IIIT PhD Doctorate Degree - Top IIITs, Eligibility, Fees, Admission 2025

The Indian Institutes of Information Technology have diversified and innovative PhD Doctorate programs across several campuses such as IIIT-Delhi, IIIT Ranchi, IIIT Kottayam, IIIT Hyderabad, and IIIT Bangalore. These programs are designed to foster cutting-edge research in fields such as Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, and Social Sciences. Students could earn a PhD in as short as four years at one of the IIITs in India, concentrating on very limited coursework and offering considerable scope for research work. In most such programs, participants in teaching or research assistantships are also paid a stipend plus tuition waivers, which makes these programs all the more attractive to the eager aspirant scholar.

1. PhD Doctorate from IIIT Delhi

The focus for the PhD program at IIIT-Delhi has been set pretty much in the direction of the best Ph.D. programs across the world, where it involves minimal coursework to broaden and deepen a student's knowledge followed by specialized research. There are two types of admissions to the program: Regular Admission and Rolling Admissions. The institute accepts two sets of regular admissions twice every year- around February to April and September to November. Applications are now open for the Regular Admissions for December 2024. In addition, rolling admissions are available throughout the year.

IIIT-Delhi aims to render students a proper fit and productive anywhere in the world with access to the best of the research organizations and global universities around the globe. The program is designed on international best practices, rich in one of its kinds for instance:

Ph.D. Overview

It has: 

• Collaborative Ph.D. with QUT Australia
• Sponsored Ph.D. for Industry Professionals
• Ph.D. Assistantship Opportunities

The institute offers only full-time Ph.D. programs in Computer Science & Engineering, Electronics Communication Engineering, Computational Biology, and Mathematics. Fresh B.Tech. graduates with research potential are encouraged to apply and no GATE score is compulsory. 

Full-time Ph.D. students receive an attractive stipend and tuition fee remission (currently Rs. 1 lakh per year) if they hold teaching or research assistantships.

Apart from the conventional Ph.D. program, IIIT-Delhi has two more programs a Collaborative Ph.D. program in collaboration with foreign partners and a Sponsored Ph.D. program for professionals working in industries. Relaxations are available for candidates from the SC/ST, PH, and CW categories.

• Fees: ₹115000 Per year

Who Is Eligible To Apply? 

1. A minimum CGPA of 7.5 shall be maintained at graduation. Continued enrollment in the program shall require a minimum CGPA of 7.0. The minimum CGPA for continuation of the scholarship component is also 7.0.
2. A candidate shall not be allowed to proceed in the Ph.D. program if:
   • Their CGPA is less than 7.0.
   • They are placed under warning, and their academic, research, or teaching performance does not improve.
   • Low performance will be penalized with a warning for the following cases of a student.
   • Their CGPA decreases to below 7.0.
   • Their SGPA in the first semester is 7.0 or below.
   • In case a student is not allowed to continue in the PhD program, he or she may choose to transfer or register to the MTech program, as long as the requirements set out for MTech Program Continuation are fulfilled.

2. PhD Doctorate from IIIT Ranchi

The institute IIIT Ranchi provides full-time and part-time admissions for a Ph.D. in various disciplines including Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Humanities/Social Sciences, and Management. 

Admission for the Ph.D. program is through the hold of a written test and interview conducted by the institute. Therefore, Ph.D. admissions in different fields are announced from time to time candidates should check the institute's website from time to time about admission openings.

Fees: Semester - General / EWS/OBC/SC/ST/PC (Full Time) I ₹25000/- (Tuition Fee) + ₹15000/- (Institute Fee) + ₹20000/- (Caution Money one time) II onwards ₹40,000/- (Tuition Fee + Institute Fee) .

Who Is Eligible To Apply? 

• Candidate holding a Master's degree in any relevant or allied discipline shall have a CPI of 6.00 on the scale of 10.0 (or marks of 60%).
• In the case of applicants holding a Master's degree in Science, Arts, Commerce, or any other relevant or allied discipline, there shall also be a CPI of at least 6.00 on the scale of 10.0 or marks of 60%.

