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Doctoral Programmes
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NIIT University (NU) invites applications to its PhD programmes. Work experience is not a criterion for selection. Candidates who are employed/sponsored by industry may also apply. Candidates are allowed to apply for pursuing PhD at NU throughout the year on a rolling basis. Selected candidates for PhD program are admitted both in odd and even semesters as per PhD admission calendar. Odd and even semesters start in August and January, respectively. NU will adhere to the National/State level reservation policy, as applicable.
Eligible applicants of all categories possessing the minimum educational qualifications are required to appear for an entrance examination conducted at the university. Candidates are allowed to apply for pursuing PhD at NU throughout the year on a rolling basis. Selected candidates for PhD program are admitted both in odd and even semesters as per PhD admission calendar. Odd and even semesters start in August and January, respectively. The candidates will be allowed for entrance examination in July whose applications will be received by 10th June, 2025.
Important dates for PhD Admissions in August 2025
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Last date for application | 10-06-2025 |
| Intimation for entrance exam and/or Interview | 20-06-2025 |
| Entrance Exam | 12-07-2025 |
| Interaction | 18-07-2025 & 19-07-2025 |
| Declaration of Result | 23-07-2025 |
| Enrolment | 23-07-2025 to 31-08-2025 |
| Registration and Programme Commencement | 01-08-2025 |
Classification of PhD students
Depending on the mode and nature of support the PhD students at NU are classified as
- NU sponsored Residential PhD Student: Pursuing PhD in residential mode. They will get financial support from NU as per norms of NU PhD Scholarship and fee waiver.
- Sponsored Residential PhD Student: Pursuing PhD in residential mode and financially supported by any external agency.
- Self-Supported Residential PhD Student: Pursuing PhD in residential mode and financially supported by self.
- NU sponsored Non-Residential PhD Student: Pursuing PhD in non-residential mode. They will get financial support from NU as per norms of NU PhD Scholarship and fee waiver.
- Sponsored Non-Residential PhD Student: Pursuing PhD in non-residential mode and financially supported by any external agency.
- Self-Supported Non-Residential PhD Student: Pursuing PhD in non-residential mode and financially supported by self.
Eligibility for Admission to PhD Programmes
- Candidates should have at least 60% marks in Class X, Class XII and Bachelor’s degree.
- Candidates who have completed any of the following qualification from an Indian educational institution or equivalent qualification from a foreign educational institution shall be eligible for admission to the PhD programme at NU:
- A one-year/two-semester master’s degree programme after a four-year/eight-semester bachelor’s degree programme with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed.
- A two-year/four-semester master’s degree programme after a three-year bachelor’s degree programme with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed.
- 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.
- Candidates, who have not the master’s degree, a four-year/eight-semester bachelor’s degree programme with a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed.
- The MPhil programme with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed.
- The foreign educational institution must be 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.
- A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade in master’s or bachelor’s degree 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.
- A candidate who is already registered as a PhD student in any other Indian educational institute and fulfils the minimum eligibility criteria as listed in University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022, may be transferred to PhD programme at NU. In that case, the student will cancel the PhD programme registration in earlier institute and will be registered in PhD programme in NU. The student will request for such transfer to Dean Research through the faculty member concerned.
How to apply
Step 1
The applicant submits the duly completed Admission Application form along with self-attested copies of all the required documents and a self-written Statement of Purpose (SOP). The applicant can submit the application form at the NU website: NU Online Applicant Portal
Other documents can be submitted using any or more of the following modes:
- Send a printed copy of the form along with all documents by post to NU Central Admissions Office at:
Gurgaon – 122001
Step 2
NU Research Office informs the eligible applicants the dates and locations of entrance exam and/or interview through email.
Step 3
Applicants write the entrance exam as per schedule.
Step 4
NU Research Office informs the applicants who have qualified for interview through email.
Step 5
NU Research Office holds the interviews and announces the list of successful candidates on NU
Website. Successful candidates are informed of their success through email also.
Step 6
NU Research Office sends the admission offer letter to the successful candidates.
Step 7
Successful candidates to confirm their acceptance by submitting an admission acceptance letter
duly signed by them and their respective parent/guardian/spouse along with the non-refundable
admission acceptance fee within 5 working days of receiving the admission offer letter. They
would also need to pay the applicable semester fee within 15 days of receiving the admission offer
letter by cash or electronic transfer or Crossed Demand Draft, in favour of NIIT University, payable
at New Delhi.
Process for Admission to PhD Programmes
- Admission to PhD programmes shall be according to a merit list based on a written entrance test of 70% weight followed by a Research Interaction of 30% weight. NU may decide to call only some of eligible applicants for research interaction based on the number of available PhD seats and the merit list in the entrance exam. Dean Research will be responsible for the conduct of the entrance examination and subsequent interaction for selection of applicants for admission to the PhD Programme.
- Entrance Exam:
- Half of the entrance test syllabus shall be subject specific, and the other half shall consist of research methodology. The subject specific syllabus will be corresponding syllabus in the GATE exam for engineering and basic sciences and corresponding syllabus in the UGC-NET exam for management, humanities and social science area.
- Applicants who secure at least 50% marks in the entrance test are eligible to be called for research interaction.
- Applicants who have qualified for fellowship/scholarship in UGC-NET/UGC- CSIR/NET/GATE/CAT/CEED and similar National level tests as well as those who are employed at the level of Assistant Professor or higher in educational institutes in India will be exempt from the entrance exam. The position of such exempted applicants in merit list will be decided by considering only research interaction marks of all candidates.
- The entrance exam will preferably be held in person on NU campus. However, depending on the situation NU may hold the entrance exam online.
NU PhD Scholarship and Fee Waivers
- All registered NU sponsored Residential and NU sponsored Non-residential PhD students, who have at least 60% marks throughout from class X to master’s degree, will be eligible for NU PhD Scholarship. This scholarship will be for a maximum of five years or till the date of submission of final thesis, whichever is earlier. Students should maintain a CGPA equal to or more than 6.0 in course work in every semester and later on, are graded “satisfactory” in thesis research/Seminar credits per semester to remain eligible for this scholarship. The following are the schedule and terms & conditions:
- Financial assistance of INR 30,000/- per month will be provided during the course work and till the date of approval of thesis research proposal to the students who have an MTech degree.
- Financial assistance of INR 20,000/- per month will be provided during the course work and till the date of approval of thesis research proposal to the students who do not have an MTech degree.
- Financial assistance of INR 35,000/- per month will be provided after approval of thesis research proposal till the end of five years after first registration or submission of thesis whichever is earlier.
- Financial assistance may be increased to INR 40,000/- per month after three years of registration by Research committee based on performance.
- Time spent as registered student is considered for counting time for the purpose of financial assistance. If a student takes a break between two semesters, the break period will not be counted and the student will not be paid during the break period.
- The number of NU scholarships is limited in number and may not be awarded to all NU Residential and NU Non-residential PhD Students.
- Grant of NU scholarship will be at the sole discretion of NU and no disputes will be entertained.
- NU Residential PhD students may be exempt from paying university fees for a maximum of six years from the date of first registration if they assist to the extent of 4 to 6 hours per week in academic activities as teaching assistant.
- NU Alumni will be granted 50% waiver in University Fee.
- NU Employees will be exempt from paying university fees for a maximum of 6 years from the date of first registration. However, they will have to pay the full university fee if they cease to be employee of NU for any reason whatsoever.