List of ISRO Entrance Exams After 12th in 2026

State and Central Board (SCB) Based Aptitude Test Taken By IISER, Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) and JEE Advanced are some of the ISRO entrance exams after 12th aspirants can prepare for. There is no direct entrance exam that students can take to get into ISRO. the list of the exams have been mentioned below. Students must have pursued B.E./ BTech in Electronics, Mechanical or Computer related fields to be eligible.

The primary mission of ISRO is to design, develop, and launch space-based services that augment any progress they make toward space travel. Check out the details below to know more about the ISRO entrance exams.

ISRO Entrance Exams after 12th 2026

Joining ISRO as a scientist or an engineer can be difficult if you haven’t finished the entrance exams. You may choose to appear for them during or after your Class 12 studies.

Below, we've mentioned the top 3 ISRO entrance exams after the 12th, each of which has been explained briefly. This will help provide you with a bigger picture of what to expect from each exam, and which one may suit you best.

1. JEE Advanced

Anyone with a civil, electrical, or architecture engineering background can apply for the ISRO entrance exams. One of the colleges that accept JEE Advanced scores is the Indian Institute of Space and Technology (IIST); they offer admissions to courses such as BTech in Aerospace Engineering, and BTech in Electronics & Communications Engineering.

JEE Advanced candidates are drafted through a merit list based on their JEE Advanced score.

Candidates who fulfill the eligibility criteria can submit an application form either online or offline mode. The eligibility criteria to write the JEE Advanced exam are as follows:

• General/OBC category students must have secured at least 75% aggregate marks in their Class 12 board exams or equivalent.
• SC/ST/Reserved category students must have secured at least 65% aggregate marks in their Class 12 board exams or equivalent.
• Core subjects in Class 12 must have been Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (science stream).

2. Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY)

Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojana (KVPY) is a national-level scholarship/fellowship programme conducted on an annual basis. It is regarded as one of the popular ISRO entrance exams. 

The KVPY programme is conducted in two rounds: Aptitude Test and Personal Interview. The Aptitude Test is conducted as a Computer-Based Test.

The Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc) accepts the scores obtained from the KVPY exams. In order to be eligible for the programme, you need to satisfy the following conditions, succeeding which you may submit an application form online:

• General/OBC category students must have secured at least 60% aggregate marks in their Class 12 board exams or equivalent.
• SC/ST/Reserved category students must have secured at least 50% aggregate marks in their Class 12 board exams or equivalent.
• Core subjects in Class 12 must have been Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (science stream).

3. State and Central Board (SCB) Based Aptitude Test Taken By IISER

Anyone with interest in taking up admission to the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) center must take the exam provided by this institute.

The State and Central Board-Based Aptitude Test offers admissions to a BS/MS degree through the SCB channel itself. It is one of the popular ISRO entrance exams. 

There are 7 participating institutes taking admissions through IISER. The aptitude test is comparatively easier than the KVPY and JEE Advanced exams. Not only that, but IISER provides a platform for students to perform better and develop skills in the field of research.

How To Become A Scientist In ISRO?

Once students know about the different ISRO entrance exams, students can also check the process given below on how to become scientists.  For candidates who are searching for ways how to become ISRO scientists, following a disciplinary educational path is important.

Some specific subjects are mandatory for admission into ISRO. Besides, the candidates who possess astronomy, physics, and mathematics are generally selected by ISRO. However, here are the steps on how to become a scientist after the 12th:

• Step 1: To become a scientist after 12th, candidates must have PCM subjects (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) at their 10+2 secondary level education.
  Exceptional knowledge and understanding of mathematical and physical concepts should be there. 
• Step 2: After passing the higher secondary school with an exceptional CGPA of 75% percent, the candidates must apply for the engineering branches available through JEE Advanced and JEE mains.
  Even though the list of best engineering courses is long, the students must pursue BTech or BE in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Radio Engineering, and other related fields.
• Step 3: Next, once the BTech/BE degree, the third step to becoming a scientist in ISRO is to take the ISRO Centralized Recruitment Board (ICRB) exam. The eligibility for taking this exam is as follows:
  • The candidate must hold a BTech or BE degree in Computer Science, Electronics, Mechanical, or any other related field.
  • A minimum aggregate of 65% marks or 6.8 CGPA is needed. 
  • After clearing the exam, the shortlisted candidates have to appear for a written test and an interview round to join ISRO. 
• Step 4: There is another way to become a scientist in ISRO for those who have completed their MSc, ME, or MTech and PhD in related specializations. 

