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  • PhD Admission in India 2024: Dates, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Admission Process, Top Colleges

Updated On: May 10, 2024 12:36 pm IST | UGC NET

Looking for PhD admission in India 2024? If yes, then you might be thinking about what are the PhD eligibility criteria, required entrance exams, top colleges, career scope, etc. Scroll through to find PhD admission process in India.

PhD Admission 2024: Latest Updates

Application deadline for phd admission 2024 in top colleges, eligibility criteria for phd admission 2024, admission process for phd admission 2024, entrance exams required for phd admission 2024, top entrance exams schedule for phd admission 2024, phd admission 2024: how to apply, top universities in india for phd admission 2024, preparation tips for phd admission, job prospects after phd in india.

PhD Admission in India

PhD admission in India 2024 is carried out based on a national-level Research Entrance Test or University-level Entrance Exam followed by a personal interview round in which applicants must present their research proposal. As a part of the PhD eligibility criteria, candidates must also sit for entrance exams such as the UGC, CSIR NET, IIT JAM, etc. PhD admissions are available for research programmes in a variety of fields, including mass communication, management, science, law, humanities, engineering, commerce, and pharmacy.

The Doctor of Philosophy, or PhD course is an advanced research degree that lasts three years if pursued full-time and six years if pursued part-time. It is necessary for applicants seeking PhD admission in India 2024 to present their findings, submit progress reports, and participate in an open defence viva voce for their thesis. UGC NET entrance test is administered by the National Test Agency (NTA) for participation in the PhD admission process in India at prominent central universities such as JNU, DU, etc. Aspirants must have scored at least 50% to 55% of aggregate marks or an equivalent CGPA in their postgraduate degree to be eligible for admission at the top PhD colleges in India 2024 .

All PhD admissions for the academic year 2024 have been completed. Here is a list of important dates and events that occurred for your convenience. Here are the latest updates on PhD admission 2024:

  • By July 29, 2024, register for the PhD programme at ICFAI Jaipur (On-going).
  • The revised entrance exam date for the RGUHS PhD programme is scheduled for May 04, 2024 (Over).
  • VIT Vellore PhD admission is now accepting applications through April 28, 2024, based on VITREE (Over).

The table below includes the top PhD colleges and their application dates for PhD admission 2024:

Students who intend to pursue PhD in India must meet the necessary PhD admission eligibility criteria required by their respective colleges. Listed below are the detailed PhD qualifications required for pursuing a PhD from India:

  • Masters degree holders are eligible for PhD admission 2024 into the doctoral programme. Although, for some subjects, having a Master in Philosophy (MPhil) is one of the criteria for PhD admission eligibility. It must be noted by the candidates that in some Indian universities, for a Master's programme, a specific percentage (or equivalent CGPA) is required to satisfy a PhD course eligibility requirement.
  • For admission into some reputable universities, a candidate must qualify for the all-India examination, like the National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET) conducted by NTA. Final-year students appearing in the qualifying degree examination can also apply although they must submit the attested copies of their qualifying degree certificates
  • Admission is offered based on interview. Also, the interview may be supplemented with a written exam if needed.
  • Candidates should have a valid Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering or  GATE 2024  score to satisfy a PhD admission eligibility criteria in the field of engineering and technology. Also, candidates should have completed their degree in  MTech course  / Masters in Engineering  (ME) in any engineering branch to satisfy the PhD course eligibility in engineering.

The need for a PhD degree in India has increased in recent times because of the increasing career prospects and the growing requirement for higher specialisation. Applicants who want a PhD admission 2024 must consider the following points concerning the admission procedure as the admission is done based on merit and/or entrance exams. 

  • Admission into colleges/ universities in India is available for candidates in full-time and part-time programmes in various disciplines of engineering, arts, management, commerce, science, humanities, finance, law, medicine and IT.
  • Candidates can choose to pursue their PhD either full-time or part-time. The minimum duration of PhD is two years wherein the course follows the semester system including theory and practical versions on the specialisation of a respective course.
  • For PhD admission 2024, a Master's degree is required in India. Some universities in India offer seats to students having a minimum of 55% aggregate marks or equivalent.
  • In some cases, doing an MPhil is a part of their PhD admission criteria to pursue courses offered by some universities.
  • Admissions to a PhD programme is done through an entrance test at the university level or national level.

The admission procedure for both processes is described below.

PhD Admission 2024: Selection Criteria

Candidates interested in pursuing a doctorate should consider the subsequent factors during the PhD admission process in India.

  • The applicants who are selected will be contacted to participate in a personal interview round as part of the final selection process.
  • Depending on the applicant's MTech project and certain academic areas, the interview process will take place.
  • Students chosen for PhD admission are determined by their performance on entrance exams or merit.
  • Applicants must pass certain academic requirements before beginning a PhD.
  • Based on personal interview results, PhD admission in India 2024  will be awarded. If needed, a written exam could be added to the interview.

The entrance exams for PhD courses conducted in India may vary university-wise. PhD admission in India is based on enrollment to several universities. Universities accept the results of either a national-level or a university-level entrance examination. The following section summarises the PhD admission 2024 entrance exam schedule. Mentioned below is the list of the top entrance exams for PhD in India:

As discussed, PhD admission 2024 is primarily based on entrance exams. Applicants can select from several PhD specialisations, including mathematics, engineering, education, and engineering. The table below shows the exam schedules for India's most competitive PhD entrance exams.

Prospective applicants can take part in the PhD admission process in India with a bachelor's as well as a master's degree. However, they must be conscious that to be eligible to register for a PhD study at any of the Indian schools, they need to meet a certain percentage requirement (or comparable CGPA). PhD admission is granted based on the interview. If required, in addition to the in-person interview, a written exam may be administered at a respective university's discretion. The following is a discussion of how students can apply for admission to their preferred PhD course.

  • On the official portal of their preferred college or university, applicants should review all the details on all PhD courses before selecting their specific research topic.
  • Those who wish to apply for PhD admission in India 2024 should keep an eye out for notifications about admission to their desired course on the university's official website (preferable) and in the local newspaper.
  • The individual needs to cross-check if they match PhD eligibility criteria. Next, they should fully complete the application and submit it by the dates specified on the official portal. Additionally, aspirants need to be mindful that they need to register by the formulated deadline along with all necessary documents and fees.
  • A few Indian universities stipulate that applications must be submitted with a research proposal; the application itself is reviewed afterwards.
  • Most colleges shortlist candidates after the examination, and those only then appear for the entrance exam. There is one more testing phase included to reduce the number of applicants for PhD admission in India.
  • The individuals selected for the PhD programme are subsequently paired with research mentors.

Typically, PhD admissions in India are carried out in the spring and fall semesters. Usually, the Spring Cycle starts in January and ends in June with admissions. PhD admissions for the Autumn Session open in July and end in December. Thus, to stay informed about the admission cycle, aspirants need to keep a close eye on the important dates, and deadlines and monitor the respective official portal routinely. The following is a discussion of the top government and private universities that offer PhD admission in India 2024.

List of Government Institutions Offering PhD Admission 2024

PhD admission in India 2024 is now being offered by numerous Central and State Universities for the July Session. The majority of institutions use the Research Entrance Test or UGC NET/JRF results for admittance. Applicants may directly take part in an interview and showcase their research proposal if they have authentic UGC NET/JRF results. Also, a lot of universities only admit PhD hopefuls who have completed their JRF. Consequently, aspirants need to focus especially on these requirements. The following table highlights a list of the top government institutions offering PhD admission in India 2024:

List of Private Institutions Offering PhD Admission 2024

Numerous private colleges provide PhD programmes in a range of subjects and provide candidates with respectable stipends. In addition to offering PhD admission to students who have passed any fellowship entry exams, the majority of these institutions also administer their own Research Entrance Tests. The following table highlights a list of the top private institutions offering PhD admission in India 2024:

Here are some preparation tips for PhD entrance exams which students can use for reference:

  • Students should gather past year PhD entrance exam question papers from reliable sources and study accordingly.
  • They must refer to the PhD entrance exam syllabus as per their specialisation.
  • The entrance exam format varies depending on the conducting body; therefore, the aspirants must be informed of the structure to plan accordingly.
  • They must cover all exam subjects at least one month before the exam.
  • To relieve exam stress, the students must take advantage of the various mock tests available.
  • Keeping up with current events is vital because they are essential for grades.
  • Visiting the exam centre a day before the exam to avoid last-minute confusion about where the exam centre location is advised.
  • Before the exam, students must get a good night's sleep.

In today’s world, there is immense scope for candidates after they have completed their PhD. Gone are those days when the scope of PhD was limited to academia. After completing a PhD, one should track their potential and apply to jobs based on exact skills and expertise. Following are a few career options that candidates can choose after pursuing a PhD:

  • Lecturer & Professor
  • Author & Writer
  • Editor & Critic
  • Human Services/ Social Worker
  • Independent Consultant
  • Philosophical Journalist
  • Industrial R&D Lab professionals
  • Senior Research Scientist

PhD is considered one of the most valued degrees not just in India but abroad as well. When it comes to your career graph, it can be a good qualification for the aspirants. Many colleges or universities offer this course for aspiring students, however, one should satisfy their respective PhD admission eligibility. With this, candidates will have in-depth knowledge and develop mastery over the subjects they have chosen for specialisation, which will be extremely useful for them in their careers.

Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more such updates and information. Aspirants can also check out our  QnA Zone to get their queries resolved by our experts. We wish good luck to all the candidates seeking PhD admission 2024 in India!

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In most cases, a two-year Master's OR MPhil degree in the relevant field from any accredited Indian or foreign university is the minimal requirement for admission to a PhD programme. She or he must have earned a master's degree or a grade equivalent with at least 55%.

The university-level PhD entrance exam or the national research entrance test is used in deciding admissions. The next step is a face-to-face interview where applicants submit their research project. A lot of India's top universities are currently accepting applications for PhDs.

Yes, students can finish their PhD in two years. While a small percentage of exceptionally talented candidates can finish their PhDs in under 12 months, most applicants finish theirs in two years. The rarity and impressiveness of this cannot be overstated, but it is always possible. The secret to completing a PhD promptly is to have a solid academic background before you begin.

Yes. It is every so often possible to forego your master's programme and enrol directly in doctoral courses. You can choose to forego your PG degree by enrolling in a research programme after earning your bachelor's degree.

