Institute of Physics (IOP), Bhubaneswar was established in 1972. It is an autonomous research institution funded jointly by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Government of Orissa. The pre doctoral program at IOP is aimed at imparting a broad based education in advanced physics and research methodology. It is also planned that it will help a student not only in his/her doctoral research, but also enable him/her to become a good physics teacher irrespective of whether or not he/she takes up doctoral research. This course offered at IOP leading to a Diploma in Advanced Physics awarded by the institute. The diploma has been recognized by the Utkal and Berhampur Universities as equivalent to their M. Phil degree.