Indira Gandhi National Open University: Admission to Ph.D. Programmes (July 2026)

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Indira Gandhi National Open University

New Delhi, Delhi (NCT)

Admission to Ph.D. Programmes (July 2026)

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU)
New Delhi
Admission to Ph.D. Programmes (July 2026)

Date of Activation of online application 10^th June, 2026
Date of closure of online application 01^st July, 2026

The Ph.D. Information Brochure for July 2026 is a compendium of inputs assembled and collated from various Schools, Disciplines and other related sources.

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) reserves the right to revise, amend, or delete any part of this Information Brochure without prior notice. Any such changes shall be updated on the official website of IGNOU. Any modification in admission rules after the release of the Ph.D. Information Brochure shall become effective from the date it is uploaded on the IGNOU website.

Candidates are advised to regularly visit the official IGNOU website for updates, if any, regarding guidelines, schedules, and other admission-related information.
For notifications and updates regarding Ph.D. Admissions 2026, kindly visit: IGNOU Official Website www.ignou.ac.in .

Note: The last date for submission of the online Ph.D. Admission Form for the July 2026 Session is 21 days from the date of announcement.

Candidates may fill the online Ph.D. Admission Form through the following portal: https://ignou-phd.samarth.edu.in .

General Information

Applications are invited for admission to the Ph.D. Programme for the July 2026 Session. The list of disciplines, discipline-wise number of seats (category-wise) available, and eligibility criteria are provided in Appendix–I.
The Ph.D. Programme is offered in compliance with the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022, and amendments thereto issued from time to time.
IGNOU offers the Ph.D. Programme under two categories: Full-Time and Part-Time. Candidates admitted under both categories shall be required to attend the Course Work classes as per the IGNOU Ph.D. Guidelines at the respective Schools of Studies located at the IGNOU Headquarters, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi. The Course Work shall be conducted during the first six months of admission and will be held only at the IGNOU Campus, New Delhi. Students are required to attend the Course Work classes on a regular basis. A minimum of 80% attendance in the Course Work is mandatory.
The minimum and maximum duration of the Ph.D. Programme shall be three years and six years, respectively. However, women candidates and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) having 40% or more disability (or “severe” where the percentage is not defined) shall be allowed an additional period of two years beyond the maximum duration for completion of the Programme.
At present, IGNOU does not provide hostel facilities for Ph.D. students. Candidates shall be required to make their own arrangements for accommodation and stay in Delhi during the Course Work and other academic requirements.
Candidates who are employed and wish to pursue the Part-Time Ph.D. Programme must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their employer in the prescribed format attached as Annexure–IV. Submission of the NOC is mandatory at the time of interview (wherever applicable).

Admission Procedure and Selection Criteria

Admission Categories

Admission to the Ph.D. Programme shall be conducted under the following categories:

Category–I: UGC-NET with JRF
Category–II: UGC-NET (Eligible for Assistant Professor and Ph.D.)
Category–III: UGC-NET (Eligible for Ph.D. only)
Category–IV: University-level Entrance Test followed by Interview Selection Procedure.

(Note: Candidates applying under Category–IV: University-level Entrance Test shall select “NOT APPLICABLE” against the option of UGC NET JRF while filling out the online PhD admission application. Such candidates are required to appear for the entrance test conducted by the University. The syllabus for entrance test is provided separately on the website as Appendix-II)

