IIT Kharagpur Ph.D. Admission Process 2025 - Dates & Eligibility

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) is a prestigious higher education institution that provides doctoral degrees with excellent research facilities. Being famous for its world-class education system, IIT Kharagpur provides cutting-edge opportunities for producing high-quality research. If you are someone who has a keen interest in conducting research that can contribute to your field of knowledge, IIT Kharagpur is the best choice. You get a wide range of subjects to pursue your PhD degree such as Engineering, Sciences, Management, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The duration of IIT Kharagpur PhD ranges from 5 years to 8 years.

The admission process to the IIT Kharagpur PhD program is highly competitive and challenging. Candidates with busy schedules may not be able to prepare for the PhD admissions. However, they can enroll for an Online DBA Doctorate which is offered by top international universities across the globe. This is an online doctoral program that is accredited and approved by international bodies. The program is highly flexible and can be completed within 36 months only. 

Top Online DBA Doctorate Specialization
Online DBA Doctorate In Supply Chain	Online DBA Doctorate In Generative AI
Online DBA Doctorate In Human Resource	Online DBA Doctorate In Emerging Technology
Online DBA Doctorate In Finance	Online DBA Doctorate In Business and Data Analytics
Online DBA Doctorate In Marketing	Online DBA Doctorate In Healthcare Management
Online DBA Doctorate In Leadership and Strategy	Online DBA Doctorate In International Business
Online DBA Doctorate In Data Science	Online DBA Doctorate In Sustainability
Online DBA Doctorate In Accounting	Online DBA Doctorate In Technology Entrepreneurship
Online DBA Doctorate In Cyber Security	Online DBA Doctorate In Project Management
Online DBA Doctorate In Social Impact Management	Online DBA Doctorate In Digital Leadership
Online DBA Doctorate In Big Data

Why Pursue PhD from IIT Kharagpur?

The strong academic reputation and advanced research opportunities are major reasons to choose IIT Kharagpur for PhD admissions. IIT Kharagpur is highly popular for its academic focus, especially on research. The state-of-the-art research facilities provide you with cutting-edge research opportunities in a diverse range of academic disciplines. 

IIT Kharagpur has a vibrant environment for PhD scholars with students from different geographic areas conducting research at the same place. This makes it a hub of intellectuals from all over India. Moreover, the faculty for PhD at IIT Kharagpur is highly qualified with significant research experience. They have completed their PhD degrees from top universities around the world. With their advanced research expertise and knowledge, they provide high-quality mentorship to the PhD scholars to produce high-quality research. 

Working Professionals Also Looking For
PhD After BTech	PhD Programs Online
PhD After MBA	Distance PhD Program
PhD After MCA	Integrated Doctorate
Flexible PhD Program	Online Doctorate
PhD for Working Professionals

The curriculum of PhD at IIT Kharagpur offers opportunities for both theoretical as well as practical research. The curriculum of IIT Kharagpur PhD involves compulsory coursework which helps PhD scholars to build their base for research. Once the compulsory coursework is completed, the ability of PhD scholars to conduct their research is determined by the comprehensive examinations. These coursework and examinations help them to acquire the basic knowledge and expertise to conduct high-quality research.   The research conducted at IIT Kharagpur opens doors to a wide range of careers in academia, research, and numerous industries. PhD scholars get opportunities to leverage their knowledge and expertise to make a highly rewarding career. 

Working Professionals Also Looking for
PhD Abroad from India	PhD Doctorate In Switzerland
PhD Doctorate In France	PhD Doctorate In USA
PhD in Spain	PhD Doctorate In Australia
PhD in Canada	PhD Doctorate In UK
PhD Doctorate In Europe	Global PhD
PhD Doctorate In Germany	IIM PhD for Working Professionals
IIM PhD Doctorate	IIT PhD Doctorate
Executive PhD Programs

IIT Kharagpur PhD Admission Overview 2024

Admission for PhD programs at IIT Kharagpur is taken based on written tests and personal interviews. Apart from the written test and personal interview, the academic achievements and performance of the applicants also constitute an important weightage when considering for admission. 

You can apply for IIT PhD admissions twice a year. IIT Kharagpur takes admission twice a year. There are two sessions for PhD admissions at IIT Kharagpur, Autumn, and Spring. The admissions for the spring session at IIT Kharagpur generally begin in the month of July-August and are completed in December. Meanwhile, the admissions for Autumn sessions start in January and are completed in June. 

The written test for the PhD admission at IIT Kharagpur is conducted by the institute itself in its concerned departments or candidates need to qualify for the national-level entrance examinations. Candidates applying for the full-time PhD program need to qualify for the national-level entrance exams. Besides this, candidates applying under the sponsored and working professionals categories have to appear for an In-House written test at their respective departments. 

