IIT Kharagpur PhD admission 2024 (January) session has been suspended due to unresolved hostel issues.  IIT Kharagpur offers a 3-year PhD course in 19 departments. The course can be completed in a span of a minimum of two years upon the fulfillment of certain criteria. The candidate must have a minimum of 60% marks in UG or PG degree to be eligible for a PhD course at IIT Kharagpur. The final admission takes place based on the overall academic performance, written test along personal interview. 

IIT Kharagpur PhD Admission Dates 2023

IIT Kharagpur PhD Eligibility 

The aspirants must satisfy the below-mentioned eligibility criteria to be eligible for admission to the PhD program-

• Candidates must have a minimum of 60% marks or a CGPA of 6.5 on a 10 point scale in the qualifying degree in Engineering /Science /Commerce /Management/ Law and/or equivalent

                                                                                              OR

• Candidates must have a minimum of 55% marks or a CGPA of 6.0 on a 10 point scale in the qualifying degree in Humanities/Social Science/MBBS degree

The qualifying degree for admission into PhD course are tabulated below:

• M.Tech / MS / ME / M.Sc.(Engg.,)
• M. Arch./ MCP (Master of City planning) /MRP (Master of Regional Planning)
• M. Phil. (2 years programme)
• MBA / PG Diploma in Management of 2-year duration (after completion of B.Tech/M.Sc/MA/M.Com)
• LLM after (either) at least 5 years of integrated LLB degree after 10+2 examination OR 3 years LLB degree after 10+2+3 examination
• A degree equivalent to any of the above

                                                                                               OR

• B.Tech./ BE / B.Sc (Engg.)
• B.Arch. 
• M.Sc. / MA / M. Phil. (1 year program)
• MBA / PG Diploma in Management of 2-year duration (after completion of BA/B.Sc/B.Com)
• MBBS degree with compulsory one-year internship
• 5 years of integrated LLB degree after 10+2 examination OR 3 years LLB degree after 10+2+3 examination
• A degree equivalent to any of the above

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IIT Kharagpur PhD Additional Requirement 

Apart from the minimum regular requirements, there are some additional requirements that students interested in applying should check. These additional requirements vary on the different types of admission and the course structure. The different categories of admission and their requirement details have been discussed below:

1. Regular with Institute Assistantship 

Candidates should have the following qualifications to apply for a regular PhD with institute assistantship:

• Students should possess a valid GATE score above the cut off level (accepted for M.Tech./MCP admission in a particular year) as decided by the Senate from time to time 

                                                                                             OR

•  NET qualification with Lectureship/Assistant Professorship for the award of Institute Research Assistantship.

• A candidate who is currently employed has to resign if his admission is accepted by the university. He has to produce the acceptance of resignation by the employer at the time of joining or produce a document that he/she is not receiving any salary from his/her employer along with a proper document of sanctioned leave.
• No Research Student shall be permitted to receive any emoluments, salary, stipend or any other scholarship/assistantship during the tenure of Institute Research Assistantship. 
• Award- Rs. 31,000/- pm for first 2 years 

Rs. 35,000/- pm for the next 3 years

2. Individual Fellowship (CSIR/UGC/DBT/ICAR/INSPIRE etc.)

Students applying for the individual fellowship should meet the following criteria:

• One must have valid award letter with fellowship issued by the respective fellowship agency (i.e. CSIR/UGC/ DST/DBT/ICMR etc.).
• They shall not be entitled for Institute Research Assistantship.
• Students having provisional Individual Fellowship award letter must give an undertaking that “In case of cancelation/withdrawal of Provisional award of fellowship by the funding agency, the admission at IIT Kharagpur will be canceled from the date of joining the PhD program and there is no liability on the part of IIT Kharagpur in this regard”.
• Sponsored PhD

3. Sponsored PhD

The requirements for a sponsored PhD at IIT Kharagpur are:

• Minimum of two-year job experience in the following fields
• Defense or other ministries of the Government of India or any other government organizations;
• Established industrial research and development organizations; Autonomous bodies and public undertakings; Universities/colleges;
• Reputed industries may be recognized by the Institute.
• One must submit his/her application in the prescribed form along with No objection cum sponsorship certificate for admission through his/her employer
• Students are required to produce the certificate in the prescribed form from the employers to the effect at the time of joining the Institute:
  • The candidate has been officially released from his duties for the purpose of joining the program and has been granted leave for the required period;
  • The candidates services shall be retained with the employer.
  • The minimum residential requirement is one year at a stretch subject to the successful completion of course work. 
  • A candidate sponsored by an industry, an R&D organization, educational institution or a Government organization having adequate research facilities may be allowed to work externally subject to his/her fulfilling all such conditions prescribed in the Regulations.