The list of the top 10 easiest PhDs to obtain includes a PhD in Humanities, a PhD in Education, a PhD in Theology, a PhD in Business Administration, a PhD in Psychology, a PhD in Literature, a PhD in Criminal Justice, a PhD in Public Policy, a PhD in History, and a PhD in Sociology.

A PhD is the highest educational qualification that can be obtained. A PhD candidate can expect to earn PhD salary between INR 6 and INR 12 lakhs per year.

Whether a PhD is required after a master's degree depends on a candidate’s interests in a particular specialisation. To be eligible to enrol in a PhD programme, candidates must hold a master's degree in good standing. A PhD course can be pursued by students in any field.

A PhD programme allows you to specialise in a variety of fields. Chemistry Clinical Psychology Education Physics Electronics and Communications Engineering Educational Leadership and Administration are some of the popular doctorate level courses.

A doctorate or PhD degree typically takes three years to complete. Candidates accepted into the programme have a maximum of 5 to 6 years to complete their research. However, the duration of the PhD programmes varies by institute.

Yes, students can get a direct PhD admission in India after completing the UG degree in any discipline or subject of their preference. As per the University Grants Commission (UGC), candidates can apply for a PhD provided they have a four-year bachelor’s degree along with a 75% aggregate mark or its equivalent grade.

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Ph.D. in India: Cost, Duration, and Eligibility for Admission

Complete guide to ph.d. in india: duration, costs, eligibility, and recent updates.

Dr. Somasundaram R

Embarking on a Ph.D. journey in India is a significant academic and professional pursuit. Aspiring research scholars often have questions regarding the duration of a Ph.D., the associated costs, eligibility criteria, and recent developments in the field. In this comprehensive guide, ilovephd aims to address these queries and shed light on the essentials of pursuing a Ph.D. in India.

How many years is a Ph.D. in India?

A Ph.D. program in India typically takes around 3 to 5 years to complete, depending on various factors such as the discipline, research area, individual progress, and university regulations.

The duration may vary, but it is important to be prepared for a substantial commitment of time and effort.

How much does a Ph.D. cost in India?

The cost of pursuing a Ph.D. in India varies across institutions. Generally, public universities offer Ph.D. programs with minimal or subsidized tuition fees. Private universities may have higher fees.

It’s advisable to explore funding options such as scholarships, fellowships, or research grants provided by government bodies, funding agencies , or individual institutions to support your Ph.D. journey.

What qualifications are required for a Ph.D. in India?

To pursue a Ph.D. in India, a candidate typically needs a postgraduate degree (Master’s or equivalent) in a relevant field. It is important to note that specific eligibility criteria may vary between universities and disciplines.

Additionally, universities often require candidates to clear entrance exams or interviews and meet minimum academic standards to be considered for admission.

What is the age limit for a Ph.D. in India? Is 25 too old to start a Ph.D.?

In most cases, there is no strict age limit for pursuing a Ph.D. in India. As long as you meet the eligibility criteria and demonstrate the necessary academic qualifications, you can pursue a Ph.D. at any age.

Therefore, 25 is certainly not too old to start a Ph.D. Many scholars begin their doctoral studies later in life, bringing valuable experiences and perspectives to their research.

Can I do a Ph.D. without the National Eligibility Test (NET)?

While the National Eligibility Test (NET) is a common requirement for lectureships and research fellowships in India , it is not mandatory for all Ph.D. programs. Some universities may have their own entrance exams or selection processes.

It is important to check the specific requirements of the university or institution where you plan to pursue your Ph.D.

Who is eligible for direct Ph.D. admission?

Direct Ph.D. admission is a pathway for exceptional candidates who have completed their undergraduate studies and wish to pursue a Ph.D. without a Master’s degree.

However, this option is typically available to a limited number of candidates, and universities may have specific criteria and guidelines for direct Ph.D. admissions. It is advisable to consult with individual institutions to understand their policies regarding direct Ph.D. admissions.

Is it okay to do a Ph.D. without a Master’s degree?

While a Master’s degree is generally the standard qualification for pursuing a Ph.D., some universities in India offer integrated Ph.D. programs that allow students to directly enter the Ph.D. track after completing their undergraduate studies.

However, this option may be limited to certain disciplines or institutions. It’s important to research and identify institutions that offer such programs if you wish to pursue a Ph.D. without a Master’s degree.

What are the recent rules for Ph.D. admissions in India?

The rules and regulations for Ph.D. admissions in India are subject to change and can vary between universities and disciplines.

It is advisable to stay updated with the guidelines provided by individual universities and regulatory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) or the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to ensure compliance with the latest requirements.

25 Tips to Join PhD in India

25 tips to help you join a Ph.D. program in India:

  • Research your field of interest thoroughly to identify potential research areas and topics.
  • Explore various universities and research institutes in India that offer Ph.D. programs in your chosen field.
  • Check the eligibility criteria and admission requirements of each institution you are interested in.
  • Take note of application deadlines and ensure you submit your application well in advance.
  • Prepare a strong statement of purpose (SOP) that highlights your research interests, goals, and why you are interested in pursuing a Ph.D.
  • Contact potential supervisors or faculty members whose research aligns with your interests to discuss your research proposal.
  • Prepare for entrance exams that may be required for admission, such as the UGC-NET, GATE, or university-specific entrance exams.
  • Enhance your academic profile by participating in research projects, publishing papers, or presenting at conferences.
  • Build a strong recommendation letter portfolio by reaching out to professors or mentors who can attest to your academic abilities and research potential.
  • Seek out scholarships, fellowships, or research grants offered by government bodies, universities, or funding agencies to fund your Ph.D.
  • Familiarize yourself with the research facilities, laboratories, and resources available at the institutions you are considering.
  • Attend research seminars, workshops, and conferences related to your field to stay updated with the latest developments and network with researchers.
  • Develop good communication and writing skills, as they are essential for presenting research findings and publishing papers.
  • Create a well-structured and feasible research proposal that clearly outlines your research objectives, methodology, and expected outcomes.
  • Be prepared for interviews or presentations as part of the selection process, where you may need to defend your research proposal or discuss your academic background.
  • Gain teaching experience by assisting professors or taking up teaching assignments to enhance your profile for future academic positions.
  • Connect with current Ph.D. students or alumni of the institutions you are interested in to gain insights into the program and research environment.
  • Stay updated with any changes in the rules, regulations, or policies related to Ph.D. admissions in India.
  • Develop a strong work ethic and time management skills, as Ph.D. programs require dedication, self-discipline, and long hours of research.
  • Consider the location and infrastructure of the institution, ensuring it suits your research needs and provides a conducive environment for learning.
  • Explore interdisciplinary opportunities and collaborations to broaden your research scope and gain different perspectives.
  • Discuss funding options and financial support with the institutions you are applying to, and be prepared to seek external funding if necessary.
  • Keep track of your research progress and maintain regular communication with your supervisor or mentor.
  • Attend preparatory courses or workshops on research methodology or academic writing to enhance your research skills.
  • Finally, be passionate, persistent, and proactive in pursuing your Ph.D. dream. Embrace the challenges, stay motivated, and enjoy the journey of knowledge creation.

Remember, each institution may have its own specific requirements and procedures, so it’s crucial to carefully review their official websites or contact the admissions offices for accurate and up-to-date information.

10 steps to join Ph.D. in India

Here are 10 steps to join a Ph.D. program in India:

  • Research your field: Explore different research areas and identify your specific field of interest for pursuing a Ph.D. in India.
  • Shortlist institutions: Identify universities or research institutes in India that offer Ph.D. programs in your chosen field.
  • Review eligibility criteria : Check the eligibility requirements of the institutions you are interested in, including minimum educational qualifications and entrance exam scores.
  • Prepare application documents: Gather the necessary documents, such as academic transcripts, recommendation letters, statement of purpose (SOP), and research proposal.
  • Prepare for entrance exams: If required, prepare for entrance exams like UGC-NET, GATE, or university-specific exams. Familiarize yourself with the syllabus and exam pattern.
  • Apply to institutions: Submit your applications to the shortlisted institutions within the specified deadlines. Pay attention to the required application fees and submission procedures.
  • Attend interviews (if applicable): Some institutions may conduct interviews or presentations to assess your research aptitude and fit for the program. Prepare well for these interactions.
  • Secure funding: Explore funding opportunities such as scholarships, fellowships, or research grants. Check if the institutions offer any financial support or external funding options.
  • Accept an offer : Once you receive acceptance letters from the institutions you applied to, carefully evaluate and select the most suitable offer based on research facilities, faculty expertise, funding, and overall fit.
  • Complete admission formalities: After accepting an offer, complete the necessary admission formalities as specified by the institution. This may include submitting additional documents, paying fees, and fulfilling any other requirements.

It’s important to note that the specific steps and procedures may vary between institutions. Therefore, always refer to the official websites and admission guidelines of the institutions you are applying to for accurate and up-to-date information.

Pursuing a Ph.D. in India is a rewarding and intellectually stimulating endeavor. Understanding the duration, costs, eligibility criteria, and recent developments is crucial to navigating the process effectively.

By considering these factors and conducting thorough research, aspiring Ph.D. scholars can embark on their academic journey with confidence and clarity.

Remember to reach out to universities or institutions directly for specific information and seek guidance from mentors or faculty members who can provide valuable insights into the Ph.D. application process in your chosen field. Good luck with your Ph.D. pursuit!

Also Read: Best 100 Institutions to Study PhD in India – 2023

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iLovePhD is a research education website to know updated research-related information. It helps researchers to find top journals for publishing research articles and get an easy manual for research tools. The main aim of this website is to help Ph.D. scholars who are working in various domains to get more valuable ideas to carry out their research. Learn the current groundbreaking research activities around the world, love the process of getting a Ph.D.

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Home » Career Guidance » A Comprehensive Guide to Applying for a PhD in India [2024]

A Comprehensive Guide to Applying for a PhD in India [2024]

phd in india

Quick Summary

  • A PhD is a postgraduate research degree in India. It’s the highest academic degree in the country. 
  • The cost of a PhD course in India differs based on the kind of university people choose. However, if you take estimates, it can cost you around 80k to 2 lacs.
  • For admission in PhD in India, students require a Master’s degree in a relevant field. An overall grade point average of at least 55% (or equivalent) is required.

Table of Contents

Did you know that India produces over 20 thousand PhD holders , making it one of the top 5 countries with the most PhD holders?