Admissions To IIT Kharagpur PhD Programs 2024-25
University	Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
Course Name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Admission Sessions	Autumn Session and Spring Session
Upcoming Admission Session	Spring Session
Academic Disciplines	Engineering, Management, Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Selection Process	Written Test and Interview
Academic Session	2024-2025
Mode of Application	Online
Application Fees	GN/EWS/OBC-NCL (Male/Transgender candidates): Rs.1000/- GN/EWS/OBC-NCL Female candidates/ SC/ST/PWD: Rs.500/-
Official Website	https://www.iitkgp.ac.in/phd-admission

The difficulty levels of the PhD admissions at IIT Kharagpur can be seen above. The written tests are tough for the candidate to crack. Personal interviews are also difficult. Moreover, the reputation of IIT Kharagpur attracts a wide range of candidates who are eager to be admitted. This makes the admission process very competitive.

Working professionals who want to navigate their careers in leadership roles through a doctorate may not get the opportunity due to the difficulty and competition levels. However, they still get their doctoral degree from top renowned international universities through Online DBA Doctorate. 

DBA online is designed for working professionals who are willing to get a doctorate without leaving their current jobs. This is an Online doctoral degree that does not require rigid entrance examinations and challenging personal interviews. It can be completed within 36 months.

IIT Kharagpur PhD Subjects 2024 

Here is the list of all the subjects in which IIT Kharagpur Offers PhD programs-

IIT Kharagpur PhD Subjects 2024
Aerospace Engineering	Agricultural and Food Engineering	Architecture and Regional Planning
Biotechnology	Chemical Engineering	Chemistry
Civil Engineering	Computer Science and Engineering	Electrical Engineering
Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering	Geology and Geophysics	Humanities and Social Sciences
Industrial and Systems Engineering	Mathematics	Mechanical Engineering
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering	Mining Engineering	Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture

Popular PhD Specialization In India
PhD In Commerce	PhD In Digital Leadership
PhD In Information Technology	PhD In Human Resource
PhD In Data Science	PhD In Law
PhD In Computer Science	PhD In Psychology
PhD In Artificial Intelligence	PhD In Business Administration
PhD In Management	PhD In Emerging Technologies
PhD In Generative AI

PhD Centres at IIT Kharagpur

Here is the list of PhD centers through which IIT Kharagpur offers its doctorate programs-

PhD Centres at IIT Kharagpur
Artificial Intelligence	Advanced Technology Development	Centre for Educational Technology
Centre for Oceans, Rivers, Atmosphere and Land Science	Centre for Theoretical Studies	Centre for Computational and Data Sciences (CCDS)
Cryogenic Engineering	Rekhi Centre of Excellence for the Science of Happiness	Deysarkar Centre for Excellence in Petroleum Engineering
Materials Science	Rubber Technology	Rural Development
P K Sinha Centre For Bioenergy and Renewables

Schools for PhD programs at IIT Kharagpur 

All the schools through which IIT Kharagpur offers PhD programs are mentioned below-

IIT Kharagpur PhD Schools
BioScience	Energy Science and Engineering	Environmental Science and Engineering
G.S. Sanyal School of Telecommunication	Nano Science and Technology	Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship
Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law	Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management	School of Medical Science and Technology
School of Water Resources	Subir Chowdhury School of Quality and Reliability	Vinod Gupta School of Management

Eligibility Requirements for PhD admissions at IIT Kharagpur 

Applicants willing to enroll in PhD programs at IIT Kharagpur must fulfill all the eligibility requirements for admission. Here are the eligibility requirements for PhD admissions at IIT Kharagpur- 

• Master's degree in the relevant subject from a university/institute recognized by the University Grants Commission.
• Must have scored 60% marks in the qualifying degree. 
• Qualification in the national level entrance examinations. 

Minimum Qualifying Degree 

Here is the list of minimum qualifying degrees required  for admission to IIT Kharagpur PhD program-

Minimum Qualifying Degree

M.Tech (Master of Technology) / MS / ME (Master of Engineering)/ M.Sc.(Engg.,).  M. Arch./ MCP (Master of City Planning) /MRP (Master of Regional Planning).  M. Phil. (2 years program).  MBA / PG Diploma in Management of 2-year duration (after completion of B.Tech/M.Sc/MA/M.Com).  LLM (2 years program) 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

Minimum Qualifying Degree

B.Tech. (Bachelor of Technology)/ BE (Bachelor of Engineering)/ B.Sc (Engg.).  B.Arch. (Bachelor of Architecture).  M.Sc. (Master of Science) / MA (Master of Arts) / 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 (minimum) 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.

Entrance Exams for IIT Kharagpur PhD 

IIT Kharagpur has a wide range of entrance examinations for PhD admissions. It ranges from national-level entrance examinations to in-house entrance examinations. For admission to regular full-time PhD programs, one has to clear national-level entrance exams. Admissions to PhD programs for working professionals and sponsored programs are conducted through in-house entrance examinations that are taken by the various departments of IIT Kharagpur. Moreover, candidates who are targeting the Full-Time PhD programs at IIT Kharagpur but could not qualify for the national level examinations are also required to appear for entrance examinations at their departments. Here is the list of all the entrance examinations that are conducted by the IIT Kharagpur PhD programs- .

PhD Category	Entrance Examinations
Regular with Institute Assistantship	CSIR/UGC/ DST/DBT/ICMR
Individual Fellowship	CSIR/UGC/DBT/ICAR/INSPIRE
Working Professionals & Sponsored	In-House Examinations

Important Dates for IIT Kharagpur PhD Admissions 2024

Here are the important dates regarding PhD admissions notified by the IIT Kharagpur-.

