conducted at centres throughout the country followed by an interview in Chennai.
Tuition fee is Rs 1,00,000/- per semester (two semesters in a year) and substantial number of scholarships are available, consisting of a full waiver of the tuition fees. The number of scholarships will be roughly equal to the number of students admitted in recent batches of MSc Mathematics.
Moreover, limited number of fellowships are also available, with a monthly allowance of Rs. 6,000. The eligibility of a student to receive scholarships and fellowships will be reviewed every semester and will depend on satisfactory academic performance.
Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc)
The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), founded by Alladi Ramakrishnan in 1962, is an autonomous national institution for fundamental research in the areas of Theoretical Physics, Mathematics, Theoretical Computer Science and Computational Biology. The Institute is governed by a Board and an Academic Council. The present Director of the institute is V. Arvind. Research at IMSc is supported by the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India and by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The Institute has a vibrant academic program, including an active PhD program to which a select group of students are admitted every year. Located in South Chennai, in the Adyar-Taramani area, the campus is entirely Wi-Fi enabled. (https://www.imsc.res.in/)
The mathematics group at IMSc pursues research in diverse subdisciplines. In addition to traditional areas of pure mathematics, some of the faculty have interests in applied and computational aspects as well. Activities in the group include regular graduate courses, research seminars, as well as periodical instructional workshops and conferences. There is a graduate programme for which applications are invited once a year. The group also hosts around 12 postdoctoral fellows at any given time.
IMSc regularly invites applications for faculty positions like Fellow, Reader, Professor in Theoretical Physics, Mathematics, Theoretical Computer Science and Computational Biology. The details of the positions:
- Fellow ‘E’ – Pay Level – 12
- Reader ‘F’ – Pay Level – 13
- Professor ‘G’ – Pay level – 13 A
- Professor ‘H’ – Pay level – 14
Emoluments and benefits are extremely high and are according to central government scales. Off-campus faculty accommodation is provided or House Rent Allowance (HRA) is paid if Institute accommodation is not used or is unavailable. Additional allowances as applicable are also part of the salary package. Eligibility for an entry-level faculty position is a Ph.D. degree. Applicants generally possess 2-6 years of post doctoral experience.
Application Process
You can apply by sending the following details electronically to the Director at the email address: director [at] imsc [dot] res [dot] in:
- Resume including list of publications
- Details of current research interests
- Planned course of research over a 3-5 years
- Three academic referees and their letters of recommendation directly to the director
- Application feels
- Applicants are expected to have reasonable amount of international recognition and their research will be evaluated in terms of its creativity and originality.
Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
The brain child of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, a successful businessman and philanthropist, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived in the late 1800sThe Institute which started with just two departments – General and Applied Chemistry and Electrical Technology – today has over 40 departments spread across six divisions: Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Electrical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research, Mechanical Sciences, and Physical and Mathematical Sciences. It also has a new campus at Challekere in Chitradurga district in Karnataka. Today the institute has following divisions-
- Division of Biological Sciences
- Division of Chemical Sciences
- Division of Electrical, Electronics, and Computer Science (EECS)
- Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences
- Division of Mechanical Sciences
- Division of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
- Autonomous Societies / Centres
Admission
The Mathematics department is actively involved in research in areas of both pure and applied mathematics, including algebra and number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, geometry/topology, mathematical finance, numerical analysis, partial differential equations, probability, representation theory, and time-series analysis.
The department has a Ph.D. programme as well as an integrated Ph.D. programme. The department participates in the undergraduate programme of IISc: undergraduate students can opt for mathematics as a major or a minor.
To apply for admission eligible candidates should fill the application form (available only online) and submit by accessing the IISc website http://www.iisc.ac.in/ug. The application fee is Rs. 500/- for GN/OBC/KM candidates and Rs. 250/- for SC/ST/PWD categories.
Payment of the Application Fee: Mode of payment options: Online Payment – Net-banking, Visa Card/ Master Card, Debit/Credit Cards.