Otherwise, applicants who hold a Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Sciences on a four-year course program must have an overall CPI of not less than 7.50 on a 10-point scale or should have 75% marks. For applicants having more than two years of professional experience, the minimum requirement is a 70% mark or a CPI of 7.0 on a 10-point scale in their Bachelor's degree.

3. PhD Doctorate from Kottayam

IIIT Kottayam has a Ph.D. program that is aimed at providing students with a combination of the necessary knowledge, skills, and mindset to conduct research at world-class levels in computer science and related areas. Some of our PhD scholars have been given scholarships by some funding agencies, such as DST. The institute offers teaching assistantships to eligible students under the current guidelines. Their scholars are collaborating with universities abroad to enhance their research.

The faculties and research scholars of the Engineering, Computational Science, and Humanities departments engage in state-of-the-art work that manifests in publications, patents, and projects of high international repute. The faculties participate in industrial consultancy and sponsored research projects in collaboration with Indian as well as international industry and academic institutions.

Fees - You can check the table below to know the program fees: 

Details of Fees	First Year		Second Year		Third Year
	First Semester	Second Semester	Third Semester	Fourth Semester	Fifth Semester	Sixth Semester
Tuition Fee	22,000/-	22,000/-	22,000/-	22,000/-	22,000/-	22,000/-
Hostel/facility maintenance fee	30,900/-	30,900/-	34,000/-	34,000/-	37,500/-	37,500/-
Mess Advance	27,950/-	27,950/-	30,750/-	30,750/-	33,825/-	33,825/-
Mess Equipment Maintenance Fees	275/-		275/-		275/-
Sports Equipment Maintenance Fees	275/-		275/-		275/-
Medical Insurance	1200/-		1200/-		1200/-
Club Activities	275/-		275/-		275/-
Caution Deposit (One-time Fee)	12,000/-
Sports (One-time Fee)	1000/-
Mess (One-time Fee)	1000/-

Who Is Eligible To Apply? 

One of the following conditions must be met by a candidate to be eligible for admission to the Ph.D. program at IIIT Kottayam:

• Master's Degree: The candidate shall hold a Master's Degree in Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology, Mathematics, Statistics, Computer Science, Computer Applications, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, or any other allied field with a minimum CGPA of 6.5 on a 10-point scale and/or 60% marks.
• MS-PhD: Four-year bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering, Information Technology, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or an equivalent field from an institute of national importance with a minimum CGPA of 8.0 on a 10-point scale or 75% marks. Students in this category will be awarded both MS and Ph.D. degrees on successful completion of the Ph.D. program; they cannot opt for early exit to receive the MS degree.

Direct Ph.D. (IIIT Kottayam):

• Students undergoing B.Tech.-MS in IIIT Kottayam, who attain a minimum CGPA of 8.0 at the end of the sixth semester are eligible to join the PhD program from their seventh semester onwards. On successful completion of PhD, students will be awarded both the degrees B.Tech.-MS and PhD.
• M. Tech-Ph.D. (Open only for working professionals): Working professionals of M.Tech. of IIIT Kottayam with a minimum CGPA of 8.0 up to the 5th semester, no failure, and completing the M.Tech. program in two years can straight away go for M. Tech-PhD.

4. PhD Doctorate from IIIT Hyderabad

The institute IIIT Hyderabad offers doctorate programs in various specializations, available in both full-time and part-time formats. Many of these are also well-supported by the research centers at the institute and align with key focus areas of these centers.The research nature of the PhD program is strong, which heavily focuses on dissertation work. Coursework along with qualifying exams is considered a basic need to be built in students within their respective research areas.

Every PhD path is designed based on his or her background and planned in consultation with the student's program chair. Once requirements like coursework and qualifying are met and approval is received over their proposed research work, the students work towards their thesis. With a defense of the thesis, the PhD degree is awarded.

PhD specializations offered are as follows:

There are various specializations offered by the institute offered. All are mentioned below- 

• PhD in Computer Science Engineering
• PhD in Computational Natural Sciences
• PhD in Electronics & Communication Engineering
• PhD in Computational Linguistics
• PhD in Civil Engineering
• PhD in Bioinformatics
• PhD in IT in Power Systems
• PhD in Spatial Informatics
• PhD in Cognitive Science
• PhD in Exact Humanities
• PhD in IT in Building Science

Who Is Eligible To Apply?

