CHEP started a Ph.D. programme from the academic year 1996-97. The minimum qualification for applying is an M.Sc. in Physics, Mathematics or Chemistry, or a B.E./B.Tech. degree.

The programme is oriented towards research in theoretical and experimental high energy physics as well as mathematical physics. General research areas include: quantum field theory, the standard model of particle physics and beyond, new particle searches, collider data analysis, detector physics and fabrication, QCD and lattice gauge theories, quantum gravity, string theory and black holes, non-commutative geometry, quantum computation, condensed matter systems in low dimensions. The research interests of individual faculty members can be found in their respective home pages under Faculty.

The advertisement, examination, interview procedure, etc. are part of the overall procedure followed by IISc. The interviews for the CHEP programme are conducted by a departmental committee.

After admission, basic knowledge of the incoming students in the following subjects is checked: Classical mechanics, Electromagnetic theory, Mathematical physics, Quantum mechanics, Thermodynamics and statistical physics. During the first year, students are expected to fill up gaps in their knowledge, if necessary by solving a set of problems on the subjects.

Course requirements for CHEP students:

The minimum course credit requirement for the IISc Ph.D. programme is 12. Additional electives may be required to be credited depending on the area the student chooses to specialize in.

Electives (some electives may not be offered every year):

Students can also opt for additional relevant courses offered by other deparments, upon the supervisor’s suggestion

All the electives may not be offered every year. The students have to choose the electives in consultation with their supervisors. The supervisor may ask the students to take more electives than the list above, even after the Comprehensive Exam, as per his/her needs and interests. There is no provision for skipping courses, but a student may seek exemption from any course by passing a written test at the beginning of the term.

Some of the courses overlap with those of the Physics department. The CHEP specific courses are: Nuclear and Particle Physics, Quantum Mechanics III, Quantum Field Theory I and II, Advanced Mathematical Physics, General Relativity, Quantum Computation, String Theory and II, The Standard Model of Particle Physics, Experimental High Energy Physics, and Collider Physics.

The syllabi for these courses appear here.

There will be a Comprehensive Exam, which the students must take as soon as possible after passing the above courses. In any case, they must take the exam before the end of their second year. The exam will test whether the student has sufficient preparation to begin Ph.D. research. Those who fail the exam will be given another attempt after a few months.

At the time of joining, each student must find a provisional Faculty Advisor, who may not turn out to be the actual Ph.D. supervisor. The student must select the Ph.D. supervisor by the end of the second semester. Students will be permitted to work with a faculty outside CHEP if their research interests so demand. In such cases, however, they must have a joint supervisor in CHEP. Beginning from the second year, students must present a seminar each year on their work, to acquaint the CHEP faculty with their progress.

CHEP participates in the Integrated Ph.D programme that is jointly run with the Department of Physics and the Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics.

The admission interview is conducted by a joint Physics/IAP/CHEP committee

Course requirements for CHEP students:

The minimum course credit requirement for the IISc Int. Ph.D. programme is 64. The total course credit requirement for CHEP is higher. The list above can go up to 75 credits (because of the extra electives).

Electives (some electives may not be offered every year):

All the electives may not be offered every year. The students have to choose the electives in consultation with their supervisors. The supervisor may ask the students to take more electives than the list above, even after the Comprehensive Exam, as per his/her needs and interests. There is no provision for skipping courses, but a student may seek exemption from any course by passing a written test at the beginning of the semester.

The syllabi for the CHEP specific courses appear here.

The project is spread over the fourth semester and the succeeding summer term. The student may continue to work on the same subject with the same guide for his/her Ph.D. research. Each student will be assigned a Faculty Advisor from Physics/CHEP at the time of joining. For the first two years, however the student will belong to the Physical Sciences Division at IISc and not to any particular department. At the end of two years, the student will be officially transferred to the department of his/her project guide. By the end of the third semester, the students will have to find a research supervisor. If necessary, the student can have a co-supervisor from another department.

After completing two years at IISc (i.e. after completing the project), and before the end of the fifth semester, the students will have to undergo a Comprehensive Exam. The exam will test whether the student has sufficient preparation to begin Ph.D. research. Those who fail the exam will be given another attempt after a few months. For the students continuing on to Ph.D. research at IISc, there is no requirement of submitting an M.S. thesis. But if a student wants to leave IISc after completing the course work, he/she will have to work on the M.S. thesis that may take up to a year. After completion of the thesis, he/she will be awarded the M.S. degree by IISc.