Sounds great right?

And this number of PhD holders is only going to increase in upcoming years, with the rise in new technologies and scientific research more and more people will pursue a PhD in India.

If you are also thinking about pursuing PhD degree, then read this article till the end to know all about doing PhD in India. 

what is PhD

PhD in India- Course Highlights

Reasons to pursue a phd in india.

It is known that the purpose of a PhD is to teach individuals how to conduct research in a field. Candidates learn how to write scholarly papers and present findings, along with gaining skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication. However, there are career-related reasons to choose PhD course, and these reasons are:

  • Getting monthly allowances from the government to fund research.
  • A PhD student is seen as an expert in their field, thus, making them eligible for job openings related to teaching and research.
  • A chance to go to other countries for Academic Exchange Programs and learn various things.
  • Getting complete control over what you want to study and how you wish to continue with your research.
  • A PhD student gets to interact and work with the best academicians in their field and the professional experts who will guide them during their research.

Types of PhD Courses in India

There are different types of PhD degrees, some are based on distance and some are based on stream. Here is the list of major types of PhD in India.

Common PhD Degrees

Stream-wise phd degrees.

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Major PhD in India Entrance Exams

Every university takes its entrance exam for admission and checks the qualification for a PhD of every applicant. However, some entrance exams are conducted on a national level and have more importance. These are the major PhD course entrance exams.

Have a read at a Comprehensive Guide to Entrance Exams after Graduation .

PhD in India- Eligibility Criteria

Getting admission in PhD course is not an easy task, and if you are trying to get admission to any PhD program, check for these PhD eligibility criteria beforehand.

  • The candidate must have completed a Master’s degree i.e. (MTech/ MSc/ MA/ MPhil/ MBA). And it must be a full-time Master’s course from a recognised university by the government.
  • The overall grade point average of the candidate’s Master’s program must be at least 55% (or equivalent).
  • Candidates under SC, ST, and OBC categories will be given 5%- or 10%-mark relaxations. Applicants must present their reservation certificate to use these benefits.
  • The candidate must pass the PhD entrance exam.
  • A No Objection Certificate (NOC) f rom the educational institution or company where candidates are employed is required. Candidates must have job experience in a related field for a part-time PhD.

PhD Course Structure

1. coursework.

In PhD courses, students take a set have to take core courses or seminars in their field of study to build foundational knowledge. The coursework varies according to university but does includes both required and elective courses.

2. Research proposal

After completing the core courses, students must develop a research proposal outlining the problem they plan to investigate, the research questions they aim to answer, and the methods they will use to collect and analyze data.

3. Comprehensive exams

Before beginning their research for PhD course, students need to pass certain comprehensive exams covering their field of study to demonstrate their competence in the subject matter.

4. Research

Once students have completed their coursework and passed their comprehensive exams, they can begin their research. This typically involves conducting experiments, collecting data, or engaging in other research activities to answer the questions outlined in their research proposal.

5. Dissertation

The final requirement for a PhD course completion is the dissertation, which is a book-length document outlining the student’s research findings, conclusions, and contributions to their field of study. The dissertation has to be defended in front of a committee of faculty members and other experts in the field.

Read more: Complete Guide to Writing a Research Paper

steps to write phd dissertation

5 Step PhD Course Admission Process

There is Candidates must take the following seven steps to apply for a PhD in India:

Step 1 Find a Mentor

PhD students should find a supervisor willing to support them through their PhD journey. After finding a supervisor, candidates can apply offline or online. Almost all colleges and universities accept online applications now. However, if you wish, you can apply via the offline process by visiting the office of the university.

Step 2 Fill Online Admission Form

Candidates must complete the online PhD admission form before applying on the university or college website. All the needed qualification for PhD is listed on the university’s official website and should be met. The online application is rejected if candidates fail to meet these requirements.

Step 3 Submit Necessary Documents

After completing the online application form, candidates must provide all necessary papers. These documents may include your passing certificate, degree, and migration certificate. Check the list of papers on the website before applying for the PhD admissions.

Step 4 Pass the Entrance Exam

The college/university needs PhD entrance exam. This exam must be taken after completing the application form. Fill out the form for the entrance exam and appear for it.

Step 5 Pass the Interview

Upon passing the PhD entrance exam, candidates will be invited for a doctoral academic interview. Admission is based on the academic doctoral interview and PhD entrance exam results. The institution or college decides the grades of students at each level and after passing the interview and fulfilling some other requirements you get admission.

Top Colleges for PhD in India

Top 10 career options after phd in india.

Source: Ambition Box

Plan Your Career in PhD

Being known as PhD holder is something to be proud of, not just because it’s a symbol of great knowledge but also a great future. If you want a career like this then doing PhD in India is the best choice and if you are confused about how you are going to get admission in PhD, then re-read the article. Do your research, know which specialization you want to choose and excel in your PhD course.

Make sure you carefully explore all your professional options because your career is extremely important. Before making the right decision, look over our  career advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

The cost of a PhD course in India differs based on the kind of university people choose. However, if you take estimates, it can cost you around 80k to 2 lacs. This figure can go up or down based on whether you choose a private institute or a government one.

A PhD program lasts for three to five years. Candidates have a maximum of five to six years to finish the program. The course length may be different for different institutes and the time taken by student in completing their thesis.

For admission in PhD in India, students require a Master’s degree in a relevant field. An overall grade point average of at least 55% (or equivalent) is required. In addition to this, candidates must know the language in which the course is taught and evaluated. Now, an MPhil degree is not a must for PhD admissions.

Getting a PhD in India is not easy. Candidates pursuing PhDs in India must pass the entrance exams such as NET. This written exam checks if they have the relevant subject knowledge to conduct advanced research. Candidates must further clear a PhD interview exam. Candidates must clear these rounds before pursuing PhDs in their chosen areas of specialization.

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phd admission procedure in india

Ph.D. Admissions

The IIMA Doctoral Programme welcomes individuals with a solid academic foundation, a high level of motivation, and the intellectual curiosity to do innovative research. The curriculum prepares students for careers in academia and industrial research.

Candidates may submit applications for the following areas of high levels of specialization: (1) Agriculture (2) Economics (3) Finance & Accounting (4) Human Resource Management (5) Information Systems (6) Innovation and Management in Education (7) Marketing (8) Operations & Decision Sciences (9) Organizational Behavior (10) Public Systems and (11) Strategy.

Students spend an average of four to five years in the programme, which includes two years of intensive coursework. Beginning with the first term, students take advanced Doctoral level courses in their area of high levels of specialization, as well as some suggested Post Graduate Programme (PGP) courses that provide a comprehensive management overview and develop fundamental skills for analysing managerial issues. After completing the coursework, students must pass an Area Comprehensive Examination to demonstrate that they have attained a high level of expertise in their area of high levels of specialization. Students then work on their doctoral dissertations. It is intended that these dissertations will make original contributions to an area of management or one of management's parent disciplines.   Students admitted to the programme get a comprehensive fellowship that covers all expenses and provides for living expenses. IIMA has excellent computing facilities, library, and faculty resources. IIMA faculty members actively publish in scholarly journals and advise with businesses and governments in and out of the country. Case writing and related research are actively pursued by the faculty and students.

The Doctoral Programme places its graduates in teaching, research, and consulting roles with world class organizations. A total of 451 doctoral students have graduated from IIMA so far.  

Basic Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must possess-

A Master's Degree or Two-year Post Graduate Diploma (obtained after completing a bachelor's degree with 55% marks or equivalent) or a 5-year Integrated Master's Degree (obtained after completing higher secondary school in the 10+2 pattern) in any field with 55% marks or equivalent. (OR) Professional qualification - CA, CS, CMA (with a minimum of 50% marks) in addition to a bachelor's degree (with at least 55% marks). (OR)  A four-year / eight-semester Bachelor's degree with a minimum CGPA of 6.5/10 or comparable grades.

Note that the Bachelor's/ Master's degree or equivalent qualification should be from any of the Universities incorporated by an act of the central or state legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University under section 3 of UGC Act, 1956; or be recognized by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India; or  possess an equivalent qualification from an institution approved by AICTE.

Candidates in their last year of a Master's/ Bachelor's programme that would qualify them to apply may also apply. Such candidates, if selected, will only be allowed to join the programme provisionally if they submit a certificate latest by May 31, 2024 from the Principal/Head of the Department/Registrar or Director of the university/institute (issued on or before May 31, 2024) stating that they have appeared for the examinations (including practical examinations) in all the subjects required for obtaining the Master's/Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification.

Their admission will be confirmed when they submit mark sheets and a certificate of having completed the Master's/Bachelor’s degree/equivalent qualification referred in the certificate issued by the Principal/Registrar of their college/institution. The deadline for the submission of Marksheet and the Certificate is December 31, 2024.

Please note that those candidates who have applied on the basis of   their master's degree will have to meet the 55% marks stipulation, and those who have applied on the basis of their bachelor's degree will have to meet the 6.5 CGPA (or equivalent) marks stipulation.   Non-fulfilment of these conditions will automatically result in the cancellation of the provisional admission.  

Selection Process

Candidates applying to the Doctoral Programme are required to take the Common Admission Test (CAT) or a standard test in lieu of CAT.  For NRIs and Foreign students this standard test is the Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT). 

Different areas of high levels of specialization of IIMA have specified different standard tests that candidates applying to the Doctoral Programme in their areas of high levels of specialization can take in lieu of CAT. These standard tests are given in the following table:  

The validity of the CAT and the other standard test scores are given in the following table. Note that the scores should be valid on the deadline for submission of the application form.

# Online GMAT/GRE (Take home) exam scores are not valid. Only test center-based GMAT/GRE scores are valid.

Alumni of all IIMs should also meet the standard test score requirements as mentioned above.

Candidates will be short listed on the basis of their performance in CAT or the standard test in lieu of CAT, academic background, and experience. The Doctoral programme admission interviews will be held during March-April 2024. IIMA may conduct online or face-to-face interviews depending upon the health advisory issued by the authorities at that time.

Fellowship and Expenses

IIMA provides a comprehensive fellowship that covers all academic expenses including tuition, computer, library, medical insurance, placement and alumni fees, and in addition includes a monthly subsistence allowance. The details of monthly subsistence allowance are as follows:

All students have access to a contingency allowance of Rs.25,000 per year (for five years) to cover research fees, book costs, photocopying, etc. Students are eligible to receive up to Rs.3,00,000/- for attending an international conference/workshop/summer school during the first five years of their Doctoral Programme tenure. (Additional information is provided in the Doctoral Programme Brochure.)