• • Some of the top MTech courses include geophysics, geoinformatics, instrumentation, applied mathematics, etc. Candidates who have these subjects can apply directly to the ISRO.
  • The selection process includes a written test and an interview. Once cleared, the candidates can secure a job as a scientists at ISRO.
• Step 5: Applying for a position as a junior research fellow at ISRO allows the candidate to conduct research as a scientist and engineer. The selection process for a Scientist in such an organisation is challenging. 

Also Read: Full Forms of ISRO, DRDO, HAL, IAF - Detailed Information

About ISRO

ISRO is an acronym for the Indian Space Research Organisation. The Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) was set up by the Government of India in 1962 to explore space travel. 

Vikram Sarabhai identified the importance and role that space travel could play towards India’s economic growth and technological independence.

ISRO maintains one of the largest fleets of communication satellites, INSAT, and remote sensing satellites, IRS, that cater to the ever-growing demand for fast and reliable communication services and global observatory systems.

They also develop products for the benefit of the citizens, such as weather forecasts, navigation systems, broadcasts, and so much more. Students interested in space and research must appear for ISRO entrance exams. 

Top ISRO Colleges in India

Pursuing courses on space science after the 12th can be difficult if you don’t know which college to choose. But there are so many ISRO colleges in India! This is why we've mentioned some of the top ISRO colleges in India in the table below.

These colleges have a closer tie to ISRO due to the frequent opportunities students get from there. Getting a good placement within ISRO is much easier through them. After knowing the ISRO entrance exams, let us have a look at the best ISRO colleges in India.

Also Read: ISRO Scientist Salary 2026

Scope for ISRO

Since know students are aware of the different ISRO entrance exams, it is also important to know about the scope of ISRO. The global satellite launch market is valued at 36 thousand crores of rupees, with ISRO having a 0.6% share in it, as reported by the Economic Times in 2017. This means cheaper launch options and higher geostationary transfer orbit.

It also means that vacancies will be available for a long time to come. The need for more brilliant individuals won’t stop anytime soon. Here are some pointers to keep in mind.

1. Remain Resilient

Firstly, you’ll want to show a large amount of resilience for the work you want to do. Passion and interest are great, but you will be building a career within the space and research field; the roles and responsibilities involved can be difficult to manage.

You will need to rely on your soft skills, namely cooperation, patience, and — most important of all — resilience. Obtaining results in these fields takes a long time; in fact, some take years of research to arrive at simple conclusions. 

2. Prove Your Skills

Secondly, you’ll want to prove that the skills you have are worth the position you’re applying for. You need to have an encyclopedic knowledge of both the subject matter as well as practical matters followed by scientists and engineers.

For example, if you want to be a design engineer, then you need to convey how you approach problems, how you’d go about designing solutions for them, and how they meet both the needs as well as the budget.

If you want to be a mechanical engineer, then you’ll need to demonstrate the thought process that you’d use to build systems and subsystems for particular projects. So on and so forth.

3. Don’t Stick to One Position

Thirdly, the positions you’re going for are likely high in demand. With that said, there are other positions worth looking at as well. Science and engineering are not the only options available. Such is applied to their sub-categorical positions as well.

Look into the different positions at ISRO’s official site, check out the vacancies available, and see if anything resonates with your interests. Essentially, you’ll want to prepare for almost any job they have.

4. Get Used to Junior Positions

Fourthly, the idea that you’ll be a scientist or an engineer on the first go is a bit of a hard swallow. So, you will need to get comfortable with being an assistant for most projects.

Some say the assistants play a crucial role in maintaining the workflow of their peers, so the responsibilities involved are heavy to bear.