How to Become a Space Scientist in ISRO?

ISRO, or Indian Space Research Organisation, is one of the world’s leading space agencies. Indians have always been proud of the ventures taken up by ISRO. With its cost-effective ventures and developed technologies that suit the demands of the organisation, ISRO has never failed to perform its task to the best of its ability. With every successful endeavour and failure on its journey, ISRO manages to get through it all and comes back with a stronger purpose. If all of this inspires you, then becoming a space scientist at ISRO shall be of interest to you. In this blog, we shall discuss in a detailed manner how to become a space scientist in ISRO. Read on to know more.

Who is a Space Scientist? 

To put it simply, space scientists are of two types –

• Physicists
• Astronomers.

Physicists are the ones who deal with the theoretical concepts and laboratory equipment of the field, while astronomers are the ones who carry out research in the universe related to galaxies, stars, etc. However, choosing any of the fields mentioned here leads to a career in space science. Space Science is the study or research of the universe.

How to Become a Space Scientist in ISRO?

For those confused about how to become a space scientist in ISRO, worry not, as in this section, we will provide a detailed step-by-step guide on how to become a space scientist in ISRO. 

Step 1: Students must complete their 10+2 level of secondary education with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry as their compulsory subjects. They should know the physical concepts of Mathematics.

Step 2: After completing schooling, students must go on to pursue engineering in their higher studies. They can pursue any of the following specialisations in B.Tech/B.E – Mechanical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Engineering Physics, Radio Engineering, and other related fields. It’s also recommended to get a digital business card to help you connect with other professionals online and offline with ease. You can customise the card with your academic qualifications and work experience.

Step 3: Once candidates have completed their B.E. / B.Tech, they must appear for the ISRO Centralised Recruitment Board (ICRB) exam. The eligibility for taking this exam is that students must have completed a BTech or BE degree in Electronics,  Computer Science, or Mechanical or any other related field with a minimum aggregate of 65% marks or 6.8 CGPA on a scale of 10. Students who have cleared the exam will be asked to appear for a round of a written test and an interview conducted by ISRO. 

Note: Students might go for a Master’s / PhD degree in fields like geophysics, geoinformatics, instrumentation, applied mathematics, etc. After completion of this degree, too, students may apply for the exam and then appear for the interview and written test round conducted by the organisation.

Skills Required to Become a Space Scientist in ISRO 

Here are some of the main skills required to become a space scientist in ISRO:

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Passion for space and science
• Knowledge of programming languages such as Python, C/C++
• Research ability and attention to detail 
• Teamwork and communication skills

Courses to Pursue After 12th for a Career in Space Science 

Students often face the dilemma of not being able to figure out the correct course for themselves after completing the 12th grade to become a space scientist in ISRO. We have listed down a few course options for students who wish to become space scientists in ISRO :

• B.Tech in Aerospace Engineering 
• B.Tech in Avionics Engineering 
• M.Tech in Electronics, Electrical, Mechanical and Computer Science
• PhD in Physics
• PhD in Aerospace Engineering 
• B.Tech. in Engineering Physics + M.S. in Solid State Physics, Astronomy, Earth System Science/ M.Tech. in Optical Engineering
• PhD in Astronomy
• Master’s in Astronomy (MSc Astronomy)
• B.Tech + M.Tech in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, CS {Computer Science})

Space Science Colleges In India

Now, the next question that probably comes to your mind is which colleges to apply for to secure a job in the space science field at ISRO. To help you with that, we have listed a number of colleges below to pursue B.E./ B.Tech. 

College	Location
Indian Institute of Science	Bangalore
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology	Thiruvananthapuram
Indian Institute of Technology	Kharagpur
Indian Institute of Astrophysics	Bangalore
Indian Institute of Technology	Bombay
Indian Institute of Technology,	Kanpur
Indian Institute of Technology,	Madras
Manipal Institute of Technology	Manipal
Birla Institute of Technology	Mesra
Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology	Kerala
Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences	Nainital
Madras Institute of Technology	Chennai
International Institute for Aerospace Engineering and Management, Jain University	Bangalore
Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics	Pune
National Centre for Radio Astronomy,	Pune
Centre for Earth and Space Sciences, (University of Hyderabad)	Hyderabad
Physical Research Laboratory,	Ahmedabad
Radio Astronomy Center,	Ooty
Raman Research Institute	Bangalore

Also Read: What is a Scholarship Request Letter?: A Guide

Space Science Colleges Abroad

In this section, we have listed the top colleges for pursuing B.Tech abroad.

University	QS Ranking 2026
California Institute of Technology, US	10
Stanford University, US	3
University of Cambridge, UK	6
Harvard University, US	5
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US	1
Princeton University, US	=25
ETH Zurich, Switzerland	7
University of California, US	=17
Georgia Institute of Technology, US	=123

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