How to Join ISRO? What to study, which fields to choose and where to learn
The journey typically begins after Class 10, by choosing the science stream in Classes 11 and 12. Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) are essential subjects, as they form the foundation for most technical and research roles at ISRO. A strong grasp of these subjects is necessary for further studies in engineering or science.
What did Shubhanshu Shukla study?
Undergraduate Degree
A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for most technical positions at ISRO. The most common degrees are:
Bachelor of Technology (BTech) or Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in fields such as Mechanical, Electronics and Communication, Electrical, Computer Science, or Aerospace Engineering.
For research-focused roles, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics, Mathematics, or Astronomy, followed by a Master's degree, is also a valid route.
A minimum of 65% marks or a CGPA of 6.84/10 is required in the qualifying degree. Degrees must be from a recognized university.
Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies
For advanced research or specialised positions, a Master's (MTech/ME/MSc) or a PhD in relevant fields such as space science, astrophysics, computer science, or satellite technology is beneficial. ISRO recruits postgraduates and PhD holders for research and development projects.
ISRO's work covers a range of scientific and engineering domains. Key fields include:
–Mechanical Engineering: Design and development of launch vehicles and spacecraft structures.
–Electronics and Communication Engineering: Satellite systems, instrumentation, and communication technologies.
–Computer Science: Software development, data analysis, and mission control systems.
–Aerospace Engineering: Propulsion, aerodynamics, and spacecraft systems.
–Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy: Research in space science, astrophysics, and planetary studies.
–Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS): Earth observation and satellite data analysis.
ISRO's main recruitment for technical roles is through the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) exam. The process involves:
–A written test focused on core technical concepts relevant to the candidate's discipline.
–An interview round for shortlisted candidates, assessing practical and domain knowledge.
–Some research and fellowship positions may also consider Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) scores.
Eligibility criteria include Indian citizenship, the required educational qualifications, and an upper age limit (usually 28 years for general category, with relaxations for reserved categories).
Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) are known to offer programmes in engineering and science disciplines relevant to ISRO. Interested can go through specific requirements and subsequently choose a course being taught at one of the popular engineering colleges in the country.
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, is directly supported by ISRO and offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in space science and technology.
Moreover, ISRO recruits postgraduates and PhD holders from IISc for advanced research roles.
ISRO also offers academic programs and internships for students at various levels, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies.
The Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS) offers outreach and e-learning programs in remote sensing, GIS, and related applications. ISRO's training centers conduct specialized courses and workshops for students, professionals, and educators in space technology and applications.
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Hindustan Times
13 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Isro-Nasa satellite Nisar takes flight
The Indian and US space agencies on Wednesday launched a powerful satellite that will keep a close eye on Earth and track even minuscule changes on its surface, arming scientists, researchers and disaster response teams with crucial data to help better forecast natural calamities. TOPSHOT - This handout photograph taken and released on July 30 by Isro shows launch vehicle GSLV-F16 carrying the Nisar earth observation satellite lifting off from the launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota in India's Andhra Pradesh state.(AFP) The Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, or Nisar, lifted off from the Indian Space Research Organisation's Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 5.40pm, aboard the agency's GSLV-F16 rocket, in collaboration with Nasa. Roughly the size of a large SUV, Nisar was injected into orbit at 5.58pm. Over the next few days, the 2,393kg will begin to unfold itself, extending its 30-foot boom and opening the 39-foot diameter (12-meter) reflector, made of gold-plated wire mesh. Science operations should begin by the end of October. For the next five years, the $1.5 billion satellite will map virtually all of Earth's terrain multiple times from its vantage point 743km above Earth. Its two radars — one from the US and the other from India — will operate constantly, scanning the planet in granular detail twice every 12 days. Experts said the satellite can track changes as small as a centimetre. Data from the landmark effort will transform the way scientists study a rapidly evolving planet and climate. The satellite will push out accurate insights on melting glaciers and polar ice sheets; shifting groundwater supplies; motion and stress of land surfaces prompting landslides and earthquakes; and forest and wetland disruptions boosting carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Union minister Jitendra Singh called the joint-launch India's 'scientific handshake with the world'. 'Its capacity to penetrate through fogs, dense clouds, ice layers, etc, makes it a pathbreaking enabler for the aviation and shipping sectors,' he said on X. Isro chief V Narayanan confirmed that the launch was on expected lines and that the satellite was performing within its required parameters. 'All the vehicle system performance is quite normal as expected and predicted. Today we achieved the intended orbit. We have placed it in orbit less than 3km, within the permissible level of 20km,' he said. Casey Swails, deputy associate administrator of Nasa, who attended the launch, said, 'It has been just an incredible decade culminating in this moment from this technical collaboration, the cultural understanding, getting to know each other, building that team across continents, across time zones, missing weekends with families, holidays.' Nisar will be the world's first Earth-observing satellite equipped with two radars to sharpen its data gathering – an S-band and an L-band. The S-band radar, built by Isro, allows accurate readings of small plants, bushes and shrubs. The L-band, built by Nasa, helps sense taller vegetation like trees. Isro and Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) shared the workload, each building their own components, before integrating and testing the spacecraft at the former's Satellite Integration & Testing Establishment in Bengaluru. Data from the L-band instrument will be available at the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) and from the S-Band will be available on Bhoonidhi at the National Remote Sensing Centre in Hyderabad.