The Doctoral Programme is a full-time programme that requires significant on-campus/local living. On-campus accommodations for single students for the initial part of their tenure, and limited housing on campus for married students are available.

How to Apply

Online Application Form and Brochure will be made available on the institute website. Candidates may submit applications for a maximum of two areas of high levels of specialization using the online application form. An application fee of Rs.500/- can be paid through IIMA's payment gateway. The last date for submitting the application will be  29 January 2024 . 

Please also refer to the IIMA's Doctoral Programme advertisement that appeared in leading newspapers during September 2023.

Important Dates to Note

Link open for Online Application:  September 27, 2023

Last date for submitting the application for Doctoral Programme Admission:   29 January 2024

Interviews (Tentative):  March / April, 2024

For further information/clarifications, please contact:   Manager PhD Programme Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad Vastrapur, Ahmedabad 380 015 Phone :+91 79 7152 4640/41/39  

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Minimum Qualifications for admission to Full-time PhD Programmes

Table 1 defines the minimum qualifications required for admission to full-time Ph. D. programmes at IIT Delhi. Please note:

These are Institute minimum requirements and any Department/Centre/School operating through their DRC/CRC/SRC can specify higher short-listing criteria than what is specified here.

This table includes most of the degrees, but each DRC/CRC/SRC is free to specify the qualifications and disciplines acceptable for admission to their programmes.

Candidates in the final year of their programmes and who expect to complete all their qualifying degree requirements before the date of registration are also eligible to apply for admissions. For short-listing purposes, their performance until the preceding semester (preceding year if their programmes are year based) would be considered but their admission would be provisional, subject to their meeting the minimum eligibility criteria after their final qualifying examination results are announced. In any case, all admissions are provisional at first and it is confirmed only after all certificates and previous records are duly checked and verified, a process which may take a few weeks into the starting semester.

Table 1: Minimum Qualification for Admission to full-time PhD Programmes

Exemptions, relaxations and clarifications:.

For SC/ST/PwD category candidates , the minimum performance in the qualifying degree (S. No. 1 & 2 in Table 1) is relaxed from 60% to 55% (CGPA relaxed from 6.00 to 5.50).

For SC/ST/PwD category candidates , the minimum performance in the qualifying degree (Sr. No.3 in Table 1) is relaxed from 70% to 65% (CGPA relaxed from 7.00 to 6.50).

Qualifying degree performance is computed by aggregating performance over all the semesters/years of the qualifying degree, as per the credit or weightage system approved in the institution/ board where the degree has been completed.

Requirement of qualification in GATE / National Exam is waived for the following categories of applicants:

Currently registered students in Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs) pursuing B.Tech./B.E./ Integrated M. Tech/ Integrated M.Sc. Programmes (or any other programme of minimum four year duration, admission to which is on the basis of JEE), who have completed 6 semesters or more, and have CGPA of 8.00 or above (on a 10 point scale). Such students must obtain a CGPA of 8.00 or above at the time of graduation, and before they formally register for the Ph.D. programme (80% aggregate marks, if marks are the primary mode of evaluation);

Graduates of CFTIs (in the programmes marked under (i)) with a final graduation CGPA of more than 8.00 (80% aggregate marks, if marks are the primary mode of evaluation);

M.A or M.Sc. graduates from IITs with CGPA 8.00 or above.

For purposes of shortlisting, the primary method of evaluation (i.e., CGPA/CPI, or aggregate percentage, whichever is appropriate) followed by the institution where candidate has obtained his/her qualifying degree will be used by IIT Delhi for determining whether the candidate meets the final shortlisting requirements.

For assistantship purposes only (and not for qualification), candidates with M.B.B.S. qualification will be considered equivalent to M. Tech., for admission to Ph.D. programme in Centre for Biomedical Engineering;

For candidates with M.A. degree in English, a 5% relaxation in marks or 0.5 relaxation in CGPA may be permitted for admission to the Ph.D. programme in Humanities and Social Sciences;

Candidates holding an MBA degree are eligible for applying to the Ph.D. programme in the Department of Management Studies.

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phd admission procedure in india

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phd admission procedure in india

Ph.D. Admission Notification 2024

phd admission procedure in india

For the Academic Year 2024, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is a Deemed to be University funded by Ministry of Education through UGC is announcing admission notification for Ph.D. Programmes across Mumbai Campus and Hyderabad, Guwahati & Tuljapur Off-Campuses.

Number of seats and core thematic areas of research: Total seats available for all the Ph.D. Progammes is 142. The core thematic areas of research and the number of seats available under each Ph.D. Programme are given below:

For TISS Mumbai Campus:

For Off-Campuses of TISS:

Ph.D. Eligibility Criteria:

(1) Those clearing in UGC-NET 2024 in any of three categories are eligible to apply for the admission to Ph.D. programmes:

Category-1: Eligible for (i) admission to Ph.D. with JRF and (ii) appointment as Assistant Professor.

Catcgory-2: Eligible for (i) admission to Ph.D. without JRF and (ii) appointment as Assistant Processor.

Catcgory-3: Eligible for admission to Ph.D. programme only and not for the for the award of JRF or appointment as Assistant Professor

(2) For admission to Ph.D. in Social Work, clearing in UGC-NET 2024 in the subject of Social Work is the eligibility requirement.

(3) For admission to Ph.D., in Applied Psychology, clearing in UGC-NET 2024 in the subject of Psychology is the eligibility requirement.

(4) For admission to Ph.D. in Education, clearing in UGC-NET 2024 in any one of the subjects of Social Science discipline/allied fields, preferably in the subject Education is the eligibility requirement.

(5) For admission to all the remaining Ph.D. programmes mentioned in Serial Numbers 4 to 17, clearing in UGC-NET 2024 in any one of the subjects of Social Science discipline/allied fields is the eligibility requirement.

(6) Those students who are having valid JRF prior to 2024 in Social Work, Psychology are also eligible to apply for Ph.D. in Social Work and Ph.D.in Applied Psychology respectively. The valid JRF holders prior to 2024 in any subject of Social Science discipline/allied fields, preferably in Education are eligible to apply for Ph.D.in Education

(7) Those students who have cleared only NET prior to 2024 are not eligible to apply for any of the Ph.D. programmes.

Eligibility criteria of qualifying degree:

Candidates who have completed: A 1-year/2-semester master's degree programme after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme or a 2-year/4-semester master’s degree programme after a 3-year bachelor’s degree programme or qualifications declared equivalent to the master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed

Or equivalent qualification from a foreign educational institution accredited by an assessment and accreditation agency which is approved, recognized or authorized by an authority, established or incorporated under a law in its home country or any other statutory authority in that country to assess, accredit or assure quality and standards of the educational institution.

A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the University Grants Commission from time to time.

Provided that a candidate seeking admission after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the University Grants Commission from time to time.

Selection criteria for Ph.D. admission:

(1) For those students with category 2 and category 3 of UGC-NET 2024, 70% weightage is given to their NET score and 30% weightage is to their performance in the personal interview

(2) For those students who are having a valid JRF (JRF prior to 2024 or JRF of 2024), the selection will be done based on the personal interview only. The personal interview component carries 100% weightage. The students with JRF of 2024 may also apply with their NET score along with category 2 and category 3 students where both NET score and score in Personal interview will be the selection criteria.

(3) Reservation* – Tata Institute of Social Sciences is Deemed to be University funded by Ministry of Education through UGC and follows all the norms and regulation of Government of India with respect to reservation policy. According to this, in the Central Universities and Institutions which are deemed to be Universities, the reservation of seats shall be as follows:

i. 15% of the seats for Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates.

ii. 7.5% of seats Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates.

iii. 27% of the seats for Other Backward Classes (OBC) Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) candidates as per the Central List

iv. 10% of the seats for General-Economically Weaker Sections (General- EWS) candidates.

v. 05% of the seats in the above-mentioned categories for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) with 40% or more disability.

vi. 05% of the seats in the above-mentioned categories for Kashmert Migrants as per GoI guidelines

vii. 05% of the seats in the above-mentioned categories for Armed Forces

*The details/eligibility regarding reservations may be accessed through following link https://admissions.tiss.edu/view/6/admissions/reservations/reservation-policy/

Mode of Ph.D. Programme: Ph.D. Programmes are offered in Full-time and Part-time mode. Both the full-time and part-time Ph.D. programme are offered only through regular mode. TISS does not offer any Ph.D. programme in distance mode.

TISS follows all the guidelines and norms issued by the University Grants Commission from time to time in regulating the Ph.D. programmes such as “ University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022.

The full-time and part-time Ph.D. programmes follow uniform standards such as successful completion of coursework, regular presentations before the Research Advisory Committees, stipulated time period to complete Ph.D., the evaluation and assessment methods of coursework and thesis. The Ph.D. degree certificate or Ph.D. award certificate of TISS does not make any distinction between full-time and part-time Ph.D. and both are treated equally.

The part-time Ph.D. students are working professionals who join Ph.D. programme by obtaining a No Objection Certificate from their organizations/employers that assures them providing leave and other support to complete the Ph.D. work. Those students who wish to apply under part-time Ph.D. mode are required to submit a NOC from their employer/organization clearly mentioning that (i) The candidate is permitted to pursue studies on a part-time basis. (ii) His/her official duties permit him/her to devote sufficient time for research. (iii) If required, he/she will be relieved from the duty to complete the course work.

TISS encourages professionals working in development sector, government employees, people working with grassroot organizations and corporate groups to join its Ph.D. programmes through part-time mode.

The full-time Ph.D. students are not working professional and devote their full time to the Ph.D. research. They are mostly receipts of various fellowships/scholarships and are required to put their attendance on daily basis in the Attendance Register maintained in the Doctoral Students’ Office (DSO) of the Institute. They are also required to attend the research seminars, talks arranged on regular basis by their schools and the DSO. Whenever, the full-time Ph.D. students get a job, they can request for converting their Ph.D. into part-time Ph.D.

Ph.D. Coursework : All the selected candidates for Ph.D. programme – both part-time and full-time are required to successfully complete the Ph.D. coursework which is a minimum of 12 credits, including a “Research and Publication Ethics” course as notified by UGC vide D.O. No. F.1- 1/2018(Journal/CARE) in 2019 and courses on qualitative, quantitative research methodology.

