NBHM 2024: Application Form, Exam Date, Syllabus, Eligibility Criteria

NBHM 2024 exam notifications will soon be announced on the official webpage. The NBHM online applications are expected to commence from Nov 2024 - Second Week. The National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) invites applications for NBHM Ph.D. Admission. Interested candidates must prepare the entire NBHM syllabus and appear for the Joint Screening Test for Admission and Scholarship for Ph.D./Integrated Ph.D. Programs.

NBHM grants scholarships to students for pursuing research for a Ph.D. Degree in Mathematics. Eligible and qualified candidates will be admitted to the Harish-Chandra Research Institute (HRI), Allahabad, the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai.

About NBHM?

The National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) was founded by the Government of India under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), in the year 1983, to foster the development of higher mathematics in the country, to formulate policies for the development of mathematics, help in the establishment and development of mathematical centres and give financial assistance to research projects and to doctoral and postdoctoral scholars. NBHM functions essentially autonomously framing its own budget taking into account the funds made available by DAE.

NBHM undertakes various activities to identify and nurture talent among students and supports studies at various levels through scholarships and fellowships, etc. NBHM also has a series of programs to train students in mathematics.

NBHM usually meets twice a year, to discuss its programs and various proposals received from its board members as well as from mathematicians all over the country. It has six sub-committees, namely the Research Programmes Committee, the University Programmes Committee, the Mathematics Olympiad Programmes Committee, Nurture Programmes Committee, Examinations Committee, and Library Grants Committee.

NBHM Proposals

NBHM Authority considers proposals, throughout the year, for financial support for varied mathematical activities, from institutions and individuals. Decisions of NBHM are based on the recommendations of these committees. NBHM normally provides financial support only to Indian nationals and institutions. Currently NBHM grants postdoctoral fellowships, Ph.D. scholarships, M.A./M.Sc. scholarships for research/education in mathematics.

NBHM Financial Support

NBHM provides financial support to the Mathematics Olympiad activity, run in collaboration with the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, for students at the junior college/high school level. NBHM provides financial support for holding conferences/seminars/workshops and instructional schools. Granting financial support to libraries of mathematics departments of universities and research institutions in the country is one of the major activities of NBHM.

NBHM Grants and Scholarship

NBHM gives out grants and scholarships for deserving candidates at undergraduate, graduate, and Ph.D./Research level in the field of higher level Mathematics. Candidates who wish to pursue their Ph.D. can apply for the NBHM Exam. Upon selection, candidates will receive a scholarship/stipend for the five years of their research period. NBHM grants various funds and allowances for a Ph.D. fellow such as Library Grant, Conference Grant, Project, and Travel Grant among others. Candidates can go to the official website of NBHM and apply it to the exam if they fulfil the NBHM Eligibility criteria. More information about the NBHM Exam can be found below.

Some of India's top Research Colleges consider NBHM Score/Certificate while providing Admissions in their Ph.D. programs. The regular colleges are IISER Pune, IISER Mohali, NISER, HRI, IMSc. 

NBHM Zones

The NBHM Exam is conducted in 5 zones across the nation. Each zone has 4 to 5 exam centres. Candidates who belong to a particular zone get to appear in the centres for exam and interview round of that zone. These zones are divided geographically; north, south, east, west, centre. The list below is the zone-wise segregation of exam centres.

• Zone 1: Chandigarh, New Delhi, Srinagar (North Zone)
• Zone 2: Indore, Jabalpur, Prayagraj, Raipur (Central Zone)
• Zone 3: Goa, Mumbai, Pune, Vallabh Vidyanagar (West Zone)
• Zone 4: Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Kolkata, Ranchi, Shillong (East Zone)
• Zone 5: Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad (South Zone)

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Exam Date

The dates of all important exam events will be updated in the table below as per the official notification released on the official webpage. At present these are the tentative dates for various events for NBHM 2024 Exam.

NBHM 2024 Exam Date

The online application portal is scheduled to open	Nov 2024 -Second Week
Round 1 of the list of candidates for the test center-wise	Dec 2024 - Second Week
Fee hike of application	Dec 2024 - Fourth Week
Round 2 of the list of candidates for the test center-wise	Jan 2025 - First Week
Last date of Application	Jan 2025 -Second Week
Final round of the list of candidates for the test center-wise	Jan 2025 - Third Week
The Exam	Jan 2025 - Fourth Week

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Eligibility Criteria

Applicants for the NBHM Ph.D. scholarship must be mathematically motivated and hold a master's degree in (pure or applied) mathematics or statistics or must be final-year students of these degree courses. They must have a good academic record first class or equivalent grade in all years from the Plus Two level to the present.

