About Phd
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is an academic doctoral degree. A PhD programed typically lasts three years, with candidates expected to complete the programed in five to six years. The course duration, however, may differ from one institute to the next. To be eligible for a PhD programme, applicants must have a master’s degree. Candidates may pursue a PhD programme in any discipline. In a PhD programme, students must choose a topic or subject, conduct extensive research on it, and respond to any questions that arise.
Fellowships are frequently offered to candidates who have passed entrance exams like the UGC NET, JRF UGC-NET. The focus of the PhD syllabus is to inspire the students to make research work. Apart from the research work, the students get involved in seminars, presentations, etc.
Why Study PhD?
The most common reason for a student to do a PhD is to improve their employment prospects because a PhD degree can unlock career opportunities. Being the highest academic qualification there are some career prospects that might not be available to candidates with only a bachelor’s or Masters. These are jobs that require expertise and vast experience in research methodologies. Apart from this, if you want to remain in academia as a lecturer or university researcher, a PhD is normally one of the main requirements.
PhD Course Highlights
The major highlights of the PhD course are tabulated in the table below.
Course Level |
Doctorate |
Full-form |
Doctor of Philosophy |
Duration |
3 to 3.5 years |
Examination Type |
Semester wise |
Eligibility |
Post-graduation with minimum 55% marks |
PhD Admission process |
Entrance Exam followed by Personal Interview |
Course Fee |
Rs 2,95,000/- for 3 Years |
What is a doctorate?
A doctorate is any qualification that awards a doctoral degree to a candidate. In order to qualify for a doctorate, you need to deliver state-of-the-art work/research that makes an important new contribution to knowledge in your field or to the world. Doing so allows a candidate to earn the title ‘Doctor’.
The PhD degree is the most common type of doctorate degree awarded in numerous PhD subjects at universities around the globe. On the other hand, there are some doctorates that tend to be more specialized or for more practical and professional projects.
PhD Course Eligibility
Some of the basic eligibility for PhD admission are mentioned below:
Students must have a done Master’s degree (MSc/MTech/MPhil/MA/MBA/MCOM/LLM) in a relevant subject, in order to study a PhD Course
The student should have scored at least 55% marks or equivalent grade points in the PG course that he studied in any government-recognized institute. In case the candidate belongs to a reserved category (SC/ST/OBC), he/ she will be offered relaxation in minimum marks of either 5% or 10%, depending on the category
University/college mandated PhD entrance examination needs to be cleared by the candidate to ensure a seat for pursuing a PhD
In some university/colleges candidates that have work experience in the field of research are preferred highly and are given more preference
Candidate Sponsors
These PhD candidates are supported to conduct full-time research at the relevant institution by (recognized) Research and Development organizations.
Part-time Scholars in Research
The following categories are available for applicants at an institute seeking admission as part-time research scholars:
Research Assistants
Institute staff/ Faculty
Project Staff
External Sponsored Candidates
Government employees.
Corporates
PhD Admission Process
The PhD admissions process is not difficult, but it is time-consuming due to the numerous steps involved. Students who meet the course’s eligibility requirements will be admitted to the PhD programme. Students are expected to take an entrance exam in addition to getting good grades at the master’s level. PhD admission does not have a minimum or maximum age requirement.
How Do You Apply for PhD?
Students can apply ONLINE/OFFLINE as well as in person. The majority of universities’ PhD admissions processes are now conducted ONLINE/OFFLINE. Students should visit the official website and search for a course that interests them. Then they should fill out the PhD admission form, which includes their name, phone number, email address, course of interest, and other information. Students must go to the respective college for offline registration and fill out the application form with all required documents.
PhD Selection Procedure
Once the application is accepted, universities may conduct a final round of group discussions or personal interviews based on the college. They require applicants to explain their research proposal and defend its relevance before admission is confirmed.
Top PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) Courses in Different Streams
School of Applied Sciences: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics
School of Engineering & Technology: Computer Science &Engineering, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Biotechnology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering
School of Computer Applications: Computer Applications
School of Allied Health Science: Nutrition & Dietetics, Physiotherapy, Physiology, Biochemistry
School of Management Studies: Management and Business Studies
School of Commerce: Commerce
School of Media Studies & Humanities: Journalism, English
School of Behavioural & Social Sciences: Psychology, Economics, Social and Political Studies
Agriculture
Engineering Agriculture
solar and alternate energy
Animal husbandry
Arabic language
Astrology
Audiology and speech language pathology
Automobile engineering
Ayurveda
Bengali language
Bioinformatics
Biotechnology
Bio-chemistry
Botany
Chemistry
Civil engineering
Commerce
Computer science & engineering Economic
Education
Electronic and instrumentation
Engineering
English
Enviouremental science
Finance
Fine and Arts
Fire and industrial safety
Fire and industrial
Food and nutrition
Forensic science
French language
Geography
Geoinformatics
Geology
Hindi
History
Home science
Hospitality and tourism management
Hotel management
HR
Industrial safety
International relation Law
Library science
Malayalam language
Management
Marathi language
Mass communication
Mathematics
Microbiology
Mining engineering
Music
Optometry
Petroleum
Pharmacy
Philosophy
Physical education
Physics
Physiology
Physiotherapy
Political science
Power system
Project management
Psychology
Public administration
Public health
Rajasthan languages
Rural development
Sanskrit
Social work
Sociology
Textiles
Urdu
Yoga and naturopathy
Zoology
Eligibility
An applicant possessing any one of the following qualifications shall be eligible to apply for admission to Ph. D programme.
A Master’s degree in Engineering / Technology / Science / Humanities / Commerce / Medicine / Law / Education / Pharmacy / Management of a recognized Indian University, or a professional degree declared equivalent to the Master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7-point scale (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) or an equivalent degree 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 for the purpose of assessing, accrediting or assuring quality and standards of educational institutions.
Candidates who have cleared the M.Phil. course work with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7-point scale (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) and successfully completing the M.Phil. Degree shall be eligible to proceed to do research work leading to the Ph. D Degree in the same Institution in an integrated programme.
The candidates who qualify UGC / CSIR (JRF)/MPhil &UGCNET/Gate examination/foreign national will be exempted from the Ph. D Entrance Test.
Duration of the Programme
Ph. D Programme shall be for a minimum duration of 3 years, including course work and a maximum of 3.5 years. Extension beyond the above limits will be governed by the competent authority of the University.