A Ph.D. scholar must obtain a minimum of 55% marks or its equivalent grade in the UGC 10-point scale in the course work to be eligible to continue in the programme and submit his or her thesis.

The Ph.D. Coursework will be offered in off-line regular classroom mode during the first semester of the Ph.D. programme. The part-time Ph.D. students may join regular classes along with full-time Ph.D. students or they have to attend the Ph.D. coursework that will be organized in six modular workshops in regular off-line mode spread across the first semester.

The detailed prospectus of the Ph.D. admission – including the details about fellowships/scholarships, fee-structure, hostels and the link for applying for the Ph.D. programme will be announced soon in the website of Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

For any update/amendment kindly visit the above website only

For any information, updates/amendments in timeline, guidelines, etc. you are required to visit Website: https://www.tiss.edu/ . Any admission related queries at any stage should be sent to [email protected] or call the Admissions helpline at 022 - 25525252. Mails sent to any other email-ids will not be considered for further action and response.

TISS does not take responsibility for any information provided by any source other than Institute website https://www.tiss.edu/ and Helpline number mentioned above.

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PhD in India- Fees, Duration, Scholarship and Universities

In this article, we are covering topics on- PhD in India, fees structure, entrance exams, admission procedure and other related information. Also, we will enlist courses and universities for doing PhD in India. Further, we will cover how to apply for a PhD scholarship in India and what are the sources. 

I personally feel that doing a PhD in India is tougher than in other countries. Why? I will explain it in this article. Wait and read till the end. 

The doctor of philosophy is the topmost degree in any education system. One should have to pass many hurdles and face numerous problems to even enter into PhD. However, for a clever and bright student, it might be an easy task. 

PhD is more than a degree, it is equivalent to some reputed award or we can say it is kind of honour. But technically speaking, you become an expert by doing a PhD . Your expertise nourished and polished during PhD and hence you become top of all.  

And because you are now some expert in some disciplines, you paid higher than others. People give you respect as well. 

This is the reason, doing a PhD is a tedious task. You can’t get a PhD easily. Therefore it is not a “cup of tea” for all. As a PhD student, you need to have great commitment and patience. You have to develop several skills during your PhD to get it smoothly. I had covered an amazing article on what skills required for PhD students. Read it first, it will help you. 

Read: PhD student-What skills and qualities one should acquire.

As I said, doing a PhD in India is not as easy as like in other countries. A candidate has to pass many steps and tedious procedure to complete it.

A candidate has to, 

  • Clear an entrance exam 
  • Propose a research problem 
  • Complete course work 
  • Write a thesis or dissertation 
  • Publish a research paper 
  • Attend or present their work 
  • And complete the viva voce

PhD in India: 

UGC- university grant commission from Delhi held, conduct and monitor’s the entire PhD process. The UGC is the governing body for all universities across India and it is taken care of all the processes and legal problems related to PhD in India. 

The PhD degree given by the UGC approved universities are only valid in India. For that, every university has to follow the rules and regulation stated by UGC. 

You can get all the information regarding PhD on the official website of UGC. 

Requirements and Eligibility criteria: 

When you think about doing a PhD, you must have completed a master degree or postgraduate degree in your related disciplines. 

So the first criteria for doing a PhD in India is the postgraduate degree. Notably, you must have completed your undergraduate degree from a well-known university. 

Here one thing you should know about your master degree is that some universities don’t allow students with part-time master or postgraduate degree for PhD. 

So you have to complete both bachelors as well as a master degree before applying for a PhD . 

However, for some courses master of philosophy (M.phil) is also taken into consideration besides a post-graduate degree. M.Phil is not mandatory for all. 

Next, with it, as per the UGC rules and regulations, a minimum 55% marks or equivalent CGPA is required to be eligible for PhD. 

After that, a candidate has to clear the NET- national eligibility test or GATE or some equivalent entrance exam held by the university. 

NET is compulsory for all subjects besides engineering. For engineering students, GATE (gratitude aptitude test in engineering) is required. However, before that, they must have completed their M.Tech or ME.  

The NET or GATE is exclusively conducted by the university grant commission. Based on your NET or GATE score you can apply in some of the topmost universities across India. 

Students of final year or last semester of masters can appear in NET or GATE. 

The above eligibilities are required only for applying in PhD. still, you can’t get admission if you aren’t fulfilling other criteria as well.  

After they shortlisted you for PhD, you have to submit a research proposal. If your research proposal is accepted then and then they can appear for PhD. 

These are the eligibility criteria for applying in PhD in India. Conclusively, you have to start preparing for PhD in your master’s, if you are willing to do it. 

Now, imagine that you have completed all these criteria, what next? What is the exact admission procedure to actually get into PhD? Let’s check it out. 

Admission procedure for PhD in India: 

Your token for admission in PhD is your post-graduate degree and NET or entrance exam. With a minimum of 55% marks and a good score in NET, you can apply in any universities across India. 

You can fill the form now.

A candidate can apply offline or online for PhD. Universities offer a limited number of seats for each subject. Once you shortlisted, they will notify you. 

After that, you have to download the final application form, fill it and submit it to university with all the attested copies of documents. 

Documents required: 

Students have to submit attested copies of all documents and verify the original one to respected authority. The required documents are: 

  • 12th mark sheet 
  • Final mark sheet of graduation 
  • Graduation degree certificate 
  • Final mark sheet of postgraduate 
  • Degree certificate of post-graduate 
  • Birth certificate 
  • UGC notification of clearing the NET/GATE or university entrance exam clearing certificate. 
  • Cast certificate if required 
  • Documents of fellowship or scholarship if any 
  • M.phil degree certificate if required
  • Publication if required 
  • Research proposal 
  • Recommendation letter from the guide. 
  • No-objection certificate 
  • University transfer certificate if any 
  • Passport size photograph 

Attested copies of all these documents must be submitted along with the application form. Besides, a candidate has to submit the research proposal, additionally. 

The research proposal is very important, based on your research interest, PhD supervisor or guide will be allotted to you. 

Format of a research proposal: 

The research proposal is more or less a kind of synopsis which explains the overall idea of your research problem. 

Title — propose your title in which you have to include a topic and method you wish to study. Try to make it small. If possible take some expert’s help to propose your title. 

Your title is a very important element of your PhD, it will remain unchanged throughout your PhD. Hence propose a clear, catchy and self-explanatory title. 

Abstract — explain your entire topic in 250 to 300 words in the abstract. 

Introduction and review — Explain your topic and provide some basic information in the introduction, Also provide some review related to your topic. 

Aim and objective s– propose at least three different objectives to solve your research problem. 

Methodology — in this section explain the method, process, protocol or hypothesis you want to use to solve the research problem. 

Results — state some output of your research. Here you have to enlist possible results (positive as well as negative) of your research problem. 

Note: you have to give a broad idea of everything, no need to explain everything in detail. Your research proposal must be 10 to 12 pages with a title page and bibliography. 

With all these documents, a candidate has to submit university fees. 

The university sent the research proposal to the respected faculty or the guide. If any guide is interested in your research problem they will send an acceptance letter to the university. University will send you the confirmation of the allotted guide. 

After that, you have to visit your guide. Your guide will give you a recommendation letter. You have to submit it along with a form and university fees to your department. 

After you fulfil all these requirements, your admission for PhD is completed. Due to these complications, doing a PhD is actually a tedious job in India.

But, you are not a PhD student, still. I will tell you why. Wait!

Fees structure for PhD in India:

The average fees in government college or universities are ranging from 20,000 INR to 50,000 INR annually. Although it may vary. 

 PhD fees are one of the biggest problems in India because private universities charge up to 100,0000 INR per year. 

In self-finance college yearly fees ranging from 2,00,000 INR to 6,00,000 INR. You have to do your research for 5 to 7 year. Now imagine how much you have to pay. 

The fees include education fees, library fees, tuition fees and other university and laboratory charges. 

However, universities do not give you travel allowances, you have to pay yourself to travel for sample collection. 

phd admission procedure in india

For doing a PhD in a government university or college you have to pay around 8,000 to 10,000 INR per semester. 

Also, fellowship and scholarship options are available for some students. We will discuss it later in this article. 

Anyway, by doing some smart work and starting preparing for a PhD from day one of your master’s degree, you can easily clear NET or GATE. You can get admission in government quota easily. 

After completing all these steps and procedures, you have to decide whether you want to do a PhD part-time or full time . 

Notably, nowadays UGC offers part-time PhD only in some selected subjects and for some special cases. 

For example, If you want to do a PhD in biology, obviously you need to do research work in the lab. UGC has decided not to give part-time options in those subjects. Although, as I said in some special cases it can give. 

Some universities offer doctoral programs part-time as well. (there is a significant difference between doctorate and PhD. Read it here: Doctorate vs PhD ). 

PhD scholarship or fellowship in India: 

UGC has various scholarship and fellowship options for providing financial aid to students. If you prepare well and do some research before applying for a doctorate, you can get admission in PhD with a good amount of scholarship. 

The university gold medalist students are awarded the inspired fellowship by the university for getting a PhD. So as I said above, plan well from the first day of your master’s. 

Junior research fellowship in engineering and technology, a junior research fellowship in science, humanities and social sciences are two best options for financial aid. A candidate has to clear NET for that. With JRF-NET, you can apply to any university for a PhD. 

Besides this, UGC also provides financial aid for students of the minor community, OBC, SC and ST community. 

Maulana Azad national fellowship program is reserved for the minority students. Likewise, Rajiv Gandhi national fellowship is for SC/ST students. Also, universities give special scholarships to single girl child and women for higher education. 

Note: the purpose of giving reservation to minorities, special community (SC/ST/OBC) and women is to improve their financial and social status in society. Also, to empower and encourage the same. 

If you are not still eligible for any of the scholarship stated above. Don’t worry. There are other schemes as well. 

A candidate can propose a minor or major project to UGC. If your project is good UGC will give you funding to complete your project. 

Besides, there are other personal scholarships and fellowship options are also available at UGC. You can visit the scholarship and fellowship section of UGC here: UGC- scholarship and fellowship . 

Now the question is what amount it will pay? 

In the case of inspiring fellow students, UGC pays full fees throughout their research or PhD tenure. However, for other scholarships, the University grant commission pays a lump-sum amount of 25,000INR to 30,000INR per month. 

