Introduction- Size and shape dependent properties and their uniqueness; surface characteristics and stabilization; Quantum confinement; Zero dimensional, one dimensional and two dimensional nanostructures - Processing of  nanomaterials - down and bottom up approaches-metal nanoparticles, quantum dots, nanoclusters, carbon based nanomaterials, core-shells, organic, inorganic, hybrid nanomaterials, biomimetic nanomaterials. – Techniques for characterization and property evaluation- relevant applications- societal implications and risk factors

Structure of solids,  Significance of structure property relationship; Diffusion phenomenon, Applications of diffusion; Principles of solidification, Phase diagrams and phase transformations, Heat treatment; Ceramic materials, Classification, Synthesis, Properties, Characterization and applications

Detailed version

Characteristics of the Sun – internal structure – s olar observations – solar atmosphere – oscillations – Convection – rotation – magnetism – chromosphere – corona – solar wind – quiet Sun – Active Sun – Helioseismology

Properties of known exoplanets – exoplanet surveys – detection methods – formation, interior and evolution of planets – brown dwarf exoplanets c onnection – close orbiting exoplanets – multiple planet systems – planets in binary systems – moons of exoplanets Origin of life – prebiotic molecules and developmen t of life forms – habitable zone – Mars and life – Icy bodies (Europa and others) – Titan’s atm osphere – detection of exoplanets – search for extraterrestrial life.

Scientific background : Variable stars, binary star s and their evolution, supernovae, pulsars and associated phenomena (even include testing theories of gravity using pulsars), accretion and associated phenomena (like x-ray bursts), gamma-ray bursts, rotating radio transients (RRATS), jets & outflows (micro-quasars etc), AGNs-blazars-Q SOs A survey of missions and their ways of operation [c an go to technical levels, to the operations of these instruments] :- Optical/IR surveys : Pan-STAR RS (Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System), PTF (Palomar Transient Fact ory), Trans

Atomic structure: review of Schrodinger equation - overview of single and multiple electron systems - perturbations and level splittings - pari ty - spin orbit coupling - zeeman effect - hyperfine structure - Boltzmann population of energ y levels in thermal equilibrium - Saha equation. Radiative transitions: semi-classical the ory - dipole approximation - Einstein coefficients and oscillator strengths - selection r ules and transition rates.

Unpolarised light, Linear, Circular, Elliptical pol arised light, Partially and fully polarised light, Stokes parameters, Dichroism, Birefringence, Poinca re sphere - Mueller and Jones representations with applications - Complex plane o f polarisation states. Generation of polarised light in astronomy - polari sation by reflection, scattering geometry, magnetic fields - dependence on refractive index - synchrotron emission - Faraday rotation - Dust in ISM.

Basic cosmology - Expansion of the universe -- scal e factor -- cosmological redshift -- descriptive overview of inflation, unification of f orces and fundamental particles. Primordial nucleosynthesis -- elemental abundances : predictio ns and observations. Cosmic Microwave Background - detection, power spectrum, origin of C MB, anisotropies in the CMB and their origin -- overview of COBE and WMAP probes - missio n and instrumentation.

Introduction: Accretion as a source of energy --- observational consequences. Accretion in binary system: Introduction --- Interacting binary system --- Roche lobe overflow --- Disk formation --- Viscous torque --- The α disk viscosity --- Low and high-mass X-ray binarie s. Accretion disk (thin accretion disk) Theory: Basic concepts --- Structure of thin disk --- The emitted spectrum of steady α -disk --- Time dependence and stability --- the the rmal disk instability model (dwarf novae) --- wind accretion --- Disk around young stars --- confrontation with observations.

Introduction : How radiation affects the flow of ma tter -- Cooling, Heating, Momentum transfer, Matter density variation due to annihilation/pair-p roduction. Review of gas dynamics: Ideal fluids, Transport terms - Viscosity & heat conducti on, Sound waves, Shocks - Rankine-hugoniot relations. Review of radiation physics : Intensity, Flux, Energy density, Stress tensor, Transport equations, Diffusion approximation, Coupling terms in Euler's equations.