Selection Procedure and Weightage

Interview/Viva-Voce shall be mandatory for candidates under all categories. The selection criteria shall be as follows:
- Category–I (UGC-NET with JRF):
  Selection shall be based on the performance in the Interview/Viva-Voce only.
- Categories–II & III [UGC-NET Qualified]:
  A weightage of 70% shall be given to the NET score and 30% weightage shall be given to the performance in the Interview/Viva-Voce.
- Category–IV (University-level Entrance Test):
  Candidates securing a minimum of 50% marks in the Entrance Test (with applicable relaxation as per the UGC Ph.D. Regulations, 2022) shall be eligible to appear for the Interview/Viva-Voce. For preparation of the final merit list, 70% weightage shall be given to the performance in the Entrance Test and 30% weightage shall be given to the performance in the Interview/Viva-Voce. In the case of candidates qualifying through the University-level Entrance Test, candidates shall be called for the Interview/Viva-Voce in the ratio of 1:5 against the number of available seats in the respective discipline/category, subject to fulfillment of the prescribed eligibility criteria and applicable regulations.
Merit and Preference:
- Selection shall be based on combined merit and the applicable reservation policy of the Government of India.
- Preference for admission shall be given in the following order, subject to availability of seats:
  - Category–I
  - Category–II
  - Category–III
  - Category–IV
Interviews shall be conducted by the University only at its Headquarters located at Maidan Garhi, New Delhi. No TA/DA is permissible for attending the interview. Eligible candidates shall be called for Interview/Viva-Voce by the respective Discipline-Specific Admission Committee. Information regarding the schedule and related details shall be uploaded on the official IGNOU website.
The candidates will be examined in the following components:
- Research Methodology – 40%
- Subject Domain Knowledge – 40%
- Communication Skills – 20%
Candidates shall be required to produce an original valid photo identity proof at the time of the Interview/Viva-Voce. The identity proof may include any one of the following:
- Aadhaar Card
- Voter ID Card
- Driving Licence
- Passport
- Identity Card issued by Government Agencies
Based on the performance in the Interview/Viva-Voce and other applicable criteria, the final list of selected candidates shall be prepared, subject to the Reservation Policy of the Government of India and availability of seats/vacancies.
The list of selected candidates shall be displayed on the official IGNOU website: IGNOU Official Website www.ignou.ac.in .
No individual communication regarding selection shall be sent to the candidates. Applicants are therefore advised to regularly visit the University website for updates and notifications related to admissions.
Selected candidates shall be governed by the IGNOU Ordinances, IGNOU Regulations, Ph.D. Guidelines 2022, and amendments thereto issued from time to time for the conduct of the Ph.D. Programme.
Offer letters for admission shall be issued only to the selected candidates.

General Eligibility Criteria for Ph.D. Admission

The eligibility criteria for admission to Ph.D programme are as follows:

Candidates who have completed: 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/6 semesters 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-creamylayer)/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. programme. 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.

See Appendix-I for further details of discipline wise vacancy and specific eligibility criteria.

NOTE: The application fee for admission to the Ph.D. Programme is Rs. 2,000/- (Rupees Two Thousand Only). The application fee once paid shall be non-refundable under any circumstances.

A candidate may apply in one discipline. Those seeking admission in more than one discipline must submit separate applications for each discipline.
Before applying for the Ph.D. Programme, candidates must ensure that they fulfill the specific eligibility criteria prescribed for the concerned discipline, as mentioned in Appendix–I.
In case a candidate applies for a discipline without fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria for that discipline, the application shall not be considered by the University.
Admission granted to a candidate shall be liable to cancellation at any stage if it is found that:
- the information furnished by the candidate is false or incorrect; or
- the candidate does not fulfill the prescribed eligibility criteria for the Programme.
Candidates are advised to download and retain a copy of the duly filled-in online Registration/Application Form for future reference.
Applications for admission to the Ph.D. Programme shall be accepted through online mode only. No offline or hard-copy application form shall be accepted by the University.
Reservation of seats shall be as per the norms and guidelines of the Government of India.
Merely being called for the Interview/Viva-Voce shall not entitle a candidate to claim admission to the Ph.D. Programme. The Doctoral Research Committee may decide not to recommend a candidate if suitable research supervision or specialization in the proposed area of research is not available in the concerned discipline.
The University reserves the right not to fill some or all the seats in any Research Degree Programme if suitable candidates are not found during the selection process, including the Interview/Viva-Voce.