Duration for PhD in India: 

PhD is a length and time-consuming process. Likewise, in other countries, it takes around 3 to 5 years to complete a PhD in India. 

As per the university grant commission, candidates have to do their PhD research minimum for 3 years. Even Though your work is completed within 2 years (which is actually not possible) you still have to complete 3 years. Sometimes it takes 5 to 7 years too, for completing a PhD. 

The tenure of PhD depends on the complexity of your topics, your guides involvement and your hard work. 

As per my experience, it takes at least 4 years for a sincere student to complete a PhD. 

Structure of PhD: 

Let divide what you have to do during each year in PhD: 

In the first year, you have to complete your coursework. The coursework is based on the research methodology studies. No research work is conducted during the first year. 

Once you complete your coursework, you need to clear the coursework examination. 

Minimum 55% marks required to clear it, then after, every candidate has to submit the results to university. 

Now your PhD admission is confirmed. 

If you fail to pass the coursework, one more chance is given to you. If you fail to clear it within a year, your admission can be revoked. 

Now in the second year, you can start your research work. Initially during the second year, your major responsibilities are to collect samples, read and review research papers related to your topic and start making notes. 

Also, during the same time, you can start your lab work as well, if any. As per your guide’s instruction you can start working on your methodology. 

In the third year, you have to do extensive research work and try to complete your work within the first half of the year. Meanwhile, you need to start reviewing literature and start writing your thesis as well. During the same time, you have to attend seminars and symposiums. 

During the fourth year, you have to complete your lab work and publish a research paper too. 

Unless your research published, you can’t go ahead. Now once it is done, immediately you have to present your research at international seminars or conferences. 

In the last and fourth year, your work is done, you just have to write your thesis. Read papers and start writing your thesis. Review your thesis weekly by your supervisor. 

However, writing a PhD thesis is still tedious work. Read our guide on how to write a PhD thesis . 

In the second phase of the fourth year, you can submit your thesis (once university approved it). And you can appear for viva voce. 

At the end of the 4th year or starting of the fifth year, your viva got completed. If your thesis is not rejected or major indications are not given. 

As I said, ideally if you work sincerely you can complete your work within four years. If you fail to do so, you may have to pass a couple of more years to complete a PhD. 

Now I think you understand why doing a PhD is not a cup of tea for all. You indeed need to be more sincere and hardworking for doing it. 

PhD courses in India: 

Engineering: 

Science: 

Other specialised subjects: 

Arts and humanities: 

Management and commerce subjects: 

Other subjects: 

List of universities for doing PhD in India: 

phd admission procedure in india

IIT- Indian Indian Institute of technology  

Indian Institute of Technology is one of the topmost universities across India. It is a type of public technical university and established on 15 September 1956 via the Indian Institute of technology act 1956.

The IIT is located in 23 cities in India. Among all, IIT Mumbai, IIT Roorkee and IIT Varanasi are very popular. However, other cities are Jammu, Mandi, Poddar, Delhi, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Patna, Guwahati, Kharagpur, Dhanbad, Indore, Bhilai, Gandhinagar, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Goa, Dharwad, Tirupati, Chennai and Palakkad. 

IIT offers a PhD in various disciplines of technology. Major PhD subjects are electronics and communication, mechanical engineering, biotechnology and chemical engineering. 

Website- Council of Indian Institute of Technology 

IISc- Indian Institute of Science 

The Indian Institute of Science was established in 1909.  It is a type of public research university situated in Bangalore. IISc is the topmost university for doing research and higher education in science and engineering in India, Affiliated with UGC, NAAC, AIU and ACU. 

PhD subjects offered by IISc: 

Biochemistry, Molecular reproduction; development and genetics, microbiology and cell biology, neuroscience, materials research, organic chemistry, mathematics, physics, computational and data science, chemical engineering, civil engineering, earth science, climate change and other. 

For more detail please visit the official website: Indian Institute of science.

IIM- Indian Institute of management  

The IIM was established to study management and related subjects in India. It is situated at Jammu, Amritsar, Sirmaur, Kashipur, Rohtak, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Shillong, Bodh Gaya, Ranchi, Calcutta, Indore, Nagpur, Sambalpur, Visakhapatnam, Bangalore, Kozhikode and Tiruchirappalli.

They offer PhD programs for Finance & accounting, information system, decision science, economics and social science, marketing, production and operational management, public policy, strategy and entrepreneurship. 

Visit the official website of IIM- Indian Institute of Management .

University of Delhi 

The university of Delhi often known as Delhi University (DU) was established in 1922 by the central legislative assembly act. It is a type of collegiate public central university of India, provides various graduation, postgraduate and PhD courses. The Delhi University offers PhD programs in various disciplines of science, commerce, arts and management. 

Visit the official website of the Delhi University for a full list of subjects offered by them: University of Delhi -list of PhD subjects.

Banaras Hindu University 

The Banaras Hindu University was established in 1916 by Mohan Malaviya with the help of Annie besant. BHU is one of the top Hindu University of India located in Varanasi, Uttarpradesh.

Interestingly, it is one of the largest residential universities in Asia with more than 30,000 students living within campus. A type of open public university BHU provides various undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD courses in various subjects. 

Major PhD subjects are Education, management studies, Sanskrit, Environment & sustainable development, Ayurveda, medicine, science, social science, dental science, Agriculture and Arts. 

Visit the official website of Banaras Hindu University for more details on various subjects offered by them- Banaras Hindu University- PhD subjects . 

PhD notification and announcements- Banaras Hindu University .

Punjab University 

Punjab University was established in 1882 as a public university. It was relocated in Chandigarh in 1947 after the partition. PU is one of the oldest universities in India.

It provides various graduation, postgraduate and PhD courses in Arts, science, commerce and engineering. Some of the PhD programs at PU are Arts, law, medical science, Pharmaceutical science, Design & fine arts, business & management and science. 

For more detail visit the official website of Punjab University- Punjab University- PhD . 

GTU- Gujarat Technical University

GTU was established in 2007 as the governing body for technical courses, especially in Gujarat.

It is a state university which affiliated courses majorly engineering, Pharmacy and other technical subjects. GTU provides PhD programs in various subjects of engineering. 

Visit the official site of GTU- Gujarat Technical University .

University of Kerala: 

The University of Kerala was established in 1937 by Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, affiliated to UGC. Formerly It was known as the University of Travancore.

It’s situated in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Notably, It was established before the birth of Kerala state.  The university provides various PhD programs in different disciplines of science, arts and commerce. 

For more detail visit the official webpage of KU- Research Portal- Kerala university .

Besides, other well known and reputed universities are enlisted here: 

  • Amity university 
  • Anna university 
  • Birla institute of technology and science 
  • Manipal university 
  • Calicut university 
  • Chaudhary Charan Singh university 
  • ICFAI university 
  • University of Lucknow 
  • Jaipur national university 
  • Gujarat technical university 
  • Gujarat university 
  • Jawaharlal Nehru university 
  • University of Calcutta 
  • University of Mumbai 
  • AIIMS 
  • Amity school of engineering and technology 
  • Chandigarh university 
  • MMU, Ambala 
  • Institute of microbial technology 
  • PEC university of technology 

We will discuss the various PhD courses in our next articles with their fees structure, scholarship option and other information. 

Conclusion:

As I said, doing a PhD in India is a tedious process. Still, It is a good hierarchy. Fees are fair, the process is good and supervisors are talented. So for brilliant students, doing a PhD in India is a good option. Further, Due to the complexity of the process, the chance of corruption is very less.

Dr Tushar Chauhan

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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phd admission procedure in india

Noida International University (NIU) is a multidisciplinary research driven University. The University invites online/offline applications from the eligible candidates for admission to Doctoral (Ph.D.) Programme as per UGC Minimum Standards and Procedures for Awards of Ph.D. Degree Regulations, 2022 published in the Gazette of India on 7th November, 2022)

The Ph.D. programme at NIU is a full-time programme and not conducted in distance mode.

Applications for Ph.D. program 2024-25 Jan (Batch) is open now.

Ph.d. entrance examination result of january 2024 batch.

phd admission procedure in india

Announcement for 2024-25 (January Batch)

Applications are invited for Ph.D. programme (January 2024 Batch) in the following schools:

  • Noida International Institute of Medical Sciences (NIIMS): Anatomy, Medical Biochemistry, Physiology, Pathology.
  • School of Engineering & Technology (SET): Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biotechnology.
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  • School of Law & Legal Affairs (SLLA): Mercatile Law/Human Rights/Commercial
  • School of Education (SOE): Educational Philosophy/Educational Psychology/Educational Sociology and School Administration.
  • School of Fine Arts (SFA): Visual
  • A 1-year/2-semester master's degree programme after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme or a 2-year/4-semester master’s degree programme after a 3-year bachelor’s degree programme or qualifications declared equivalent to the master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed or equivalent qualification from a foreign educational institution accredited by an assessment and accreditation agency which is approved, recognized or authorized by an authority, established or incorporated under a law in its home country or any other statutory authority in that country to assess, accredit or assure quality and standards of the educational institution. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non- creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the Commission from time to time. Provided that a candidate seeking admission after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the Commission from time to time.
  • Candidates who have completed the M.Phil. programme with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed or equivalent qualification from a foreign educational institution accredited by an assessment and accreditation agency which is approved, recognized or authorized by an authority, established or incorporated under a law in its home country or any other statutory authority in that country to assess, accredit or assure quality and standards of educational institutions, shall be eligible for admission to the Ph.D. A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the Commission from time to time.

Ph.D. programme shall be for a minimum duration of 3 years , including course work and for a maximum duration of 6 years.

Forms are available on the university website (www.niu.edu.in), which can be submitted along with Online Payment or Demand Draft of Rs. 1122/- . All applications must be submitted online. The applicant can download a copy of the submitted application form from the application submission portal and furnish hardcopy of the application form with photograph and all the documentary evidence in original (testimonials, certificates, publications, work experience and research/professional experience) at the time of interview.

Incomplete applications will be rejected.

Admission to PhD. Program shall be based on merit obtained in entrance test and interview.

The eligible candidates will be called for an entrance test on the above notified date and time. Subsequently, a personal interaction with the expert panel will be held to judge the research aptitude in the candidate and also to consider applicant’s proposed research area(s).

