Mathematics encompasses many topics of study and it comes from a Greek word meaning ―inclined to learn‖. It may, however, be broadly defined as the scientific study of quantities, including their relationships, operations and measurements expressed by numbers and symbols.
Learning mathematics in India teaches one to think logically and analytically. Because of this, there is a lot of demand for qualified mathematicians (with a B.Sc or higher degree) from various scientific institutions, industries, and business and commercial oragnisations.
There are various institutes offering math education and research of world repute in India, few of which are listed below. The information about these institutions has been gathered from their web-pages and other publicly available sources.
The regular route for a student is a three-year B.Sc. course followed by a two-year M.Sc. programme in mathematics, after which she or he could join a doctoral programme in a recognized university or research institution. Master's Degree and Integrated MSc-PhD courses at the Master‘s degree level.
Mathematics is offered by more than 135 universities in India. Student can also apply for an Integrated MSc-PhD degree offered at some places in India.
Several institutions are providing higher mathematics education in India, to name a few :
1. Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) offers Masters degree in Mathematics, Statistics and many other fields. Selection for admission is based on merit, written test and interview. Students admitted to this course are also provided initial stipend.
2. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) The short-listing of candidates for interview is done based on the performance in JAM (Mathematics (MA) , Mathematical Statistics (MS)).
3. Tata Institute for Fundamental Research (TIFR) offers an integrated MSC-PhD programme and a separate PhD programme. Selection to these courses is through a written test which is followed by an interview.
4. The Institute of Mathematical Sciences(IMSc), Chennai offers an integrated MSc-PhD program and admits through National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) Ph.D scholarship Screening Test followed by an interview.
5. Harish Chandra Research Institute (HRI), Allahabad conducts a regular Ph.D. as well an integrated M.Sc.-Ph.D. program in mathematics, in 12 collaboration with the Homi Bhaba National Institute (HBNI) and the University of Allahabad. Students are selected through NBHM research fellowship together with an interview.
However, successful Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR) Research Fellowship holders are also eligible for appearing in the interview.
6. An Integrated MSc degree (BS-MS Dual Degree Program) is offered by the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Pune, Mohali, Kolkata, Trivandrum and Bhopal, and also at the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) at Bhubaneswar.
The IISER admits students via IIT JEE, Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) and through board exam performances, while the NISER admits students through the National Entrance Screening Test (NEST).
7. NBHM, CSIR & DST: At research levels, funding can be obtained from the Institutes listed above and also from National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM), Council for Science and Industrial Research (CSIR), and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
8. Mathematics Training and Talent Search Program (MTTS): These training programs are meant for students who are already learning mathematics, atleast second year undergraduate level.
The selection is purely on merit, based on consistently good academic record and the recommendation letter from a mathematics professor.
9. Advanced Training in Mathematics (ATM) schools: under this scheme, various workshops and training programs are conducted for providing training in core subjects in Mathematics to Ph.D. students and young researchers.
10. Summer Research Fellowships: Some institutes mentioned above provide funding for short term academic visits. Summer Fellowships are also awarded to bright students and motivated teachers to work with Fellows of the Indian Academy of Sciences on research-oriented projects.
RESEARCH
There are three kinds of institutions of higher learning:
1. Purely research-oriented institutions like the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai , the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc) in Chennai and the Harish Chandra Research Institute (HRI) in Allahabad
All these are autonomous aided institutions that are fully supported by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) of the Government of India
2. Institutions of teaching and research that offer degrees and have been set up by Acts of Parliament, and some come under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)
These are the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), the IITs, the IISc, and the newly set up Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) in Bhopal, Kolkata, Mohali, Pune and Thiruvananthapuram, and the National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER) in Bhubaneswar (set up by the DAE)
Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI), is an example of public-private partnership. ISRO has also established its own such institution in Thiruvananthapuram
3. The State and Central universities.
However, there are the following variants to this theme:
1. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore offers a unique 4-year Bachelor of Science (Research) programme, which can also be extended to the fifth year to obtain a Master of Science (M.S.) degree
2. The 3-year B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mathematics and Computer Science of the CMI, Chennai and Bachelor of Mathematics (B.Math.) of the ISI Bangalore campus
3. The IIT-Kanpur pioneered the five-year M.Sc. programme which combined the B.Sc. and M.Sc. programmes. IIT-Bombay followed suit. Now, this pattern is followed by all the IISERs and NISER. The Central University of Hyderabad and that of Pondicherry have also started such programmes
4. All the IITs and universities also have independent M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes. Admission is based on entrance tests and/or interview. The CMI has an M.Sc. programme in applications of mathematics with specialization in financial mathematics and computational applications of mathematics.
The ISI has an M. Math. Programme, held alternatively at its Kolkata and Bangalore campuses.
5. Institutions of pure research (the TIFR, the IMSc and the HRI), the IISc and the CMI also have integrated Ph.D. programmes.
Promising students are selected after a bachelor's degree in any science discipline or engineering directly for their Ph.D. programmes, provided they clear the entrance tests and interviews on a par with M.Sc. candidates.
They pick up an M.Sc. degree after two initial years of course work and research. It is indeed possible to build a perfectly satisfying career in mathematics if one is deeply interested in the subject.
A trained mathematician in India can be very well employed in academia, space research (Indian Space Research Organisation, or ISRO), defence research (Defence Research and Development Organisation, or DRDO).
Options other than this can be Aeronautical research (National Aeronautics Limited, or NAL), Society for Electronic Transactions and Security (SETS) , computer giants such as IBM and Microsoft.
Written By - Chavi Goel
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