Information	Dates
Commencement of Online application form submission	October 23, 2024
Website closure for submission of online application form	November 02, 2024
Last date for receipt of hard copy of completed application (for Ph.D through Project category only) at the Academic Section	November 04, 2024
Written Tests and Interviews are to be conducted in the respective Departments/Centres/Schools (for shortlisted candidates only)	December 02, 2024 to December 06, 2024
Date of admission	December 31, 2024

PhD Entrance Syllabus for IIT Kharagpur PhD Programs 2024

To provide you with a brief idea about the PhD entrance syllabus, here is the entrance syllabus of PhD in Computer Science and Engineering-

Syllabus for PhD Entrance Test (Computer Science and Engineering)
Basic Mathematics: Set theory: Set operations, mathematical induction, functions, and relations. Linear Algebra:  Matrices, Determinants, Inverse, Transpose, Eigenvalue, Eigenvector, Rank of a matrix, Gauss elimination method to solve a system of linear equations. Combinatorics: Sum and product rules, permutation, combination, recurrence relations, pigeon-hole principle, the principle of inclusion and exclusion. Probability and Statistics: Mean, median, mode, basic notion of probability, expectation, variance and standard deviation, discrete and continuous probability distributions, Binomial, Poisson and normal distributions, Conditional probability,y, and Bayes theorem. Basic Calculus: Basics of limit, continuity, differentiation,n, and integration. Weight: 40%
Digital Logic: Switching theory: Boolean algebra, logic gates, and switching functions, truth tables and switching expressions, minimization of switching functions, Karnaugh map Combinational logic circuits: Realization of Boolean functions using gates and multiplexers Sequential m/c model: Flip-flops, the basic design of counters Weight: 30%
Basics of Programming: The student should be familiar with the basic concepts of programming and should be able to write programs involving the following concepts in any one of the following languages: C, C++, or Java. Conditional constructs, iteration (loops), function or method call, recursion, recursive decomposition of a problem. Basic notions of space and time complexity Parameter passing mechanism, scope, binding Arrays, lists, stacks, queues, binary tree, binary search tree Basics of searching and sorting Graph and its representation Weight: 30%

Admission Process for PhD Admission at IIT Kharagpur 

There are several phases in the admission process for PhD admissions at IIT Kharagpur. IIT considers various factors for admission to its PhD programs. It takes into consideration the academic record of the applicant, written test, and personal interview. The admission process for PhD programs at IIT Kharagpur-

• Application Submission-The admission process for PhD programs at IIT Kharagpur begins with the application form. The candidates willing to get admission to PhD programs need to fill out their application form at IIT Kharagpur. The application form can be filled out online by visiting the official website. You can follow the below instructions to fill out your application form-
  • Step 1- Visit the official admission portal of the IIT Kharagpur: 
  • Step 2- Select the PhD admission option. 
  • Step 3- Click on the registration and fill out the details to generate the login credentials. 
  • Step 4- Login with the credentials generated after the registration. 
  • Step 5- Fill out the information required by the IIT Kharagpur. 
  • Step 6- Attach the required documents and review the application form. 
  • Step 7- Apply and proceed with the application fee payment. 
  • Step 8- Select the payment method and pay the application fees. 
  • Step 9- Once the application fee is paid, the application form will be successfully submitted. 
  • Step 10- Save and take the printout of the acknowledgment slip for future reference. 
• Written Test- Once the application form has been submitted, IIT Kharagpur will notify the schedules for the written tests. Admit cards will be issued before the examinations. The written test must be taken by the candidates to proceed with their applications. Candidates with their UGC NET JRF scores are exempted from the written examinations. 
• Personal Interview- Students qualifying for the written test are shortlisted for the personal interview. The interview is conducted at their concerned departments by the Departmental Research Committee (DRC). Candidates are required to prepare their research proposal on their selected topic for the personal interview. The Departmental Research Committee (DRC) will ask the candidates to defend their research proposal in the interview. 
• Admission Offer- Based on the performance in personal interviews and academic records, IIT Kharagpur offers admissions to the PhD programs. The admission committee processes the admission offers and notifies the selected candidates. The candidates getting the admission offers are required to submit their admission fees to book their seats. 
• Start the Program- Upon completion of the admission, candidates can start their doctoral degree at IIT Kharagpur. 

However, you can bypass this prolonged admission process by enrolling in an Online DBA Doctorate. This program has a minimal and short admission process and does not require a written test. You can complete this online doctoral degree within 36 months and advance your career toward success. 

Conclusion

In Conclusion, IIT Kharagpur is one of the best destinations for pursuing a doctoral degree. The research facilities are excellent and offer significant opportunities for high-quality research in a wide range of academic domains. However, getting admission to a doctorate program at IIT Kharagpur is highly challenging due to the intense competition and prolonged process. Candidates getting admission to the PhD program get the opportunity to conduct highly contributive research which helps in the knowledge enhancement of the concerned subject.