Which is the best place for a PhD, CSIR-IHBT or IIT Roorkee?

Having worked at both, my sister shared her experience at CSIR IHBT and IIT Roorkee. So, I feel I will do justice to this question. CSIR labs are national R&D organizations whereas IITs are premiere engineering institutes of higher education. The main focus in the CSIR lab is put on the chemistry of natural products and is well-known for its excellent biotechnology research. IIT Roorkee, on the other hand, is mainly an engineering institute with research facilities. The Institute certainly has a great research culture but like CSIR, research isn’t the primary focus, education is. My suggestion will be to go for IIT Roorkee if your research inclination is towards chemical engineering, instrumentation engineering, or some other field. But if you want to conduct extensive research on Organic Chemistry or Biotechnology then CSIR-IHBT is a better place.

IHBT Palampur: Courses, Fees, Placements, Ranking, Admission

CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT) Palampur has begun registrations for students to take admission to PhD. Program of the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) for the academic session in January 2024. Eligible candidates can apply online for admission.

Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, established in 1983, is the main research institute of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It is involved in research on sustainable utilization of bioresources of the Himalayas. It offers a PG Diploma Program for Skill Development in Biotechnology, Ph.D. course in Chemical and Biological Sciences, and Skill Development Training Programmes.

Minimum qualification required for Ph.D. is having a PG Degree in Science and a valid National Level Fellowship NET/RF/SRF
Minimum qualification for PG Diploma is a Graduate degree in Biotechnology
Admission criteria is based on a written test and an interview round

IHBT Palampur Highlights

Name of the Institute	Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT)
Institute Type \| Establishment	Public \| 1983
Courses Offered	Ph.D. and PG Diploma
Application Mode	Online and Offline
Admission Criteria	Entrance-based with Interview
Official Website	https://www.ihbt.res.in/en/

IHBT Palampur Courses

The institution welcomes young researches to pursue a Ph.D. in Biological and Chemical Sciences. The Ph.D. programme comes under the Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR). Students are also encouraged to take part in other research projects of the institution by applying for the post of Project Assistants.

It also offers the graduates to do an Advanced Diploma Course in Plant Tissue Culture (fidelity testing, including use of bioreactors for up-scaling of tissue cultures, virus testing, hydro/aeroponic cultivation and vertical farming of tissue culture raised plants) under the Skill Development Initiative of the Government of India. This course aims to enhance the skill of the youth so that they can be later employed in plant tissue culture industries.

Moreover, it also offers various courses to students under the CSIR Skill India Initiative in order to equip them with the right knowledge so that they can further pursue a career in emerging fields with much industrial importance.

Courses	Duration	Eligibility
Ph.D.	3 years	Holding M.Sc. in the relevant stream from any recognized university.
Advanced Diploma Programme in Plant Tissue Culture	1 year	Holding any relevant Graduation (Biological Science) from any recognized university.
Skill Development Programme	8 to 12 weeks	-

IHBT Palampur Admission

Admission in the institution are based on the ranking/score obtained by the candidate in the taken up entrance test, interview, and performance in the academic (qualifying) degree.

Since the Ph.D. programme comes under AcSIR, the admissions are conducted through online admission portal of AcSIR (https://acsir.res.in/).

Application Process

The admission process for the courses can be done online as well as offline based on the wish of the candidates.
Candidates can either download the application and email it to the respective email address
Or else, the candidates can send the application by post.
The shortlisting of the candidates will be based on the further stages like entrance and interview as made by valid by the institution.

Read More IHBT Palampur Admission

IHBT Palampur Facilities

The facilities and amenities made available to the students at the Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology are:

Hostel- The institution provides separate hostels for males and females with a common mess other than the students applying for the Skill Development Programmes and therefore, they are expected to make their own arrangements.
Labs- The labs are open 24X7 for the students to make full use of it.
Library- It provides its students with library facilities through its wide variety of reference books and journals.
Outdoor Sports- There are badminton courts for both males and females. Cricket is played every Sunday, and students also organize varies sport completions in the sports space allotted.
Indoor fitness- There are separate gyms for both males and females.
Snacks- It has several vending and coffee machines to help students boost both their energy and performance levels when they feel exhausted.

Read More IHBT Palampur Hostel

IHBT Palampur FAQs

Ques. What is the location of IHBT Palampur?

Ans. It is located in Palampur which is situated in the foothills of the snow covered Dhauladhar mountain range in Himachal Pradesh.

Ques. How do you reach IHBT Palampur?

Ans. The institute can be reached from the bus stand (3 km), the local railway station (5 km), and taxi or cab.

Ques. When are the admission to Ph.D. programmes conducted at IHBT Palampur?

Ans. As per the AcSIR guidelines, the admissions for the Ph.D. programme take place twice a year in January and August.

Ques. What is the intake for the Advanced Diploma Programme at IHBT Palampur?

Ans. The number of seats of available for the Advance Diploma Programme in Plant Tissue Structure is limited to 15 seats.

Ques. Are the hostel facilities available for all the courses at IHBT Palampur?

Ans. No, the hostel facilities are not available for students enrolled in the Skill Development Programme and so, they are expected to make their own arrangements.

Ques. What is the fee structure for Ph.D. course at IHBT Palampur?

Ans. The programme fee per annum for the Ph.D. programme at the institution is INR 14,000.