4. PhD through Project

The additional qualification requirements are:

• A candidate should be working in a sponsored project of the Institute (i.e. under auspices of SRIC of the Institute)
• They must submit his/her application in the prescribed form for admission through Principal Investigator, Head of the Department/Centre/School, and Dean (SRIC) with suitable endorsement. 
• The minimum remaining period of the project as well as the tenure of the project employee should be at least 2 years from the date of joining the PhD program. 

5. B.Tech from IIT

B.Tech degree and Dual Degree (B.Tech & M.Tech ) holders having final CGPA equal to or more than 8.00 IITs will be given direct admission in PhD program with Institute Research Assistantship. 

6. PhD program for Working Professionals with Minimum Residential Requirements 

• She/he should be having (at least) B Tech/BE/MBBS/MSc degree (or equivalent degrees) from a reputed educational institution with a minimum CGPA of 8.0 in a 10 point scale or 75 percentage of marks in their Bachelor’s as well as Masters’ degree (if applicable).
• However, any conversion of CGPA to marks (or vice versa) to meet this criterion will not be permitted.
• Two years of post-qualification experience. 
• Candidates need to provide a ‘NO OBJECTION’ certificate issued from their company, stating it has no issues with the candidate pursuing PhD under the proposed scheme: PhD Program for Working Professionals

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IIT Kharagpur PhD Admission Guidelines

IIT KGP PhD Admission is based on the overall academic performance, written/computer based test along with a Personal Interview (PI) as decided by the admission committee of IIT Kharagpur. 

IIT Kharagpur PhD Selection Criteria

The candidates fulfilling the minimum eligibility criteria are selected based on the following weights provided to different parameters:

• Overall academic performance: 40%
• Written/Computer Test: 40%
• Interview: 20%

The final selection to the PhD programme of IIT Kharagpur takes place based on the overall academic performance, written test with an interview conducted by IIT Kharagpur. Only those candidates satisfying all the requirements pertaining to the selection criteria will be called for the final interview round. 

How to Apply?

Below are the steps one can follow to fill the IIT Kharagpur PhD Application:

1. Visit the official PhD portal of IIT Kharagpur i.e. www.iitkgp.ac.in/phd
2. Click on the link that reads, ‘PhD Program (Regular, Sponsored, CSIR/UGC, INSPIRE Fellowship) - Apply Online’
3. Register with Your Email Id and Login.
4. Fill appropriate and necessary information in the application form
5. After filling pay the application fee of INR 1000/- (INR 500/- for SC/ST/PWD/Females) via online payment gateway.
6. Submit the duly-filled application form.
7. Download the final filled up form and keep a printout for future reference.

Documents Required

• Class 10th & 12th Marksheets
• Graduation and Postgraduation Marksheets and Certificates
• Work Experience documents
• Agr Proof (Voter ID/Passport etc.)
• Caste Certificate (for reserved quota)

Read More: IIT Kharagpur Cutoff

IIT Kharagpur PhD Course Details

IIT Kharagpur has designed the curriculum for the PhD programme in a way to make the students well equipped with the respective domains.

The following departments are available in IIT Kharagpur PhD course which offer various areas of research.

Read More: IIT Kharagpur Courses & Fees

The key pointers regarding the course curriculum are to be considered while opting for admissions in the PhD programme at IIT Kharagpur-

• The candidate is required to enrol in the programme with a month of payment of the required fee. He/she must have a supervisor amongst one of the faculty members.

• All the candidates of the PhD program are required to complete the course work as prescribed below:

1. a) The scholars have to undergo an English for Technical Writing compulsory test.
2. b) A set of subjects will be recommended by the DSC in accordance with the student’s skill requirements for the research work

• The candidate will be required to give a seminar based on the topic of research within three years of enrollment in the programme or one-year of completion of the course work.
• The scholar has to submit a synopsis of the thesis before the final submission of the thesis. 
• Candidates also need to undertake a seminar to present their knowledge about the depth of the subject. The final submission could take place only after the satisfaction of DSC. 
• If the synopsis isn’t accepted during the seminar, then the student is required to appear again for the seminar within a period of six months. The final thesis must be submitted within a month of the seminar conducted.

• After completion of the seminar the D.S.C will recommend a panel of ten experts to examine the thesis. The panel is supposed to submit a report on the thesis. 
• Upon acceptance of the thesis, the candidate shall defend the same.
• After completion of all the necessary requirements and payment of the required fee, the scholar shall be eligible for the PhD degree by the Board of Governors on the recommendation of the Senate. 

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