Frequently Asked Questions related to IIT-JAM Physics | FAQs

Here you can find all the frequently asked questions related to IIT-JAM Physics
If you don't find your question here, then please ask the same in the comment section or feel free to ask us at hub.iitjam@gmail.com

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of an integrated Ph.D. over doing an M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Physics?

Advantages:

1. You save a semester or a year if you opt for integrated Ph.D. Usually people complete their Ph.D. quite earlier if they opt for integrated Ph.D. than doing M.Sc. first and Ph.D. later. Reason being that Ph.D. in India and USA offer courses for a year even after M.Sc. (It's not the same case in Europe though. The Ph.D. there usually gets over in 3.5 years after your M.Sc.)
2. If you are very much sure regarding the topic you will be taking for your research then choosing integrated Ph.D. will help you to build a perfect background for it. You can choose your electives accordingly.
3. You won't have to appear for the entrances again after your masters.

Disadvantages:

1. If you plan to leave the course with an M.Sc. degree after two years, it might not be possible. It usually takes another semester (6 months) to complete the credits required for M.Sc. Degree.

2. Can I do an M.Sc. in Physics after a B.Sc. in Mathematics/Chemistry/Statistics/Geology through IIT JAM?

IIT JAM eligibility criteria to apply for M.Sc. in Physics tells that you should have studied Physics and Mathematics/Mathematical Physics for two years/four semesters and at least one of them for three years/six semesters. So if in worst case you have studied Physics for two years but Maths for three, you are definitely eligible.

Personal experience: I want to tell you that we were a batch of 43 at IIT Bombay and out of 43, 4 were B.Tech. students. None of them have studied Physics for two years. Infact one of them did only one semester course on Physics. So may be the criteria are poorly mentioned in the website or it is different for Engineers and B.Sc. students. JAM did not object them from giving the entrance neither IIT Bombay objected them while taking admission.

So minimum eligibility requirements, if met, good! And if not then you might still stand a chance as per Institute's decision.

3. Can I take admission in M.Sc. in Physics after engineering through IIT JAM?

Yes. We were a batch of 43 at IIT Bombay, out of which 4 were B.Tech./B.E. Your branch in B.Tech./B.E. does not matter as far as you satisfy minimum eligibility requirements. However minimum eligibility requirements are not compulsory and it depends on the institute if they want to consider them or not. For example they have mentioned that a two year physics learning is necessary to pursue an M.Sc. through JAM but no engineer have studied Physics for two years during their bachelors. Out of the four in my batch, one studied Physics for only a semester. So minimum eligibility requirements, if met, good! And if not then you might still stand a chance as per Institute's decision.

4. Can an M.Sc. physics student from IIT apply for coding placements if he/she knows programming?

Well, yes, you can.

But there's a whole lot process.

Let me explain to you how the campus placements work.

At IIT Bombay, it is run by student bodies. There are 5 elected Placement Managers (PMs) who are final year students. They form a team of Associate Placement Coordinators (APCs) (usually seven and they are pre-final year students) and Department Placement Coordinators (DPCs) (one from each department) by rigorous interview rounds.

Companies are being invited by DPCs.

One they join us, APCs take over for further procedure.

It is companies decision from which department do they want to hire a student.

But, say you are from Physics and there's a placement for CS (Computer Science) people and you're interested in the same.

In that case you have to contact your DPC and ask him to pitch the same placement for your department.

DPC will talk to the respective APC who is in contact with the company.

The respective APC will try to pitch with the company to open the placement for your department as well.

If you're lucky, pitching works and then you might get the job you want, be it from the other department!

5. Is it advisable to opt for an M.Sc. in Physics in the newest IITs like IIT J and IIT (BHU), if your JAM rank doesn't fetch you the older IITs?

Well

It's always better to be a topper in the second rank university than to be last in the first rank university.

Repeat a year only if you think that after getting an old IIT, you would be able to keep you zest and do good throughout your masters. Else none of it would be worth it.

Yes, the brand value does matter.

But however, if you are a horse of long race and you have patience then I would suggest you to take admission in a new IIT. Flourish with wonderful colours. Get a good internship. Do a great project. Crack all the entrances like GATE, JEST, TIFR, GRE, TOEFL with wonderful scores and then you would do good.

6. With what CGPA am I eligible for IIT/NIT through IIT JAM?

The requirement for IIT-JAM tells that the qualifying examination must be passed with minimum 55% aggregate marks (in all subjects including Languages and Subsidiaries, all years combined) without rounding off. Candidates belonging from SC/ST category are required to obtain at least 50% aggregate marks, without rounding off. In case of grading system/CGPA, the equivalence in percentage of marks will be decided by the Admitting Institute. Usually it is CGPA*9.5.

7. What do institutes like IIT and NIT teach that other colleges don't?

Instead of a very elaborative answer which many will be giving you, I will answer your question by saying “These are the institutes where you can get an education that you can value throughout your life.” (There are many other institutes which are better than a few IITs and NITs so generalising them would be incorrect.)

8. What is the package one can expect after doing M.Sc. Geophysics from IIT Bombay?

Highest I know was received by my friend who got a job at Schlumberger. It was 21L per annum.

Another friend got a job at ONGC with 17L per annum.

9. Is IIT JAM Physics popular?

I have some stats.

2015

Organising Institute: IIT Guwahati

Number of students appeared: 8495

2016

Organising Institute: IIT Madras

Number of students appeared: 10989

2017

Organising Institute: IIT Delhi

Number of students appeared: 11902

2018

Organising Institute: IIT Bombay

Number of students appeared: 13759

2019

Organising Institute: IIT Kharagpur

Number of students appeared: 15501

2020

Organising Institute: IIT Kanpur

Number of students appeared: 16379

Conclusion:

It is becoming popular year after year.