Educational Qualification

• Students have passed a B.Sc.(Honours) course with a second class may also apply, provided they have a master's degree or are in the final year of the same.
• Students holding a four-year B.S. (or equivalent) degree, or those in the final year of such a program, may also apply, but they are eligible to receive the NBHM scholarship only if they secure admission to a recognized Ph.D. program by August 2024.
• Students who wish to apply for the Ph.D./Integrated Ph.D. programs of HRI, IISER, Pune, IMSc, or NISER must apply and appear for the written test.
• For this purpose, apart from the students mentioned earlier, students holding a B.Sc/B. Stat/B.S./B.Tech/B.E degree, or those in the final year of such degree courses, with a consistently good academic record from the Plus Two level as mentioned above, may also apply.
• Students for these doctoral programs need not apply separately to these institutions again.
• The eligibility is restricted to students who have completed their B.S./M.A/M.Sc (or equivalent) degree and have secured admission to a recognized Ph.D. program on or before August 2024.

Age Limit

There is no upper age limit for NBHM. While there is a consideration of educational qualification only.

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Application Form

NBHM Applications are to be made on plain paper as per the format given in the official notification. The filled-in application form for NBHM Ph.D. Admission 2024 should be sent along with a recent passport-sized photograph and a self-addressed envelope to the official address.

Important Notes:

• NBHM Applications for Zone 1 will only be accepted online.
• Hard copies of NBHM applications will not be entertained in Zone 1.
• The application fee for applications completed on or before Dec 2024, will be INR 500.
• For NBHM applications completed after Dec 2024, the application fee will be INR 650.

How to Apply for NBHM Ph.D. 2024

• Step 1 - Registration:
  The candidates are required to register on the portal and create their profiles using a valid email address.
• Step 2 - Application:
  
  • Login to the portal with your registered email address and password (created in Step 1).
  • Fill out some details about yourself and also the choice of the zone.
  • After confirming the correctness of the entries you made, you will be led through the fee payment process.
  • Once the fee is paid, an application number will be generated.
  • You will be able to download a receipt-cum-pre-admission-ticket.
  • The receipt-cum-preadmission-ticket will also be sent to the registered email.
• Step 3 - Admit Card
  • Make two photocopies of the receipt-cum-pre-admission-ticket.
  • Produce two original copies of the admission ticket as follows.
  • Paste a recent, colour photograph of yourself in each photocopy and complete the postal address for correspondence and enter your roll number and sign.
  • To find your roll number, you have to wait until the centre-wise lists of candidates are published.
  • You can find your roll number by looking up the entry for your name.
  • Carry both original copies of your admission ticket to the test centre.

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Exam Centres

The written test will be conducted at the following centres, divided into categories with respect to their different zones. The exam will be an offline based exam. The details of the exam centre will be written on the NBHM Admit Card. Candidates are requested to locate the exam centre at least a day before, to avoid any last-minute hassle. Candidates need to take a valid photo Id with them for verification at the exam centre.

Zone	Centres
1	Chandigarh, Delhi, Srinagar
2	Allahabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Raipur
3	Goa, Mumbai, Pune, Vallabh Vidyanagar
4	Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Kolkata, Ranchi, Shillong
5	Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Exam Pattern

NBHM Candidates have to appear for a written test. The NBHM test will have questions based on topics normally covered in Master Degree Programs in Mathematics. The NBHM test will be of 150 minutes’ duration. There will be short answers questions in NBHM Test. Based on the performance in the NBHM written test, candidates will be shortlisted for an interview before the final selection. Some earlier-year question papers will be available on the NBHM website and on the IMSc website.

NBHM Exam Pattern

Duration of NBHM Exam	150 Minutes
Type of questions	MCQs and Subjective (Short answer type questions)
Mode of exam	Offline (Pen Paper based)
Negative Marking	Not applicable
Section	Two

NBHM Syllabus 2024

Since this is a Ph.D. Course, the NBHM syllabus is not well structured and predefined, instead, it covers topics from UG and PG levels of Mathematics. The question paper is divided into three sections. To know more about the outline of the NBHM syllabus and its sections check below.