• PhD in Computational Linguistics (CL): B.E/B.Tech/M.E/M.Tech in any branch, M.Sc, MCA, or MA (Mathematics).
• PhD in Computational Natural Sciences (CNS): M.Sc in fundamental sciences, M.E/M.Tech/B.E/B.Tech in CS/IT/Biotech/Bioinformatics/Biomed, or MCA.
• PhD in Spatial Informatics (SI): M.E/M.Tech/M.Sc in any branch, MCA, or MA (Geography).
• PhD in Cognitive Science (CogSci): B.E/B.Tech/MBBS/MD/MA/M.Sc/M.Tech or equivalent degree in Cognitive Science, Psychology, Linguistics, Philosophy, Sciences, or related disciplines.
• PhD in Human Sciences (HS): M.A. in any Humanities or Social Science discipline; M.Sc/M.S/M.Tech with research thesis; or B.E/B.Tech with at least five years of work experience.

5. PhD Doctorate from IIIT Bangalore

The Doctor of Philosophy degree from IIIT Bangalore is a research-oriented program that has been designed to equip students for research, teaching, and academia. It builds profound knowledge in the concerned discipline and powerful research skills in a student. Generally, this course will take 3 to 5 years, though durations may vary. Many of the coursework requirements are complete after the first few semesters of study, and the focus is primarily on doing original research and producing a dissertation, which then is defended to receive the degree.

Fees- You can check the table below to know the fee structure of the program: 

Years 1 and 2	Years 3 and 4	Year 5
Rs. 77,000/- per semester	Rs. 92,000/- per semester	Rs. 1,02,000/ per semester

Who Is Eligible To Apply? 

For courses in the following areas: Computer Science, Data Science, VLSI, Software Engineering, and Networking, Communication & Signal Processing, applicants must have an undergraduate engineering degree (B.E., B.Tech, or equivalent) leading to a four-year Bachelor's degree to be eligible for the Master of Science by Research or Master of Science (Research) programs. For the PhD program, a Master's level engineering degree (M.E., M.Tech, or equivalent) is also necessary.

Eligibility Criteria in detail:

• Computer Science and Software Engineering:
  • Valid GATE or GRE scores in the last five years.
  • Those applicants possessing relevant industry or academic experience are exempted from submission of GATE/GRE scores; accordingly, their score is waived.
  • Online written test conducted by IIIT Bangalore.
  • Data Structures, Algorithms, Discrete Maths, DBMS, Operating Systems, Basic Programming, and Computer Architecture.
  • Based on the scores obtained in the exam coupled with the details in the application, the candidate was chosen for the interview.
• Data Science:
  • Applicants need to have a qualification through GATE DSAI or appear for a 45-minute test conducted online by IIIT Bangalore.
  • For PhD, the candidate must hold an M.Sc. in either Math or Computer Science and an M.Tech in Computer Science.
  • The process of shortlisting is based on performance in exams, application details, and follow-up interviews.

Is there any alternative to a PhD Program available? 

Yes, there is an alternative to a PhD is available and the alternative is an Online DBA. It is a doctorate program and adds up the “Dr” title before your name. An online DBA is a doctoral degree that will equip the student with the right skills and knowledge to serve others well in organizing and managing business leadership. With the online DBA, you are prepared for leadership positions, and you will drive organizational success through relevant research and innovative problem-solving. Most DBA programs have specializations in areas like finance, accounting, marketing, management, and entrepreneurship.

Whether you are looking to advance in your current career or switch to a new path, a DBA opens many doors. It gives you deep industry insights and allows you to apply your knowledge by way of the research projects and experience you will gain while studying.

What is an Online DBA?

An Online Doctorate in Business Administration is one of the higher-level degree programs, which focuses on the advanced study and research of business principles. It equips the students with the knowledge of requisite competencies to undertake all the complexities in business organizations and can develop effective strategies for their management. The DBA degree is a doctorate qualification at the highest academic level, which is available for those persons who have already acquired a Bachelor's degree and later a Master's degree in the same field.