10. How do I prepare for the IIT JAM Physics 2022/2023? As I have a lot of time, what should be my initial strategy to perform well?

Well, 2022 attempt has a lot of time. So then let's use it!

My suggestion is:

1. Take your BSc Subject Textbook out. Textbook as in the one recommended by your college. The one which you have been using during your preparations. Solve each and every solved as well as unsolved numerical question of it.
2. Simultaneously also maintain a formula and concept book. Note each and every formula and important concepts like “horizontal velocity in projectile motion is constant” in it.
3. As soon you have finished your two year BSc Syllabus in this pattern, then you may join a coaching class for a rigorous one year preparation.

But as of now, it's very much important that you focus on the basics, but numerical oriented.

11. Do we have to apply separately for all the participating institutes JAM once we secured a good rank?

No. There is a common process where you have to select IITs in your priority order.

12. What are the interview experiences of IIT JAM qualified students?

Interview for MSc Physics at IIT Jodhpur:

1. Tell us about yourself
2. What are your subjects of interest?
3. Why Astrophysics?
4. Difference between Telescope and Microscope
5. Could you name some Telescopes?
6. Could you draw and explain construction of Refracting Type Telescope?
7. Which is the most abundant material matter in the universe?

Interview for Integrated MSc PhD in Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay:

1. Tell us about yourself
2. Why low scores in academic?
3. What did you do during your gap year?
4. What are your subjects of interest?
5. Why do you want to join Energy Science?
6. Draw graph of bcosx
7. What is the significance of b in bcosx?
8. How do you find maxima and minima?
9. Why do you take first derivative to be zero to find maximum and minimum point?
10. What does second derivative imply?
11. Differentiate Fraunhofer and Fresnel Interference
12. What are their conditions for Constructive and Destructive Interference
13. Draw Intensity graph
14. If you join Energy Science, what would your research topic be?

Interview for Integrated PhD at IISc Bangalore:

He throws a chalk at you, asks you to go to the board and then tells you to derive the equation for the path that the chalk travelled. Usually the candidates who make it to the interview are expected to understand that he is expecting you to derive a projectile motion equation and mostly the candidates are able to derive it, but only to realise that “they derived what they learnt and hence forgot to consider the air resistance in the path of the projectile.”

That's what an interview there is like. Think beyond what you “already” know because they know what you know!

13. Does nationality matter for taking the IIT JAM exam?

JAM is open to all nationals (Indian/Foreign). 

14. Is the course work at IITs for MSc physics very hectic? Do students get time for other extra curricular activities?

It varies from institute to institute but say at IIT B, the classes  runs four days a week. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. (Unless modified by students themselves. Yes, you have the power.)

Wednesdays are for labs and extra courses. (Usually)

The schedule starts from morning 8.30 to evening 5. (With many unnecessary breaks in between)

For example. A lecture from

8.30-9.30

10.30-11.30

3.30-5.00

Students usually utilize the breaks by learning at the department library/computer room. Or playing a chess game at the Gymkhana. It is not convenient to go to the hostel (unless for meals) as it is (for most) far from the lecture hall.

You get sufficient and more than enough time for self study or for you co-curricular activities unless you have distractions or responsibilities or other promises.

15. If I have a back-log but I scored 55% above mark, then am I eligible for the IIT JAM?

Yes!

16. What is the scope after doing an M.Sc. Physics from an IIT?

1. Physics department is more research-oriented and hence most of the students prefer going for a Ph.D. in some foreign university.
2. The professors have contacts and tie-ups in both foreign and national universities (IISc Bangalore, IISERs, etc.) and hence can help you in securing a position as a research assistant.
3. The lab facilities at IITs are good. If you have an interest in research, you can do projects under professors and if everything falls in place, you can get your paper published as well.
4. You can also go for M.Tech (or MBA or prepare for UPSC) after M.Sc. degree.

5. Most of the coaching firms prefer students from IITs.

6. One can also prepare for ‘open to all roles’ in the campus placements such as analytics, data science, some coding profiles irrespective of their departments.

7. You can also prepare for NET/JRF and after clearing the exam, you can join as a lecturer at reputed universities.

8. Along with NET/JRF, you can appear for GATE as it can help you in securing a job in industries.

9. Some government organizations like DRDO, CSIR prefer students with an M.Sc. degree and a good GATE Score.

10. There are a few PSUs like ONGC who consider GATE score as their criteria.
    
    
11. You can become a subject matter expert or a content writer at say BYJUs or Target or any leading educational companies.
    
    

12. With M.Sc. Physics background, you can do M.Tech. at IITs through GATE Physics in

1. Nanotechnology
2. Functional Materials
3. Photonics
4. Nanophotonics
5. Solid State Physics
6. Electrical Engineering
13. You can become a Lab Technician or Instructor.
    
    

Personal Experience: Two of my friends are working as Junior Scientist at BARC, two are working as a content developer and teacher at BYJUS. One is working as Research Assistant at a university in Austria. One is working as a Lab Technician at a college. One is doing M.Tech. in Nanoscience from IIT Madras. Some have either started PhD (for which they are getting paid obviously) in abroad and India. Some are preparing for Civil Services. Some are preparing for PhD entrances. Some are into teaching. Some are still figuring out what to do.

Well nothing, ever goes waste, your master’s degree will eventually fetch you something.

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If you haven't found your question here, then please ask the same in the comment section or feel free to ask us at hub.iitjam@gmail.com