Section A: Algebra Syllabus

NBHM Algebra syllabus covers multiple subtopics as mentioned below:

• Abstract Algebra
• Set Theory 
• Binary Operations
• Matrix Theory
• Groups Algebra
• Rings and Fields
• Polynomials (Calculus, Matrix Polynomials, Roots)

Section B: Analysis Syllabus

Mathematics - Analysis Syllabus covers majorly three sections such as Complex; Functional; Real. Candidates are suggested to cover these topics thoroughly, as they are vast. Below mentioned is the section B NBHM Syllabus in detail:

Complex Analysis Syllabus

• Polar Coordinates
• Poles and Residues

Real Analysis Syllabus

• Sequence and Limits
• Metric Spaces
• Series (Infinite Series Expansion, Taylor Series Expansion)

Functional Analysis Syllabus

• Continuous Function
• Maxima and Minima
• Differential Function
• Defining Function

Section C: Geometry Syllabus

NBHM Geometry Syllabus contains mainly two sub-topics. Check below to know more: 

Plane Algebraic Syllabus

• Line
• Circle
• Ellipses
• Elliptical Curve
• Cubic Curves
• Spheres (3D Shapes)

Algebraic Geometry Syllabus

• Polar Coordinates
• Cartesian Coordinates

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Admission Result

The results of NBHM admissions will be published on the website. It usually does not release individual results, instead, a merit list with the names of selected candidates is published. Follow the steps mentioned below to check the NBHM Results:

• Step 1: Visit the NBHM website.
• Step 2: Check for the notification of NBHM, and click on it.
• Step 3: Click on the link of your Zone.
• Step 4: Check your name, if selected then take a print of it.

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Counselling

NBHM 2024 Counselling schedule will be released soon on the official webpage. One very important factor to note here is the fact that the NBHM has very limited seats hence the competition is tough. Post results, candidates will receive a call for admission and further process such as Document verification. As an NBHM candidate, you must be prepared with all your necessary documents.

Institutions (IISER Pune, IISER Mohali, NISER, IMSc, and others.) that will consider NBHM Scores for admission will publish their own admission notification. NBHM will not post any Admission Notification. The candidates are advised to apply to these institutes separately, every college will have its own counselling process. The Counselling process will require Candidates to produce their Academic Record along with identification and Personal details.

How to prepare for NBHM?

NBHM test should be given the candidates who are willing to or already have devoted their lives to the field of Mathematics. The candidates who appear for NBHM face a strong competition as the scholarship and admission through this test is sought by candidates from all over nation, moreover the syllabus and difficulty level of exam is of proficiency level. Candidates are required to prepare and study the topics from post graduate and graduate level.

NBHM Previous Year Papers

Candidates can find NBHM's previous year question papers and mock test papers on the website of IMSC (Institute of Mathematical Science), which is the official body that hosts the exam. Preparation through mock test papers is the wisest step in order to secure good marks in the NBHM exam. To get the NBHM Previous Year Question papers, candidates have to go to the website of IMSC, then click on the NBHM Model Questions tab on the home page. A list of NBHM question papers and answer keys will appear. Candidates can click on the question paper link which will open in a new tab, in PDF form.

NBHM Interview Preparation

To prepare for the NBHM interview, candidates can refer to the mock interview videos available online. As per the feedback from previous candidates, it has been observed that questions apart from core mathematics syllabus are also asked, majorly to check a candidates' conviction and commitment for NBHM.

NBHM Ph.D. 2024 Scholarship

Successful candidates will receive a scholarship amount of INR 25,000 per month for the first and second year and INR 28,000 per month for subsequent years, a contingency grant of INR 32,000 per year, and house rent allowance as per central government norms wherever applicable.

The NBHM scholarships are normally for a period of four years, sanctioned for one year at a time, and renewable at the end of each year, subject to satisfactory progress. The enhanced amount of scholarship may be offered after evaluation by the Board at the end of the second year. If deemed fit, the scholarship may be extended for the fifth year at the discretion of NBHM.

To avail of the benefits of the NBHM scholarship, successful students must enroll themselves in a recognized Ph.D. degree program. The scholarship will be paid through the institution they join. Part-time research students cannot avail of the scholarship.

NBHM Ph.D. Helpdesk

The following addresses are where the applicants can contact for clarification of doubts about their candidature and other procedures. The hard copies of their applications are also to be sent to the same addresses.

NBHM Ph.D Helpdesk

Zone 1	Prof. Gurmeet K. Bakshi	gkbakshi@pu.ac.in
Zone 2	Prof. Kalyan Chakraborty Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Chhatnag Road, Jhusi, Prayagraj - (211019) Uttar Pradesh	kalyan@hri.res.in
Zone 3	Prof. Siddhartha Bhattacharya School of Mathematics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Colaba, Mumbai (400005)	siddhart@math.tifr.res.in
Zone 4	Dr. Mrinal Nandie Department of Statistics, West Bengal State University, Berunanpukuria, Malikapur, Barasat, 24 Parganas North, Kolkata (700126)	mrinal.nandi1@gmail.com
Zone 5	Prof. S. Kesavan The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, CIT Campus, Taramani, Chennai (600113)	nbhm@imsc.res.in