How to Apply for PhD in India

In this article, you will find all details of how to apply for PhD in India, such as the admission process, the eligibility criteria, PhD enrollment process, the benefits of pursuing a PhD, and a list of some of the top universities/ colleges granting a PhD in India.

PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in India–In recent times, pursuing a PhD has become a new normal for many students in India. Every year, thousands of students obtain their PhD degrees and move on to land lucrative job profiles with a handsome salary in their career. PhD is a doctorate academic degree that offers students the highest academic qualification in their field of study. It is a distinct research-based course that is pursued after completing a master’s degree (MA/ MCom/ MSc/ MBA/ MPhil/ PGDM/ PGPM).

How to Enroll for PhD in India

As more and more universities/ colleges in India are granting PhD degrees, the number of applicants has also increased. It requires a good deal of commitment, but with the correct information and proper guidance, you will easily be able to secure your seat for PhD and obtain your degree. You can pursue your PhD in various fields/specializations, but it needs to be related to the discipline that you did your Master's degree. The duration of pursuing a PhD ranges from 3 years to 5 years, and it can be studied in two formats – either a full-time PhD or a part-time PhD.

The duration depends on your academic rigor and the format of PhD that you have opted for. Generally, the duration of a full-time PhD is three years, where the candidate spends his/ her entire time studying on campus. On the other hand, a part-time PhD is pursued by candidates who wish to work while doing their research.

While you pursue your PhD, you will have to carry out individual & unique research in your field/specialization. Your PhD will revolve around your research, and during the course, you will also have to document your research into a research thesis. The research thesis is submitted to your university/ college at the end of the course, and you have to defend it in an "open defense academic viva-voce". In every specialization, there are various research topics to choose from based on your interest. You can even develop new methods and techniques while conducting your research.

Why Should You Pursue PhD in India?

The advantages associated with pursuing a PhD in India are mentioned below:

• Pursing a PhD will help you to gain academic excellence and an edge over others who don't hold a PhD.
• PhD is one of the most valuable academic degrees in India as well as abroad. It is one of the best qualifications that an individual can obtain academically.
• Along with academic excellence, you will be allowed to use the 'Dr' prefix before your name after you have obtained your PhD. This is a highly respected matter, especially in India.
• You will gain immense research & development experience in your specialization during the research.
• You will be exposed to holistic learning through theoretical methods, practical approaches, and research & development orientation during the course.
• Many government organizations hire candidates who hold a Ph.D., especially consultants and advisors.
• You will be able to obtain in-depth knowledge & skills of your specialization. After the course completion, you will develop mastery over your specialization.
• During your research, you can collaborate/ work with some of the best academicians in the field as well as professional experts.

Top Universities/ Colleges in India for Pursuing PhD

Numerous universities/ colleges in India grant a PhD. A few of the top universities/ colleges that you can consider for securing a seat for pursuing a PhD are mentioned below:

• Indian Institute of Science (IISc, Bangalore).
• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU, New Delhi).
• Banaras Hindu University (BHU, Varanasi).
• University of Delhi (DU, Delhi).
• University of Calcutta (CU, Kolkata).
• Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE, Manipal).
• Anna University, Chennai.
• Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS, Pilani).
• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM).
• Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT).

For every type of university, there is a difference in fees and eligibility criteria. Anyway, as mentioned above, if your research is good, the university/ college will hardly matter. In simple words, the value of your PhD depends on your research and not the type of university you are pursuing it from.

• Holding a full-time bachelor's degree is a must for candidates who wish to apply for a PhD in India.
• The candidate must have secured his/ her Master's degree (MSc/ MTech/ MPhil/ MA/ MBA) by pursuing a full-time master's course from a government-recognized university. Correspondence master's degrees are generally not allowed for PhD admissions.
• In his/ her Master's degree, the candidate should have scored at least 55% marks overall (or equivalent grade point).
• In case the candidate hails from a reserved category household (SC/ ST/ OBC), he/ she will be offered relaxation in minimum marks of either 5% or 10%, depending on the college or university. In this circumstance, the candidate has to furnish his/ her reservation certificate while applying.
• University/ College mandated PhD entrance examination needs to be cleared by the candidate to ensure a seat for pursuing a PhD.
• If a candidate wishes to pursue a part-time PhD, In that case, he/ she will have to furnish a NOC (No Objection Certificate) obtained from the educational institute or organization he/ she is currently employed.
• For admission to some of the universities/ colleges in India for a PhD, candidates need to have mandated work experience in a relevant field.

Things to Keep in Mind before Applying for PhD in India

Mentioned below are a few points that you need to decide before applying for admission to any university/ college in India to obtain a PhD:

• Decide the Colleges/ Universities that you want to apply for – As mentioned above, several universities/ colleges in India offer a PhD. It would be best to narrow it down before using it to ensure you don't get tangled with various entrance exams and admission processes.
• Think of a specialization and research proposal – You may be required to submit your research proposal during the admission process, or you may be asked about your research proposal during the academic interview. To tackle both these situations, make sure that you have thought about a research proposal beforehand.
• Prepare for the Ph.D. entrance exams – Ph.D. entrance exams are slightly competitive, especially UGC NET & UGC JRF. Before appearing for the entrance tests, you need to make sure that you have done your homework.
• Mode of PhD (full-time or part-time) – You also have to make sure about the mode of PhD you want to pursue, i.e., either the full-time format or the part-time format. For a part-time PhD, you need to be a full-time employee of an organization/ university/ college before applying.

After you have thought about the points mentioned above, you can follow the steps mentioned below to apply for a PhD in India:

• Step 1 – You can either apply online or offline. Anyway, during the COVID-19 crisis, almost all the colleges/ universities are accepting only online applications.
• Step 2 – The online PhD admission form has to be filled on the website of the university/ college. Check the eligibility details mentioned on the official website before applying and ensuring you fulfill all of them. If you don't satisfy the eligibility criteria, your online application form will not be accepted.
• Step 3 – After filling the online application form, all the necessary documents have to be furnished as required.
• Step 4–After completing the formality of filling the application form, you will have to sit for the Ph.D. entrance examination as required by the college/ university.
• Step 5 – After you have passed the Ph.D. entrance test, you will be called for an academic doctoral interview at the university/ college. Your admission depends on how you performed at both stages of the process – the PhD entrance test & the academic doctoral interview. The university/college decides the weightage for each stage.
• Step 6  – If you clear all the rounds, you will be offered a seat at the university/ college to pursue a Ph.D. in your specialization.
• Step 7 – Finish all the admission formalities as mandated by the college/ university and start with your studies.

The average tuition fee that needs to be paid to pursue a PhD in India varies in the range of INR 5,000 to INR 2, 00,000 annually. It generally varies for all the universities/ colleges in India, so make sure that you check the fee before you apply.

Mentioned below are a few of the PhD entrance tests in India:

• UGC NET.
• UGC JRF.
• SET/ SLET.
• IISc PhD Entrance Exam.
• TISS-RAT.
• JNU Entrance Examination.
• DUET.
• GATE.
• BHU – Research Entrance Test.

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