The program enables the students to critically think while developing the expertise that will make them successful business leaders. The curriculum goes further to polish them into critical thinkers analyzing complex data to apply research methods in solving business challenges and evaluating operational strategies for the management of global organizations. A large portion of the DBA consists of original research projects undertaken by students in cooperation with industry experts to uncover present trends and problems the business world faces.

This way, this degree allows the student to gain additional expertise by applying theoretical knowledge with first-hand experience through research. Various universities are offering you an Online DBA. Some of them are mentioned below

Universities	Fees
Golden Gate University DBA Online	INR 8,14,000
Rushford Business School DBA Online	INR 8,12,500
ESGCI International School of Management Paris DBA Online	INR 8,14,000

What is the difference between an Online DBA, PhD, and an MBA?

Although very few, some tend to confuse the concepts of a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), Ph.D. in Business Administration, and MBA. All these are advanced business degrees but different in their purpose and characteristics.

• An Online DBA is an applied doctorate that has a concentration on practical problem-solving and finding real-world results as it applies to the use of research methods. Designed to prepare graduates to take on leadership roles, the program requires the completion of a dissertation or final project that focuses on the practical findings of research.
• An MBA is a professional degree where students are taught the basics of business and management. Unlike a DBA, it is a teaching degree; the focus is hands-on, teaching students managerial skills by conducting coursework and case studies, not through exhaustive research.
• A Ph.D. in Business Administration is an academic doctorate centered on theoretical research and advanced analytics. Students are supposed to prepare a dissertation, which indicates the deep education a student has acquired in that particular field.

What are the eligibility criteria to opt for an Online DBA? 

To be able to apply for an Online DBA, you must fulfill the mentioned below eligibility criteria- 

• You must have completed your master’s for a government-approved university. 
• If you have not completed your master’s and still want to apply to an Online DBA, then you must have completed your bachelor’s and should have a minimum of 5 years of working experience. 
• In an online DBA, no entrance exam is required. 

What is the duration of an Online DBA program? 

The Doctorate in Business Administration normally you can complete it in three years if one is at an academic institution that acknowledges this period of study. Students are supposed to undergo coursework and research when developing their in-depth understanding of various business administration areas.

Most DBA programs are structured into two parts. 

• The first year is mainly dedicated to core courses, whereas the remaining years of the program are dedicated to a major amount of work on research and the completion of a doctoral thesis. 
• The core courses may include business strategy, finance, accounting, marketing, operations management, analytics, entrepreneurship, and organizational behavior.

In addition to coursework, students will have to complete a doctoral dissertation as part of the program.

Approvals for an Online DBA

While searching for an Online Doctorate in Business Administration, seek out a university that has been accredited by an acceptable accrediting organization. Such accreditation measures ascertain that the respective university or business school has been assessed and deemed qualified in terms of teaching methodology, faculty qualification, and curriculum.

Business-specific accreditations include:

• Accreditation by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business).
• Accreditation by AMBA (Association of MBAs).
• Accreditation by EQUIS (European Quality Improvement System).

These accreditations are particularly valuable as they ensure that the program provides the highest quality and excellent education, and business schools with this accreditation are often more recognized and respected by employers. Research the DBA program you are considering to confirm it has the proper accreditation before you enroll. This means you get a high-quality education that will end up benefiting you in the long run.

Conclusion

In short, an opportunity like a doctorate can be a game-changer in one's career-be it a PhD or an Online DBA. While PhDs focus on research as well as theoretical knowledge, DBA's develop practical problem-solving and real-world applications. 

Indian Institutes of Information Technology provide several excellent options for someone interested in pursuing a PhD by offering specialized programs across multiple campuses. If you are one of those who favor an Online DBA, you will get flexible learning options that would fit your busy schedule for a business career and will prepare you for the various leadership roles. 

You should always look to check whether the program you are applying for is properly accredited so that you get quality education and it improves your prospects in career and employment. Whichever choice you make, investing in education will take you one step closer to your professional goals and you will be successful and make a positive impact in your line of work.