Section A  – Research Methodology and Aptitude (Research Aptitude, General Awareness, Logical Reasoning, Analytical Reasoning, Numerical Ability, English Language Statistics). {50% weightage}

Section B  – Subject Specific.  (As per UGC/CSIR NET Syllabus)  {50% weightage}

  • Entrance test shall be qualifying with qualifying marks as 50%.
  • Final merit list will be prepared by adding marks obtained in the entrance test (70% out of 100 marks of entrance test and 30% marks to the interview obtained (as per latest UGC regulations).
  • The students who have qualified UGC-NET with JRF / UGC-CSIR-NET with JRF / teacher fellowship holder or any other Government / Foreign research fellowship holder or have passed M.Phil. Programme (as per UGC Regulations 2009 or amended thereafter) with course work shall be exempted from the entrance test but they have to appear in the interview.
  • The interview will be based on allotment of marks as per the following criteria
  • Competence for proposed research  - 10 marks
  • Feasibility/suitability of plan  - 10 marks
  • Novelty of Plan  - 10 marks

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phd admission procedure in india

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Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework

  • Mariyamma Philip 1  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  512 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Knowledge of statistics is highly important for research scholars, as they are expected to submit a thesis based on original research as part of a PhD program. As statistics play a major role in the analysis and interpretation of scientific data, intensive training at the beginning of a PhD programme is essential. PhD coursework is mandatory in universities and higher education institutes in India. This study aimed to compare the scores of knowledge in statistics and attitudes towards statistics among the research scholars of an institute of medical higher education in South India at different time points of their PhD (i.e., before, soon after and 2–3 years after the coursework) to determine whether intensive training programs such as PhD coursework can change their knowledge or attitudes toward statistics.

One hundred and thirty research scholars who had completed PhD coursework in the last three years were invited by e-mail to be part of the study. Knowledge and attitudes toward statistics before and soon after the coursework were already assessed as part of the coursework module. Knowledge and attitudes towards statistics 2–3 years after the coursework were assessed using Google forms. Participation was voluntary, and informed consent was also sought.

Knowledge and attitude scores improved significantly subsequent to the coursework (i.e., soon after, percentage of change: 77%, 43% respectively). However, there was significant reduction in knowledge and attitude scores 2–3 years after coursework compared to the scores soon after coursework; knowledge and attitude scores have decreased by 10%, 37% respectively.

The study concluded that the coursework program was beneficial for improving research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics. A refresher program 2–3 years after the coursework would greatly benefit the research scholars. Statistics educators must be empathetic to understanding scholars’ anxiety and attitudes toward statistics and its influence on learning outcomes.

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A PhD degree is a research degree, and research scholars submit a thesis based on original research in their chosen field. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees are awarded in a wide range of academic disciplines, and the PhD students are usually referred as research scholars. A comprehensive understanding of statistics allows research scholars to add rigour to their research. This approach helps them evaluate the current practices and draw informed conclusions from studies that were undertaken to generate their own hypotheses and to design, analyse and interpret complex clinical decisions. Therefore, intensive training at the beginning of the PhD journey is essential, as intensive training in research methodology and statistics in the early stages of research helps scholars design and plan their studies efficiently.

The University Grants Commission of India has taken various initiatives to introduce academic reforms to higher education institutions in India and mandated in 2009 that coursework be treated as a prerequisite for PhD preparation and that a minimum of four credits be assigned to one or more courses on research methodology, which could cover areas such as quantitative methods, computer applications, and research ethics. UGC also clearly states that all candidates admitted to PhD programmes shall be required to complete the prescribed coursework during the initial two semesters [ 1 ]. National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) at Bangalore, a tertiary care hospital and medical higher education institute in South India, that trains students in higher education in clinical fields, also introduced coursework in the PhD program for research scholars from various backgrounds, such as basic, behavioral and neurosciences, as per the UGC mandate. Research scholars undertake coursework programs soon after admission, which consist of several modules that include research methodology and statistical software training, among others.

Most scholars approach a course in statistics with the prejudice that statistics is uninteresting, demanding, complex or involve much mathematics and, most importantly, it is not relevant to their career goals. They approach statistics with considerable apprehension and negative attitudes, probably because of their inability to grasp the relevance of the application of the methods in their fields of study. This could be resolved by providing sufficient and relevant examples of the application of statistical techniques from various fields of medical research and by providing hands-on experience to learn how these techniques are applied and interpreted on real data. Hence, research methodology and statistical methods and the application of statistical methods using software have been given much importance and are taught as two modules, named Research Methodology and Statistics and Statistical Software Training, at this institute of medical higher education that trains research scholars in fields as diverse as basic, behavioural and neurosciences. Approximately 50% of the coursework curriculum focused on these two modules. Research scholars were thus given an opportunity to understand the theoretical aspects of the research methodology and statistical methods. They were also given hands-on training on statistical software to analyse the data using these methods and to interpret the findings. The coursework program was designed in this specific manner, as this intensive training would enable the research scholars to design their research studies more effectively and analyse their data in a better manner.

It is important to study attitudes toward statistics because attitudes are known to impact the learning process. Also, most importantly, these scholars are expected to utilize the skills in statistics and research methods to design research projects or guide postgraduate students and research scholars in the near future. Several authors have assessed attitudes toward statistics among various students and examined how attitudes affect academic achievement, how attitudes are correlated with knowledge in statistics and how attitudes change after a training program. There are studies on attitudes toward statistics among graduate [ 2 , 3 , 4 ] and postgraduate [ 5 ] medical students, politics, sociology, ( 6 – 7 ) psychology [ 8 , 9 , 10 ], social work [ 11 ], and management students [ 12 ]. However, there is a dearth of related literature on research scholars, and there are only two studies on the attitudes of research scholars. In their study of doctoral students in education-related fields, Cook & Catanzaro (2022) investigated the factors that contribute to statistics anxiety and attitudes toward statistics and how anxiety, attitudes and plans for future research use are connected among doctoral students [ 13 ]. Another study by Sohrabi et al. (2018) on research scholars assessed the change in knowledge and attitude towards teaching and educational design of basic science PhD students at a Medical University after a two-day workshop on empowerment and familiarity with the teaching and learning principles [ 14 ]. There were no studies that assessed changes in the attitudes or knowledge of research scholars across the PhD training period or after intensive training programmes such as PhD coursework. Even though PhD coursework has been established in institutes of higher education in India for more than a decade, there are no published research on the effectiveness of coursework from Indian universities or institutes of higher education.

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of PhD coursework and whether intensive training programs such as PhD coursework can influence the knowledge and attitudes toward statistics of research scholars. Additionally, it would be interesting to know if the acquired knowledge could be retained longer, especially 2–3 years after the coursework, the crucial time of PhD data analysis. Hence, this study compares the scores of knowledge in statistics and attitude toward statistics of the research scholars at different time points of their PhD training, i.e., before, soon after and 2–3 years after the coursework.

Participants

This is an observational study of single group with repeated assessments. The institute offers a three-month coursework program consisting of seven modules, the first module is ethics; the fifth is research methodology and statistics; and the last is neurosciences. The study was conducted in January 2020. All research scholars of the institute who had completed PhD coursework in the last three years were considered for this study ( n  = 130). Knowledge and attitudes toward statistics before and soon after the coursework module were assessed as part of the coursework program. They were collected on the first and last day of the program respectively. The author who was also the coordinator of the research methodology and statistics module of the coursework have obtained the necessary permission to use the data for this study. The scholars invited to be part of the study by e-mail. Knowledge and attitude towards statistics 2–3 years after the coursework were assessed online using Google forms. They were also administered a semi structured questionnaire to elicit details about the usefulness of coursework. Participation was voluntary, and consent was also sought online. The confidentiality of the data was assured. Data were not collected from research scholars of Biostatistics or from research scholars who had more than a decade of experience or who had been working in the institute as faculty, assuming that their scores could be higher and could bias the findings. This non funded study was reviewed and approved by the Institute Ethics Committee.

Instruments

Knowledge in Statistics was assessed by a questionnaire prepared by the author and was used as part of the coursework evaluation. The survey included 25 questions that assessed the knowledge of statistics on areas such as descriptive statistics, sampling methods, study design, parametric and nonparametric tests and multivariate analyses. Right answers were assigned a score of 1, and wrong answers were assigned a score of 0. Total scores ranged from 0 to 25. Statistics attitudes were assessed by the Survey of Attitudes toward Statistics (SATS) scale. The SATS is a 36-item scale that measures 6 domains of attitudes towards statistics. The possible range of scores for each item is between 1 and 7. The total score was calculated by dividing the summed score by the number of items. Higher scores indicate more positive attitudes. The SAT-36 is a copyrighted scale, and researchers are allowed to use it only with prior permission. ( 15 – 16 ) The author obtained permission for use in the coursework evaluation and this study. A semi structured questionnaire was also used to elicit details about the usefulness of coursework.

Statistical analysis

Descriptive statistics such as mean, standard deviation, number and percentages were used to describe the socio-demographic data. General Linear Model Repeated Measures of Analysis of variance was used to compare knowledge and attitude scores across assessments. Categorical data from the semi structured questionnaire are presented as percentages. All the statistical tests were two-tailed, and a p value < 0.05 was set a priori as the threshold for statistical significance. IBM SPSS (28.0) was used to analyse the data.

One hundred and thirty research scholars who had completed coursework (CW) in the last 2–3 years were considered for the study. These scholars were sent Google forms to assess their knowledge and attitudes 2–3 years after coursework. 81 scholars responded (62%), and 4 scholars did not consent to participate in the study. The data of 77 scholars were merged with the data obtained during the coursework program (before and soon after CW). Socio-demographic characteristics of the scholars are presented in Table  1 .

The age of the respondents ranged from 23 to 36 years, with an average of 28.7 years (3.01), and the majority of the respondents were females (65%). Years of experience (i.e., after masters) before joining a PhD programme ranged from 0.5 to 9 years, and half of them had less than three years of experience before joining the PhD programme (median-3). More than half of those who responded were research scholars from the behavioural sciences (55%), while approximately 30% were from the basic sciences (29%).

