NIT Patna PhD Admissions: The National Institute of Technology (NIT), Patna, has invited applications for admission to its PhD programme under the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for the July-December 2026 session. Interested and eligible candidates can apply online through the official NIT Patna website. The last date to submit the application form and pay the application fee is October 25.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates seeking admission to the PhD programme must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Candidates with an MTech, ME or equivalent degree must have secured at least 6.5 CGPA on a 10-point scale or 60 per cent marks in aggregate from a recognised technical institute or university.
- Candidates with a BTech, BE, MCA or equivalent degree must have secured first-class marks. Where the institute does not specify a class, candidates must have at least 60 per cent marks or 6.5 CGPA and a valid GATE, UGC-NET or CSIR-NET score. This criterion applies to candidates from the Computer Science and Engineering branch.
- The minimum CGPA or marks requirement will be relaxed by 0.5 CGPA or 5 per cent for candidates belonging to the SC, ST and PwD categories.
- Candidates are required to submit proof of a valid GATE, UGC-NET or CSIR-NET score at the time of application. Sponsored candidates are exempted from the GATE or NET qualification requirement.
Admission Process
Admission will be based on the prescribed eligibility criteria, followed by a screening test and/or selection interview conducted by the respective department or centre.
The institute will publish the list of eligible candidates on its official website as per the admission schedule. No separate email will be sent to candidates.
The screening test will carry 100 marks. Candidates from the General, EWS, and OBC categories must secure at least 40 per cent marks to qualify, while the qualifying mark for SC, ST, and PwD candidates is 35 per cent. The syllabus will be based on the GATE or NET syllabus for the respective discipline.
Candidates shortlisted based on the screening test will be called for a 100-mark selection interview. Part-time candidates may be called directly for the interview.
The interview will assess candidates’ subject knowledge, research aptitude, and understanding of their proposed area of research. Original documents, academic records, and other credentials will also be verified.
The final merit list will be prepared by the admission committee based on selection interview marks and seat availability. The cut-off for admission cannot be below 50 per cent of the total interview marks.
Selected candidates will be notified through the institute’s website.
Seats Under Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme
NIT Patna is offering two seats under the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme for Electronics and IT: Phase-II:
- One full-time PhD seat: The programme will be offered with a fellowship. Eligible departments are Electronics and Communication Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.
- One part-time PhD seat: The programme will be offered without the full-time fellowship. The same three departments are eligible.
The areas covered under the scheme are Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/ITES.
Part-Time PhD For Sponsored Candidates
Part-time admission is open to sponsored employees of public sector undertakings, government departments, research and development organisations, reputed industries, educational institutions, organisations covered under a memorandum of understanding, sponsored defence personnel, and other eligible organisations.
Sponsored candidates must meet the minimum entry qualifications prescribed by the institute for the part-time programme. They are exempted from the GATE or NET qualification requirement and may also be exempted from the screening test. However, they must appear for the selection interview.
Such candidates are required to submit a No Objection Certificate from their employer. If they change jobs during the PhD programme, they must submit an NOC from their new employer.
Application Fee
The application fee is Rs 1,500 for General, OBC, and EWS candidates, and Rs 750 for SC, ST, and PwD candidates. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid online through the institute’s website.
Candidates from the SC, ST, and PwD categories must submit a certificate issued by the competent authority to claim the fee relaxation.
After submitting the application, candidates should download and retain a copy of the completed form for future reference.
Fee Structure
The first-semester fee payable at the time of admission is Rs 59,750, excluding hostel and mess charges. The detailed semester-wise fee structure is available on the institute’s website.
Assistantship And Financial Assistance
Scholarships, fellowships, and assistantships will be offered in accordance with the rules and regulations of the respective funding agency.
Check the detailed notification here