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Letters to The Editor — July 31, 2025
NISAR satellite mission We must congratulate Team ISRO and NASA for the successful launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite. It is a milestone in the realm of collaborative satellite missions. Surely, such joint missions will foster peer-learning and exposure to cutting-edge space technologies. Further, in the context of climate change imperatives, having uninterrupted all-weather data insights from the satellite will be of relevance. G. Ramasubramanyam, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh ISRO's success is also on a day when the attempt to send Australia's first rocket into space, on Wednesday, ended in failure, just seconds after its launch in Queensland. One wishes both countries success in their space programmes. V. Subramaniam, Chennai Debate in Parliament The jury is still out on the debate in Parliament, on Operation Sindoor. Is it not time that we focused on more pressing issues facing the nation than engaging in political blame games in Parliament? While it is natural for political differences to arise, prioritising genuine discussions on real challenges is crucial for the progress of our country. This shift towards constructive dialogue and actionable solutions is not just a necessity but also a responsibility we owe to our nation. Let us ensure that Parliament becomes a platform for meaningful change. Mohammad Asad, Mumbai Rising chess star Young talent Divya Deshmukh etched her name into chess history by defeating Grandmaster Humpy Koneru. Ms. Deshmukh's victory is more than a personal triumph. It reflects India's deep talent pool and growing stature in women's chess. It also underscores how sustained focus on nurturing female talent is beginning to pay dividends. Her journey, from an underdog to India's newest Grandmaster, will inspire a generation. R. Sivakumar, Chennai The integrity of Ayurveda I write this letter as Guru, Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth, Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi and Director, Sunethri Ayurvedashram, Thrissur, Kerala. The Editorial page article, 'The Medical Boundaries for AYUSH Practitioners' (July 29, 2025), raises pertinent concerns about the limits of practice and legitimacy in traditional systems such as Ayurveda. While the article rightly warns against cross-practice and unregulated medical claims, what emerges between the lines is an unsettling conflation of Ayurveda with religious nationalism and an implicit dismissal of its independent theoretical foundations. This perspective risks obscuring the integrity of Ayurveda as a distinct, time-tested knowledge system and reducing it to a political or pseudo-scientific artifact. Ayurveda is a comprehensive and autonomous system of medicine that operates on a distinctive epistemology rooted in centuries of observation, reasoning, and experiential knowledge. Far from being a proto-scientific or incomplete version of modern biomedicine, Ayurveda encompasses its own diagnostic frameworks, therapeutic logics, and philosophical foundations. Its inclusion of physical, metaphysical, and philosophical dimensions constitutes its depth and originality, rather than any epistemic deficit. The current discourse surrounding the boundaries of AYUSH practice, particularly the increasing attempts to integrate Ayurveda with modern medicine or to conflate the roles of traditional and allopathic practitioners, poses significant concerns. Cross-practice, particularly the unauthorised prescription of modern pharmaceuticals or the performance of biomedical procedures by practitioners trained in Ayurveda, not only violates legal boundaries but also undermines the credibility and internal coherence of both systems. Respecting the integrity of medical systems entails acknowledging their differences, not forcing synthetic alliances that erode clarity, safety, and methodological strength. Equally concerning is the political appropriation of Ayurveda as a tool for cultural or religious identity assertion. Attempts to tether Ayurveda to ideological constructs such as Hindutva distort its historical evolution and universal relevance. Ayurveda is neither a religious doctrine nor an emblem of any particular political vision; it is a knowledge tradition that has evolved through inclusive inquiry, critical debate, and clinical application across diverse cultural contexts. What Ayurveda requires today is not artificial elevation through political symbolism, nor validation through superficial integration with biomedical frameworks. Instead, it demands rigorous scholarship, authentic practice, and research grounded in its own paradigms. 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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
PhD scholars briefed on relevance ofchoosing research topic in humanities
Lucknow: The regional campus of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) organized a two-day Young Researchers' Conference on 'studies in humanities: trends in language, literature, and English language education' on Wednesday The event brought together vibrant voices from among the Ph.D. scholars, who presented research paper on contemporary issues across disciplines such as sociolinguistics, multilingualism, National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, translation studies, postcolonial and indigenous literatures, digital humanities, pedagogy, and subaltern studies. Prof RP Singh from Lucknow University's department of English and Modern European Languages University, who is also the director of the international cell at LU, was the chief guest. He offered deep insights into the mechanisms and relevance of choosing a research topic in the humanities. He urged scholars to select topics that are anchored in local socio-cultural realities, reminding them that meaningful research is one that arises from the specific ethos of the researcher's community and context. He emphasized that the act of topic selection is not just procedural but philosophical, requiring reflection on the why, how, and for whom of research. According to EFLU officials, the conference aimed to explore evolving research paradigms in the humanities and reflect on their practical, cultural, and theoretical implications within the Indian context.
