History of IISER

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (now the Ministry of Education) established IISER Kolkata in 2006, making it one of the first IISERs alongside IISER Pune. IISERs are autonomous institutions that award their own degrees and are known for their innovative curriculum, quality faculty, and world-class infrastructure. These institutes excel in pioneering research across various scientific domains.

IISER locations

1. IISER Pune (Maharashtra),
2. IISER Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh),
3. IISER Mohali (Punjab),
4. IISER Kolkata (West Bengal),
5. IISER Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala),
6. IISER Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh)
7. IISER Mohali (Chandigarh)

IISER goals

• To integrate education with research
• To carry out undergraduate teaching and doctoral and postdoctoral research work in basic sciences
• To reach a prestigious position in the global setting.

Admission Process

Admission to IISERs is exclusively through the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT), which is a computer-based test scheduled on Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM, at various centers across the country. Details of the deadlines are as follows:

Important Dates

Application Fee

• The application fee is to be paid by the applicant during the submission of the application form. The application portal shall open on March 10, 2025.
• 2,000/- for candidates applying under General, EWS, OBC, and OBC-NCL categories.
• 1,000/- for candidates applying under persons with disabilities (PwD), persons registered as Kashmiri Migrants/Kashmiri Pandits/Kashmiri Hindu Families (Non-Migrant) and SC/ST category.
• 12,000/- for candidates applying under Foreign National category.
• The application fee is non-refundable.

Exam Pattern

The mode of exam is Computer based online test for 240 marks. The total marks obtained by a candidate out of 240 will be considered for preparing the Rank List. IAT will consist of 60 questions, 15 questions each from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics.

Total duration of the test will be 180 minutes. Questions will be of multiple-choice type. Each question will have only one correct answer.

• Each correct answer will be awarded 4 marks.
• Each incorrect answer will lead to the deduction of 1 mark.
• Unanswered questions will be awarded 0 mark.
• Therefore, maximum marks in IAT will be 240.

Eligibility Criteria for IISER Admission 2025

✔ Nationality: Applicants must be Indian nationals, OCI/PIO, or Foreign Nationals to apply for IAT 2025.

✔ Educational Qualification:

• Candidates must have passed Class XII (or equivalent) examination in 2023, 2024, or 2025 with the science stream from any board recognized by the Council of Boards of School Education (COBSE) in India.
• Foreign Nationals must upload an equivalence certificate issued by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) unless they have passed Class XII (or equivalent) from a COBSE-recognized board in India.

✔ Subject Requirements:

• Candidates must have taken at least three subjects among Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics in their Class XII (or equivalent) examination.
• Mathematics is compulsory for admission to the following programs:
• 5-year BS-MS in Computational and Data Sciences at IISER Kolkata
• 4-year B.Tech. at IISER Bhopal
• 4-year BS in Economic Sciences at IISER Bhopal
• 4-year BS in Economic and Statistical Sciences at IISER Tirupati

✔ Minimum Marks Requirement:

• SC/ST/PwD candidates: Minimum 55% aggregate marks in Class XII.
• Other categories: Minimum 60% aggregate marks in Class XII.
• The percentage is calculated based on all subjects taken at the Class XII level.

Reservation policy

 Admission Process

Admission offers to any candidate will be given strictly based on the following factors:

• seat availability at each IISER in the current allocation round,
• IAT rank obtained by the candidate,
• IISER preferences given by the candidate, and
• the category to which the candidate belongs.

Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF) is to be paid only after an offer of admission has been made to the candidate. The SAF must be paid as per the category entered by the candidate in the application.

Fees

Once a candidate receives an offer, they must confirm their seat by paying the Seat Acceptance Fee (SAF). From here, they have two options: FLOAT or FREEZE.

FLOAT vs. FREEZE: What Do They Mean?

When accepting a seat, candidates must choose between FLOAT and FREEZE:

🔹 FLOAT: If a candidate chooses FLOAT, they accept the seat but wish to be considered for a higher-preference IISER in the next round. If a better seat is offered, the previously allotted seat gets automatically cancelled.

🔹 FREEZE: If a candidate chooses FREEZE, they are happy with their current allotment and will not participate in further seat upgrades.

📌 Important: If a candidate fails to select FLOAT or FREEZE in any round, they will be automatically withdrawn from the admission process and cannot re-enter.

Withdrawal Process & Refund Rules

If a candidate decides to withdraw their admission, they must do so through the WITHDRAW OFFER button in the application portal. No email or phone request will be entertained.

💰 Refund Policy:

• If withdrawn before the Round-wise withdrawal (RW) deadline → Full refund of SAF.
• If withdrawn after the RW deadline but before Final Withdrawal (FW) → A deduction is applied.
• If withdrawn after the FW deadline → No refund; the SAF is transferred to the allotted IISER.

Candidates who do not join IISER in person on the specified date will have to pay a cancellation fee decided by the respective IISER.

Seat Matrix

The tentative total number of seats available for BS-MS/BS programs is 2363, with each IISER having the following number of seats.

 Key Takeaways

✅ Always choose FLOAT or FREEZE in every round to stay in the process.

✅ If you FLOAT and get a better seat, the previous seat is cancelled.

✅ Withdrawals must be done through the portal only—no emails or calls.

✅ Check deadlines carefully to avoid losing your SAF.

✅ Refunds take place three weeks after the admission process ends.

Final Thoughts

Understanding IISER’s admission policies is crucial to securing your dream seat without any mistakes. Follow the steps carefully, make informed decisions, and ensure you don’t miss deadlines.