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PhD Admissions at NITK Surathkal

Doctoral programmes at NITK are offered in 14 Departments under various research areas and interdisciplinary streams. The programme provides a rigorous academic environment that fosters innovation, critical thinking, and research excellence under the guidance of experienced faculty members. Admissions to the Ph.D. programme are offered under various scholarship and non-scholarship categories to accommodate candidates from academic institutions, research organisations, industries, and government sectors.

Categories of Admission to the Ph.D. Programme

Admissions to the Ph.D. programme at NITK are offered under Scholarship and Non-Scholarship categories.

A. Scholarship Categories

A.1 Candidates with M.E./M.Tech. or Equivalent Degree

  • Candidates possessing an M.E./M.Tech. or equivalent degree in a relevant discipline are eligible to apply.
  • A valid GATE score is not mandatory for this category.

A.2 Candidates with B.E./B.Tech. or Equivalent Degree

  • Candidates with B.E./B.Tech./B.Arch./B.Plan./B.Des./B.S. (four-year degree programme) in a relevant discipline may apply directly for Ph.D. admission within five years of obtaining the qualifying degree.
  • Applicants must possess a valid GATE score.
  • Candidates who have graduated from a Centrally Funded Institution (CFI) are exempted from the mandatory GATE requirement.

A.3 Candidates with M.Sc./M.A./M.C.A./M.B.A. or Other Relevant Master’s Degree

  • Candidates holding a Master's degree in a relevant discipline are eligible to apply.
  • Applicants must possess a valid GATE, UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, NBHM, or DAE-JEST qualification.
  • Candidates who have obtained their qualifying Master's degree from a Centrally Funded Technical Institution (CFTI) are exempted from this requirement.

B. Non-Scholarship Categories

B.1 Quality Improvement Programme (QIP)

  • Admissions under this category are governed by the AICTE Quality Improvement Programme (QIP).
  • Only permanent faculty members of AICTE-approved degree or diploma institutions sponsored under the QIP scheme are eligible to apply.

B.2 Sponsored Candidates (Full-Time)

  • Candidates are sponsored and financially supported by an industry, educational institution, or other recognised organisation.
  • Applicants must have at least 2 years of continuous full-time employment with the sponsoring organisation.
  • A sponsorship-cum-clearance certificate in the prescribed format must be submitted along with the application.

B.3 Internal Registrants (Part-Time)

  • Candidates under this category are internal registrants who are sponsored Institute staff or project staff of NITK.
  • Such candidates are required to submit a Sponsorship-cum-Clearance Certificate duly issued by the Director, NITK, at the time of admission.

B.4 Self-Financed / Non-Scholarship Candidates (Full-Time)

  • Candidates admitted under this category are not eligible for Institute scholarship support.
  • Admissions are made against vacant seats remaining after the sanctioned scholarship seats are filled.

B.5 External Registrants (Part-Time)

  • Candidates are sponsored by industries, educational institutions, or other organisations.
  • Applicants must have a minimum of two years of continuous full-time work experience in the sponsoring organisation.
  • A sponsorship-cum-clearance certificate in the prescribed format must accompany the application.
  • Candidates are expected to carry out their research work primarily at their parent organization after satisfying the prescribed residency and coursework requirements at NITK.
  • Such candidates may have an additional Research Guide from the sponsoring organization, and the residential requirement may be relaxed as per Institute regulations.

Selection Procedure

Admission to the Ph.D. programme under all scholarship and non-scholarship categories is based on performance in:

  • A national-level written test, and
  • A technical interview,

both conducted in physical mode at NITK by the respective Departmental Research Programme Committee (DRPC).

For more details -  Admission Brochure 2026-27.