Exam score is used for cut-off for following exams: GATE and UGC NET for JRF. Rank is used for Cut Off for following exams: Joint CSIR UGC NET for JRF, JEST and JAM.
| Department Name | Entrance Type | Entrance Paper Name | Cut-off | ||||
| Interdisciplinary Programme – Mathematical Sciences | GATE | AE | 750 | 625 | 625 | 350 | 350 |
| BM | 700 | 550 | 550 | 400 | 400 | ||
| BT | 550 | 450 | 450 | 400 | 400 | ||
| CE | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| CH | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| CS | 700 | 575 | 575 | 375 | 375 | ||
| EC | 650 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | ||
| EE | 700 | 575 | 525 | 350 | 350 | ||
| GG | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| IN | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| MA | 650 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | ||
| ME | 750 | 600 | 600 | 400 | 400 | ||
| PH | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| PI | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| ST | 650 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | ||
| XE | 750 | 625 | 625 | 400 | 400 | ||
| XL | 650 | 500 | 500 | 400 | 400 | ||
| JEST | 5 | 20 | 20 | 100 | 100 | ||
| JOINT CSIR UGC NET for JRF | 5 | 20 | 20 | 100 | 100 | ||
| UGC NET for JRF | 200 | 150 | 150 | 100 | 100 |
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune
The Government of India, through the Ministry of Education, has established seven Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER). These institutes are located in Bhopal, Berhampur, Mohali, Pune, Kolkata, Thiruvanantapuram and Tirupati.
IISER Pune is a research-intensive teaching institute. Our faculty and students investigate questions in science that lie beyond the boundaries of conventional thinking. The whole ambience is very academic. We are a member of Association of Indian Universities. Since inception, IISER Pune has published over 2000 research papers in highly reputed journals, of which several have come out of 5th year research projects of BS-MS students. IISER Pune has been ranked 23 in Overall category in the NIRF 2019 India Rankings.
The institute offers B.Sc and M.Sc courses in:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Master of Science + Ph.D. in
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Biology
It also offers Ph.D. in Chemistry/Physics/ Interdisciplinary/Humanities and Social Science/Mathematics/Biology/Earth Sciences
Admission
Integrated PhD (i-PhD) in Mathematics
As a research programme it is a blend of course work (2 years) and research projects to students who have completed a Bachelors’ degree in any branch of science.
Application Procedure:
- Only online applications submitted on or before the specified date.
- Those appearing or about to appear for final examinations of the qualifying degree program are eligible to apply for Integrated PhD program.
- Selection will be based on interviews of the short-listed candidates.
- Depending on the number of applications received, respective departments may use additional criteria (like academic performance and/or ranking in respective national level tests like JGEEBILS / JAM / NBHM / JEST) to shortlist candidates for interviews.
- More than one round of interviews held
PhD Programme in Mathematics
Candidates having 60% or above marks in aggregate or CGPA 6 out of 10-point scale in Master’s degree or four-year Bachelor’s Degree BE, B.Tech, in related branches satisfying the above criteria of marks, can apply provided they meet the following criteria –
- Appeared for NBHM 2020 PhD examination
- Qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) with valid* CSIR-JRF/UGC-JRF in Mathematics or Computer Science and Applications
- INSPIRE-PhD fellowship holders (should be in possession of Provisional Selection Letter at the time of Interview)
- Valid* GATE score in Mathematics or Computer Science and Information Technology
- Qualified for the Prime Minister Research Fellowship, and the fellowship would be valid*
- Integrated BS-MS from any of the IISERs with a CGPA more than or equal to 8 out of 10
Shortlisted candidates will be called for the interviews. Final selection to the program will be decided based on performance in the interview to be held in IISER Pune.
Job Roles and salary for candidates with post-grad and doctorate degrees in maths
They will be the best for the work profile of analytic science consultant, actuarial analyst, database manager, external auditor, data analyst, customer coordinator, credit analyst, and quantitative risk analyst. Students can choose the teaching field and become a professor in government and private colleges. Secondary school teacher, technical subject matter experts, academic coordinator, middle school teachers, and science teachers are also earning good amount after their post-graduate degree. Average salary can be earned by the MSc Mathematics graduate is around 6 to 9 Lac per annum in the starting while the experience one can get up to 20 to 22 Lac per annum.