TIFR Physics — Exam Pattern
The complete TIFR Graduate School Physics exam pattern for the upcoming 2027 cycle, covering both the Integrated PhD and PhD programmes.
At a glance
| Conducting body | Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) |
| Exam name | TIFR Graduate School Admissions — Physics |
| Programmes | Integrated PhD and PhD in Physics |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Duration | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Total questions | 40 questions (25 in Part A + 15 in Part B or Part C) |
| Total marks | 150 marks |
| Question type | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) — single correct |
| Language | English |
| Centres | 57 cities across India (full list below) |
Section-wise breakdown
| Section | Applicable to | Questions | Marks per Q | Negative marking | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A | Both — Integrated PhD & PhD | 25 MCQs | +3 | −1 | 75 marks |
| Part B | Integrated PhD only | 15 MCQs | +5 | No negative | 75 marks |
| Part C | PhD only | 15 MCQs | +5 | No negative | 75 marks |
| Every candidate attempts | 40 questions | 3 hours | 150 marks | ||
Every candidate — whether Integrated PhD or PhD — attempts exactly 40 questions for 150 marks. Part A is common (25 Qs, +3 / −1). Integrated PhD aspirants then attempt Part B; PhD aspirants attempt Part C — both worth 15 Qs, +5 marks each, with no negative marking.
Eligibility (Physics)
- Integrated PhD: B.Sc. / B.E. / B.Tech (or equivalent) in Physics or allied fields.
- PhD: M.Sc. / M.E. / M.Tech in Physics (or equivalent).
- Final-year students may apply, subject to completion before joining.
Important dates (typical TIFR GS cycle)
- Notification & application opens: September–October
- Application deadline: Late October / early November
- Online entrance exam: Second Sunday of December
- Shortlist for interviews: January–February
- Interviews: February–April
- Programme start: 1st August
Always confirm the exact 2027 calendar on the official TIFR GS portal: tifr.res.in/academics/gs_advertisement.php.
TIFR Exam Cities (Centres)
The TIFR GS Physics paper is conducted as a CBT in 57 cities across India. Candidates indicate their city preference at application time; final venue is printed on the hall ticket.
| # | State / UT | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Guntur |
| 2 | Andhra Pradesh | Vijayawada |
| 3 | Andhra Pradesh | Visakhapatnam |
| 4 | Arunachal Pradesh | Naharlagun |
| 5 | Assam | Guwahati |
| 6 | Bihar | Patna |
| 7 | Chattisgarh | Bhillai |
| 8 | Chattisgarh | Raipur |
| 9 | Delhi | New Delhi |
| 10 | Goa | Panaji |
| 11 | Gujarat | Ahmedabad |
| 12 | Himachal Pradesh | Mandi |
| 13 | J&K | Jammu |
| 14 | J&K | Srinagar |
| 15 | Jharkhand | Dhanbad |
| 16 | Jharkhand | Jamshedpur |
| 17 | Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| 18 | Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| 19 | Karnataka | Belgavi (Belgaum) |
| 20 | Karnataka | Mangaluru (Mangalore) |
| 21 | Kerala | Alappuzha |
| 22 | Kerala | Ernakulam |
| 23 | Kerala | Kozhikode |
| 24 | Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
| 25 | Kerala | Cochin |
| 26 | Kerala | Mallapuram |
| 27 | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| 28 | Madhya Pradesh | Indore |
| 29 | Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| 30 | Maharashtra | Nagpur |
| 31 | Maharashtra | Pune |
| 32 | Maharashtra | Navi Mumbai |
| 33 | Maharashtra | Thane |
| 34 | Mizoram | Aizwal |
| 35 | Odisha | Bhubaneshwar |
| 36 | Odisha | Rourkela |
| 37 | Odisha | Cuttack |
| 38 | Punjab | Amritsar |
| 39 | Punjab | Bhatinda |
| 40 | Punjab | Jalandhar |
| 41 | Punjab | Patiala |
| 42 | Punjab | Mohali |
| 43 | Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| 44 | Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| 45 | Tamil Nadu | Coimbatore |
| 46 | Tamil Nadu | Madurai |
| 47 | Tamil Nadu | Salem |
| 48 | Tamil Nadu | Kanchipuram |
| 49 | Telangana | Hyderabad |
| 50 | Tripura | Agartala |
| 51 | Uttar Pradesh | Kanpur |
| 52 | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| 53 | Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi |
| 54 | Uttarakhand | Dehradun |
| 55 | Uttarakhand | Haldwani |
| 56 | West Bengal | Burdwan |
| 57 | West Bengal | Kolkata |
Source: official TIFR GS notification — tifr.res.in. City list may be updated by TIFR each cycle.
How to prepare for TIFR Physics 2027
- Read the full TIFR Physics syllabus first — know the scope before opening any book.
- Solve TIFR PYQs from 2013 onwards — patterns repeat heavily.
- Use the subject-wise analytics to weight your study time.
- Watch focused free lectures on weak topics.
- For structured prep, join the full TIFR · JEST · IIT JAM 2027 batch.