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PhD admissions in India for 2025 will be largely governed by national-level entrance exams such as UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, GATE, and CUET-PhD, along with institution-specific tests. Every university is required by UGC to accept PhD admissions based on the outcomes of national entrance exams. However some universities still conduct their individual entrance exams. PhD admission to IGNOU can be done through NET or through the IGNOU Entrance Exam for PhD. Most of these exams are held annually, with the exception of NET, which is held twice every year.
The application period of the PhD differs between each university, but it lies in the range of April and July 2025. Its eligibility requires a Master’s degree with at least 55% marks (50% for reserved categories) or a 4-year Bachelor’s with 75% marks, and most programs follow a 3 to 6-year research trajectory. Top universities which offer PhD admission are DU, JNU, IGNOU, and IISc Bangalore.
The following are the key highlights of PhD Admission 2025:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Form | Doctor of Philosophy |
| Eligibility | Master’s degree with at least 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC/PwD); some institutions may require 60–65% marks depending on the program. |
| Minimum Duration | 3 years |
| Maximum Duration | 6 years (extensions possible under specific circumstances) |
| Program Modes | Full-time, Part-time, Distance/Online (for working professionals) |
| Entrance Exams | UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE, JEST, GPAT, ICMR JRF, VITREE, university-specific tests |
| Application Mode | Predominantly online |
| Average Annual Fees | INR 20,000 – INR 2,00,000 (varies by institution and discipline) |
| Top Universities | IISc Bangalore, IITs (e.g., IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur), JNU, IISERs, VIT, Amity University |
| Selection Process | Entrance exam and/or interview; some accept direct admission via NET/JRF |
| Top Recruiters | Academic institutions, research labs, government agencies (e.g., DRDO, ISRO, CSIR), private R&D firms |
| Fellowship Opportunities | UGC JRF, CSIR Fellowship, DST-INSPIRE, institutional scholarships |
| Research Areas | Engineering, Sciences, Management, Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Pharmacy, etc. |
| Skills Required | Analytical thinking, research methodology proficiency, effective communication, time management, technical skills relevant to the field |
| Career Opportunities | University Professor, Research Scientist, Industry Researcher, Consultant, Data Scientist, R&D Manager |
| Average Entry-Level Salary | INR 6 – INR 9 LPA |
| Average Mid-Level Salary | INR 10 – INR 15 LPA |
| Average Senior-Level Salary | INR 20 LPA and above |
| Application Deadlines | Vary by institution; for example, IIT Kharagpur’s application ends on March 31, 2025; VITREE applications end on March 31, 2025 |
| Interview Dates | Vary by institution; for example, IIT Kharagpur interviews from May 12–20, 2025; VITREE interviews on May 10 & 11, 2025 |
| Result Declaration | Varies; for example, VITREE results on May 26, 2025 |
| Admission Commencement | Typically between July and August 2025, depending on the institution |
There are various PhD entrance exams available in India, for admission to different subjects and universities.
The National Level Exams in India that provide admission to PhD programs include UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE etc. The following table provides information about the national level entrance exams in India.
| Exam Name | Purpose | Accepted By |
|---|---|---|
| UGC NET (Including JRF) | Eligibility for PhD, Assistant Professor, JRF | Central/State Universities, Colleges, HEIs |
| CSIR NET (JRF) | PhD & research fellowships in science streams | IITs, IISc, Research Institutes |
| GATE | PhD in Engineering/Sciences, Fellowships | IITs, IISc, NITs, IIITs, PSU Research Labs |
| ICMR JRF | PhD in Biomedical/Health Sciences | ICMR Institutes, Biomedical Research Institutes |
| DBT JRF (BET) | PhD in Biotechnology | DBT-supported research institutions |
| ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF(PhD) | PhD in Agriculture & Allied Sciences | ICAR Deemed Universities, Agricultural Institutes |
| IIT JAM (for Integrated PhD) | Integrated PhD (Science streams) | IISc, IITs (selected) |
UGC has mandated that universities must accept PhD admissions based on national-level entrance exam scores. As a result, many universities have stopped conducting their own entrance exams. However, some universities still continue to hold their own entrance tests. These universities are listed below.
| Exam Name | Purpose | Institutes Conducting |
|---|---|---|
| IISc Entrance Test | PhD & Integrated PhD | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore |
| IIT PhD Admission Tests | PhD Programs in Science, Tech, Management | All IITs (besides GATE/NET, also conduct interviews/tests) |
| JNUEE | PhD in Science, Arts, Social Sciences | Jawaharlal Nehru University |
| TIFR GS | PhD in Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics | Tata Institute of Fundamental Research |
| AIIMS PhD Entrance | PhD in Medical/Biomedical Sciences | AIIMS Delhi and other AIIMS |
| ISI Admission Test | PhD in Statistics, Mathematics, Computer Science | Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) |
| NBHM Doctoral Exam | PhD in Mathematics | NBHM-recognized universities and research centers |
To be eligible for PhD admissions in 2025, candidates must fulfill the following criteria:
There are some national-level examinations conducted for admission to PhD courses. The process to apply for a PhD in 2025 is as follows:
Those who score more than 50% marks in the entrance exam will be eligible for the Interview Round. For the final selection at the university, a weightage of 70% will be given to the entrance examination and 30% will be given to the interview.
After assessing the examination and the interview, the university will give admission to a limited number of students to their PhD programme. Candidates with prior research experience are highly preferred.
Government universities are much in demand for PhD studies because of their low cost and high quality. Given below are some of the leading govt. universities for PhD in 2025.
| University | NIRF Rank 2024 (Research Institutions) | Total Course Fees |
|---|---|---|
| IISc Bangalore | 1 | INR 75,600 |
| IIT Bombay | 4 | INR 2.2 Lakh |
| IIT Roorkee | 9 | INR 85,800 to 2.21 Lakh |
| IIT Guwahati | 10 | INR 1.74 Lakh |
| Delhi University (DU) | 14 | INR 21,390 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | 18 | INR 400 to 986 |
| IGNOU | – | INR 16,800 |
The following table shows the top private universities in India which offer PhD in 2025, along with their total fees for the course:
| University | NIRF Rank 2024 (Research Institutions) | Total Course Fees |
|---|---|---|
| VIT Vellore | 13 | INR 1.33 Lakh |
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | 20 | INR 75,000 – 1.50 Lakh |
| MAHE | 23 | INR 59,000 to 25.5 Lakh |
| SRMIST | 24 | INR 40,000 to 10 Lakh |
| BITS Pilani | 26 | INR 1.84 Lakh to 3.4 Lakh |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore | 33 | INR 90,000 to 1.8 Lakh |
| KIIT Bhubneshwar | 46 | INR 2.25 Lakh |
