Physics in Delhi University

So a few days back, friend of mine came up to me with a request. He wanted me to write about the Physics course in DU highlighting the importance of faculty, college and touching upon career options. All with the clarity that a (confused) prospective student would be looking for. So here's what I coughed up for the DU Calling You initiative. They are an enterprising group of youngsters who have decided to bring out a website that aims for one simple thing. To give clarity regarding the courses in DU for prospective students, especially those who might be finding themselves at crossroads. Good luck to them. :)

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“Natural science does not simply describe and explain nature; it is part of the interplay between nature and ourselves.” – Werner Heisenberg

Heisenberg, the enigmatic physicist puts things into perspective for us with that quote. Physics is the answer to mankind’s yearning for understanding nature. It’s the most fundamental of the sciences. Through Physics, we try to explain how this magnificent entity – the nature - that encapsulates all that we see, feel and know.

If you find yourself excited by the mysteries surrounding the working of nature, if it tickles your curiosity, then Physics is the subject for you.  So if you feel that strong conviction for learning Physics, then look no further – DU is the place for you.  And even if you are someone who is not sure of what to do after +2 and finds yourself liking physics, I recommend that you give it a shot. Because, physics is one course after which you can branch out into any other field without much difficulty. It gives you a base for a lot of fields by teaching you how to think objectively and analyse scientifically. It is something that does not limit your scopes by any means.

Choosing the right college is of great importance. For example, if you are in a college like Stephen’s, your academic life would be considerably different and far more enriched compared to most of the other colleges in DU. It’s not just the course that matters for you, the faculty, the peers and the general atmosphere are also vital factors in giving you the right kind of education. Life in DU is not just about scoring in the exams. Care has to be given to ensure that more importance has to be given to understanding the concepts thoroughly and also for engaging in various activities outside of academics. The better colleges do provide avenues for this.

Now to give you an idea about what you should be pre-equipped with. A good base in mathematics is a must-have.  To be more specific, an astute knowledge of calculus and algebra is recommended. And as mentioned before, you must have an inclination towards the subject.  You don’t necessarily have to have excelled in it. Being interested and motivated is the key. And as far as admissions are concerned, good performance in the boards are mandatory for top colleges since the cut-offs are generally in the higher side of 90s.

Now comes the important question of what comes after you gain your degree. With a BSc. (H) Physics degree, there are only a few things that you won’t be able to do. We can broadly classify people into two categories here – the group who wants to pursue Physics further and the group which is looking for alternative avenues.

For those who want to continue with Physics, the next logical step is to do an MSc or an integrated PhD course. A good number of students go abroad, mainly to European universities (UK, Germany, France). Cambridge and Oxford are for obvious reasons at the top of that list. More often than not, the tougher ask is to procure the financial assistance rather than admission into the university itself. Other institutes of repute are Gottingen, Ecole Polytechnique, King’s College London etc.

There are really good options available within India itself. TIFR and IISc are the world class research institutes in the country and they offer PhD courses in Physics. And then are the other major research institutes such as IMSc, HRI, RRI etc. MSc courses are offered in several of the IITs and that is also an extremely good option. And then of course, there is always the option of DU and JNU. All these should ideally culminate in a PhD.

Career-wise a person pursuing Physics (after his PhD) can end up as a research scholar in one of these institutes. And the other choice is to become a teacher. Both can be extremely satisfying in different ways. Research is one of the most intellectually stimulating activity one can take indulge in. And to know what teaching can give you, all you must do is to google ‘joy of teaching’.

Okay, jokes aside, many of you must be wondering about the money matters. The payscale for college professors fixed by the UGC is by no means small (60k+ per month). For a research scholar too, the money is not too meagre (40k+ more per month). As someone very wise once told me, if you are good at what you do, you don’t have to worry about money. But yes, these amounts might not be as high as someone in the corporate sector.

Now for those of you who decide that Physics is after all, not your cup of tea, the options are innumerable. Being in a top college like Stephen’s would give you the easiest choice – campus placements. Physics graduates are rated high and they compete with Economics, Commerce and Mathematics students. They are placed in top financial consulting companies, investment banks and the likes.

Another popular option is to go for an MBA from a top management institute. There are also those who diverge into different subjects such as economics, chemistry, mathematics, law, history, journalism etc. For example, there’s Law Faculty for studying law, Delhi School of Economics for Economics and Sociology etc. Your exposure in DU will allow you to be well prepared for the entrances for all these. You can find out more about these options along the way of finishing your degree. In short, having attained a physics degree may not let you become an engineer or a doctor, but just about everything else is there for the taking. At the risk of sounding terribly clichéd, I leave you with the question - so what are you waiting for?