General Linear Model Repeated Measures of Analysis of variance was used to compare the knowledge and attitude scores of scholars before, soon after and 2–3 after the coursework (will now be referred as “later the CW”), and the results are presented below (Table  2 ; Fig.  1 ).

figure 1

Comparison of knowledge and attitude scores across the assessments. Later the CW – 2–3 years after the coursework

The scores for knowledge and attitude differed significantly across time. Scores of knowledge and attitude increased soon after the coursework; the percentage of change was 77% and 43% respectively. However, significant reductions in knowledge and attitude scores were observed 2–3 years after the coursework compared to scores soon after the coursework. The reduction was higher for attitude scores; knowledge and attitude scores have decreased by 10% and 37% respectively. The change in scores across assessments is evident from the graph, and clearly the effect size is higher for attitude than knowledge.

The scores of knowledge or attitude before the coursework did not significantly differ with respect to gender or age or were not correlated with years of experience. Hence, they were not considered as covariates in the above analysis.

A semi structured questionnaire with open ended questions was also administered to elicit in-depth information about the usefulness of the coursework programme, in which they were also asked to self- rate their knowledge. The data were mostly categorical or narratives. Research scholars’ self-rated knowledge scores (on a scale of 0–10) also showed similar changes; knowledge improved significantly and was retained even after the training (Fig.  2 ).

figure 2

Self-rated knowledge scores of research scholars over time. Later the CW – 2–3 years after the coursework

The response to the question “ How has coursework changed your attitude toward statistics?”, is presented in Fig.  3 . The responses were Yes, positively, Yes - Negatively, No change – still apprehensive, No change – still appreciate, No change – still hate statistics. The majority of the scholars (70%) reported a positive change in their attitude toward statistics. Moreover, none of the scholars reported negative changes. Approximately 9% of the scholars reported that they were still apprehensive about statistics or hate statistics after the coursework.

figure 3

How has coursework changed your attitude toward statistics?

Those scholars who reported that they were apprehensive about statistics or hate statistics noted the complexity of the subject, lack of clarity, improper instructions and fear of mathematics as major reasons for their attitude. Some responses are listed below.

“The statistical concepts were not taught in an understandable manner from the UG level” , “I am weak in mathematical concepts. The equations and formulae in statistics scare me”. “Lack of knowledge about the importance of statistics and fear of mathematical equations”. “The preconceived notion that Statistics is difficult to learn” . “In most of the places, it is not taught properly and conceptual clarity is not focused on, and because of this an avoidance builds up, which might be a reason for the negative attitude”.

Majority of the scholars (92%) felt that coursework has helped them in their PhD, and they were happy to recommend it for other research scholars (97%). The responses of the scholars to the question “ How was coursework helpful in your PhD journey ?”, are listed below.

“Course work gave a fair idea on various things related to research as well as statistics” . “Creating the best design while planning methodology, which is learnt form course work, will increase efficiency in completing the thesis, thereby making it faster”. “Course work give better idea of how to proceed in many areas like literature search, referencing, choosing statistical methods, and learning about research procedures”. “Course work gave a good idea of research methodology, biostatistics and ethics. This would help in writing a better protocol and a better thesis”. “It helps us to plan our research well and to formulate, collect and plan for analysis”. “It makes people to plan their statistical analysis well in advance” .

This study evaluated the effectiveness of the existing coursework programme in an institution of higher medical education, and investigated whether the coursework programme benefits research scholars by improving their knowledge of statistics and attitudes towards statistics. The study concluded that the coursework program was beneficial for improving scholars’ knowledge about statistics and attitudes toward statistics.

Unlike other studies that have assessed attitudes toward statistics, the study participants in this study were research scholars. Research scholars need extensive training in statistics, as they need to apply statistical tests and use statistical reasoning in their research thesis, and in their profession to design research projects or their future student dissertations. Notably, no studies have assessed the attitudes or knowledge of research scholars in statistics either across the PhD training period or after intensive statistics training programs. However, the findings of this study are consistent with the findings of a study that compared the knowledge and attitudes toward teaching and education design of PhD students after a two-day educational course and instructional design workshop [ 14 ].

Statistics educators need not only impart knowledge but they should also motivate the learners to appreciate the role of statistics and to continue to learn the quantitative skills that is needed in their professional lives. Therefore, the role of learners’ attitudes toward statistics requires special attention. Since PhD coursework is possibly a major contributor to creating a statistically literate research community, scholars’ attitudes toward statistics need to be considered important and given special attention. Passionate and engaging statistics educators who have adequate experience in illustrating relatable examples could help scholars feel less anxious and build competence and better attitudes toward statistics. Statistics educators should be aware of scholars’ anxiety, fears and attitudes toward statistics and about its influence on learning outcomes and further interest in the subject.

Strengths and limitations

Analysis of changes in knowledge and attitudes scores across various time points of PhD training is the major strength of the study. Additionally, this study evaluates the effectiveness of intensive statistical courses for research scholars in terms of changes in knowledge and attitudes. This study has its own limitations: the data were collected through online platforms, and the nonresponse rate was about 38%. Ability in mathematics or prior learning experience in statistics, interest in the subject, statistics anxiety or performance in coursework were not assessed; hence, their influence could not be studied. The reliability and validity of the knowledge questionnaire have not been established at the time of this study. However, author who had prepared the questionnaire had ensured questions from different areas of statistics that were covered during the coursework, it has also been used as part of the coursework evaluation. Despite these limitations, this study highlights the changes in attitudes and knowledge following an intensive training program. Future research could investigate the roles of age, sex, mathematical ability, achievement or performance outcomes and statistics anxiety.

The study concluded that a rigorous and intensive training program such as PhD coursework was beneficial for improving knowledge about statistics and attitudes toward statistics. However, the significant reduction in attitude and knowledge scores after 2–3 years of coursework indicates that a refresher program might be helpful for research scholars as they approach the analysis stage of their thesis. Statistics educators must develop innovative methods to teach research scholars from nonstatistical backgrounds. They also must be empathetic to understanding scholars’ anxiety, fears and attitudes toward statistics and to understand its influence on learning outcomes and further interest in the subject.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the participants of the study and peers and experts who examined the content of the questionnaire for their time and effort.

This research did not receive any grants from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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This study used data already collected data (before and soon after coursework). The data pertaining to knowledge and attitude towards statistics 2–3 years after coursework were collected from research scholars through the online survey platform Google forms. The participants were invited to participate in the survey through e-mail. The study was explained in detail, and participation in the study was completely voluntary. Informed consent was obtained online in the form of a statement of consent. The confidentiality of the data was assured, even though identifiable personal information was not collected. This non-funded study was reviewed and approved by NIMHANS Institute Ethics Committee (No. NIMHANS/21st IEC (BS&NS Div.)

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Philip, M. Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars’ knowledge and attitudes toward statistics after PhD coursework. BMC Med Educ 24 , 512 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05487-y

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    Admission Categories. Regular(RR): Fulltime residential research candidate. Continuing Doctoral Programme (CDP): This if for the candidates working in industry or as a faculty in any educational institution. In this category the candidate is given advance admission with 90 days of residency requirement in 1st year and on successful completion of 1st year, the admission is confirmed with the ...

  14. Minimum Qualifications for admission to Full-time PhD Programmes

    Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110 016, INDIA Tel:+91-11-2659 1718 (O) Email:arugs[at]admin.iitd.ac.in: Minimum Qualifications for admission to Full-time PhD Programmes. Table 1 defines the minimum qualifications required for admission to full-time Ph. D. programmes at IIT Delhi. Please note:

  15. Ph.D. Admission Notification 2024

    Ph.D. Admission Notification 2024. For the Academic Year 2024, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is a Deemed to be University funded by Ministry of Education through UGC is announcing admission notification for Ph.D. Programmes across Mumbai Campus and Hyderabad, Guwahati & Tuljapur Off-Campuses. ... Policy and governance issues with ...

  16. Integrated Ph. D. Programmes

    Short listing for Physical Sciences is also done based on JEST 2024. The selection of candidates for admission to research programmes is through an interview to be held at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. To see Important Dates. Selection - For Biological, Physical and Mathematical Sciences selection will be based on the combined ...

  17. Admission To Doctoral Programmes

    Ph.D. Admission for Autumn Semester 2024-25. Notification for accommodation during interview. Information Brochure. Apply Online.

  18. PhD in India- Fees, Duration, Scholarship and Universities

    Admission procedure for PhD in India: Your token for admission in PhD is your post-graduate degree and NET or entrance exam. With a minimum of 55% marks and a good score in NET, you can apply in any universities across India. You can fill the form now.

  19. PhD Admissions

    Ph.D. Admissions Click here to apply online Noida International University (NIU) is a multidisciplinary research driven University. The University invites online/offline applications from the eligible candidates for admission to Doctoral (Ph.D.) Programme as per UGC Minimum Standards and Procedures for Awards of Ph.D. Degree Regulations, 2022 published in the Gazette of India on 7th November ...

  20. PhD: Full Form, Admission 2024, Courses, Degree, Entrance Exams

    Waqar Niyazi. Content Curator | Updated on - Apr 29, 2024. The full form of PhD is Doctor of Philosophy derived from the Latin term Philosophiae Doctor. PhD is the highest degree or doctorate awarded for research in a particular subject. The duration of PhD course is 3 years but can vary from college to college.

  21. PDF Information Brochure Ph.D. Admissions 2023-24

    ii Important Dates for Autumn and Spring Semester Admission A) GENERAL A.1) The Institute A.2) Research Facilities A.3) Student Amenities A.4) Ph.D. Programme A.5) Eligibility Criterion for Admission A.6) Application Categories and Financial Support A.7) Admission Procedure A.8) Payment of Fees and Deposits A.9) Registration for the Ph.D. Degree

  22. Doctoral Programme 2024

    PhD Programme Brochure. For any admission related queries: Contact No: +91-80-2699 3013 / 3017. Email: phdadm [at]iimb [dot]ac [dot]in. NOTE: Online GMAT/GRE score is not applicable for PhD 2024 batch. Admission Overall Admiss.

  23. PhD Hindi Book, Syllabus, IGNOU, Admission 2024

    Admission to PhD Hindi through correspondence mode is offered mainly on the basis of the marks secured by a candidate in any relevant entrance examination. The average fee for the course ranges from INR 5,000 to INR 50,000 annually. Given below are some colleges which offer this course through distance mode.

  24. Measurement and analysis of change in research scholars' knowledge and

    Background Knowledge of statistics is highly important for research scholars, as they are expected to submit a thesis based on original research as part of a PhD program. As statistics play a major role in the analysis and interpretation of scientific data, intensive training at the beginning of a PhD programme is essential. PhD coursework is mandatory in universities and higher education ...