Ashoka University
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Rigorous Inquiry, Responsible Application
YSP Applied Sciences, Innovation and Research (YSP ASIR) is a 10-day certified residential programme for students entering Grades 9 – 12. Forward-looking and laboratory-led, the programme invites participants to explore the breadth and depth of the natural sciences, from the physical, life and earth sciences to the emerging fields where they meet.
Throughout, the emphasis falls on the real-world application of research. Through lecture-demonstrations and seminars with leading scientists and industry practitioners, students see how discovery matures into innovation, and how innovation in turn shapes industry and society.
Students see, for instance, how a question about the behaviour of RNA became a vaccine or how research in lithium in chemistry came to power the phone in their pockets. They come to grasp the defining questions of each field, and become better informed about the careers that lie beyond the traditional disciplines.
What You Will Explore in the Programme
Guided by Industry-Leading Experts and World-Class Faculty
Students may learn alongside leading researchers such as Prof. Anurag Agrawal, Prof. Somak Raychaudhury, Prof. V. Chandrasekhar, Prof. Dipyaman Ganguly and Prof. Dipankar Bhattacharya. These sessions also reveal the lives behind the science and students hear first-hand how they pursued the laws of nature through years of persistence, and how that pursuit has bettered the world. Their stories invite students to take part in humankind’s long endeavour to understand the universe.
Hands-on Learning
Students will try out four laboratories (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and the Makerspace) and see how scientists and researchers in each one think and work. Then they will go deep into one of them, working in a group with instructors.
A career in science today spans discovery, technology and societal impact, bringing research and real-world application together. YSP ASIR offers students a firm grounding in the foundations, skills and interdisciplinary approaches that these evolving fields demand:
By engaging with fundamental inquiry and applied innovation, students at YSP ASIR begin to envisage the many careers open to them, and the ways in which they might contribute to the scientific challenges of the future.
Beyond academics, YSP ASIR offers a glimpse of life at Ashoka University. Students live on campus, enjoy a variety of dining options, and take part in evenings such as Talent Night, Chaat and Chat Night, etc . They meet peers who share their curiosity from across India and around the world, and form friendships that broaden their outlook long after the programme ends.
Applications for Ashoka Young Scholars Programme (YSP) – Campus 2027 will open on December 1, 2026.
Stay tuned for updates on the upcoming cycle, follow us on social media and check our website for announcements.
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YSP ASIR curriculum provides students with a novel way of looking at various scientific disciplines, highlighting the power of an interdisciplinary approach to science, while encouraging active student participation in discussion sessions, lab rotations and practical applications of their learning in state-of-the-art lab & research facilities.
A sample schedule for YSP IST is given below. (tentative schedule, subject to change)
YSP IST Programme ScheduleHave questions about YSP ASIR ?
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YSP has been such a great experience. One thing I really liked about YSP was that when I saw the schedule and everything, I thought it would be very academically rigorous. For example, if there’s a session on DNA, then they’re probably going to teach about DNA, DNA sequencing, etc. But what made it different, and even more fascinating and engaging, was that it was not really about getting to know about DNA. It was about getting to know the people who have worked in that field, the experts of that field. They were telling us how their life journey was shaped, what led them into their work, what they were into, and everything about how they became who they actually are today. And that, I believe, is far more interesting, because if I want to learn about DNA, I can simply go to YouTube and search for a video about it. But what YSP is offering is something that is unavailable.
In school, we also have lab work, but here at Ashoka, they were focusing on practical concepts rather than theoretical ones. They were not “just” explaining the concepts. For example, with a simple pendulum, we all know how it works and what experiments are carried out on it, but here at Ashoka, the professors literally taught us how to draw conclusions and how to carry out research on it. We were also shown the graph, so we were able to visualize how it really worked.
YSP has been a memorable experience. Last year, I became interested in getting into an Ivy League university and discovered summer school programs. I applied to several and chose YSP because I thought it would be good – but it’s way better than my expectations and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve even made a lot of friends even though I’m usually shy and don’t talk to anyone easily – but I’ve started to socialize here a lot. YSP has made me learn how to make great contacts, how to make good friends easily, so I am not that introvert or shy person like I was before. It has taught me a lot of things, and I even met a Nobel laureate and it was such a good experience.
YSP has really helped me figure out what I want to do, thanks to the kind of interdisciplinary courses we’ve had. Exploring subjects like astrophysics and biochemistry helped me narrow down my career path. When I chanced upon YSP during my boards, it felt like the best Science and Tech course I could pursue in India. I already knew I preferred pure sciences over computer sciences, which helped me focus on IST. We’ve had so many decorated professors from amazing colleges, but my favourite moment was the session with a Nobel prize winner.
My experience at YSP has been intriguing, interesting, and eye opening. The labs were especially memorable – I got to do experiments with lava lamps, esterification, and elephant toothpaste, which we never get to do in school. The program really offered the chance to have fun and experiment with chemicals in ways that were completely new for me.
