Important Facts
Kopal Srivastava Aug 27, 2024 4K Reads
The Education Ministry has increased stipends for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Senior Research Fellowship (SRF), and Research Associates.The Ministry of Education tweeted, "The monthly stipend for researchers at Higher Education Institutes has increased from January 1, 2023. This aims to boost the R&D ecosystem and support researchers. The government will spend an additional Rs. 725 crore.
The revised stipends are:
The All-India Research Scholars Association (AIRSA) has been demanding a fellowship hike for over a year. They asked UGC India to revise the NON-NET fellowship, which has been Rs 8,000 since 2006. Students Also Enrolled | PhD for Working Professionals!
AIRSA stated, "Timely and regular disbursement of fellowships will provide financial stability to research scholars, enabling them to focus on their research without financial worries."
The government estimates this stipend increase will cost about Rs 725 crore. They expect it to significantly boost the research and development ecosystem and provide much-needed support to scholars and researchers. Also Read | What Is Doctoral Degree?
A PhD is one of the toughest yet most rewarding degrees globally. One great thing about pursuing a PhD is that you get paid for it. A PhD stipend is a monthly allowance given to cover your living costs, research expenses, and accommodation.
The amount you receive varies based on whether you're teaching undergraduates, doing research, or funded directly for your PhD. Depending on your role, the income can vary significantly during your studies.
Do you know what is the best thing about pursuing PhD? It is that you get paid for pursuing it. But to pursue a PhD program and PhD Stipend, it is mandatory for you to pass the entrance exam conducted by the UGC (University Grants Commission).
The entrance exam that is conducted by the UGC is UGC-NET and to be eligible for the PhD Stipend you must pass the entrance exam.
It is very easy to apply for a PhD Stipend once you apply for a UGC-NET and you pass it, you ultimately become eligible for a PhD stipend in India. Moreover, PhD Stipend Has risen- JRF Rs 31,000 to Rs 37,000 and SRF- Rs 35,000 to Rs 42,000.
The Government of India (GoI) offers fellowships for ASEAN students to pursue a Ph.D. at any Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). The fellowship includes a monthly stipend of INR 31,000/- for the first two years, INR 35,000 for the remaining duration, and an annual research grant of up to INR 170,000 for research expenses. The maximum duration of the fellowship is 5 years.
The GoI also offers ICCR fellowships for international students to pursue undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. studies at Indian institutions.The scholarship covers tuition fees, accommodation, and living allowances according to prescribed rules. Students Also Ask | PhD Distance Education!
JRF stipends increased from Rs 31,000 to Rs 37,000, and SRF stipends have risen from Rs 35,000 to Rs 42,000 effective from January 1, 2023.
Some PhD students are still pushing for larger increases, arguing that research scholars deserve higher stipends and quicker pay. Hence, you will get a monthly stipend of Rs.37,000. Know the Fact | PhD Online India!
Without JRF, research scholars get a non-NET fellowship of Rs 8,000 per month, unchanged for 11 years. This fellowship is for those who clear UGC-NET or the university's PhD entrance exam.
In the 2022-23 academic session, 15,397 PhD scholars in 40 central universities received non-NET fellowships, according to the UGC.
The UGC has updated the PhD eligibility criteria, now UGC NET scores will be required for the admissions.
NET scores will determine eligibility for PhD admission with or without JRF funding and for Assistant Professor positions.
JRF is not compulsory for PhD admission. Currently, PhD admissions vary across universities. Candidates who qualify for UGC's NET are admitted based on personal interviews.
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In November 2022, the UGC discontinued the MPhil program following NEP 2020 recommendations and asked universities to stop MPhil admissions in December 2023.
Under the new PhD criteria, students with a four-year undergraduate degree and at least 75% marks can apply for PhD programs.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the NET twice a year to select assistant professors and JRF candidates. JRF offers Rs 37,000 per month.
In the last UGC-NET held in December 2023, 9,45,872 candidates registered, 6,95,928 appeared, and 58,794 qualified, with only 5,032 shortlisted for both assistant professor and JRF. For the CSIR UGC-NET exam in December 2023, 6,988 qualified, and 1,932 secured JRF.
The stipend for PhD scholars through GATE varies by institute and discipline. However, the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, has set minimum stipend rates for GATE-qualified PhD scholars.
The minimum monthly stipend is Rs. 31,000 for the first two years of a PhD program. From the third year onwards, the stipend increases to Rs. 35,000 per month. Moreover, GATE scholars receive an annual contingency grant of Rs. 20,000 and a research grant of Rs. 5,000 per semester.
The stipend and grant amounts can vary based on the institute's policies and available funding. Some institutes may provide higher stipends or additional benefits to GATE-qualified PhD scholars.
Various PhD specializations and their respective salaries are listed in the table below:
Streams |
PhD Specialisations |
Average Salary |
Arts |
PhD English |
Rs 4,00,000 – Rs 12.00,000 |
PhD Economics |
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PhD History |
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PhD Sociology |
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PhD Psychology |
||
Law |
PhD Legal Studies |
Rs 2,00,000 – Rs 13,00,000 |
PhD Law |
||
Engineering |
PhD Biomedical Engineering |
Rs 3,00,000 – Rs 15,00,000 |
PhD Information Technology |
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PhD Mechanical Engineering |
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PhD Bioinformatics |
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Medical |
PhD Neuroscience |
Rs 4,00,000 – Rs 11,00,000 |
PhD Pathology |
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PhD Physiotherapy |
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Management |
PhD Human Resource Management |
Rs 4,00,000 – Rs 12.00,000 |
PhD Marketing |
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PhD Business Management |
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PhD Finance |
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Science |
PhD Chemistry |
Rs 4,00,000 – Rs 14,00,000 |
PhD Computer Science |
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PhD Biology |
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Mathematics |
PhD Mathematics |
Rs 3,00,000 – Rs 10,00,000 |
High-paying PhD posts have salary ranges of INR 12 to 26 LPA. Their monthly salary ranges from INR 90K to INR 92.5K. A research degree opens up a lot of options, and more employment prospects motivate students to pursue PhDs in their areas of interest.
Also, you have the option to choose the DBA program as an alternative to the PhD program if you wish to continue earning while pursuing your studies without quitting your current position.
It is a doctoral program that grants you the title "Dr." It also stands for Doctor of Business Administration. If you choose an online DBA program, you may also obtain your doctorate from an international university without having to relocate there.
Online DBAs are a great substitute for online PhDs, which are not accepted in India. Online Doctorate courses are accepted everywhere, including India. You may obtain an online DBA from several colleges. A few of them are listed below.
Universities |
Fees |
INR 8,14,000 |
|
INR 8,12,500 |
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INR 8,14,000 |
Below is information on PhD salaries in India for Professors, Associate Professor, and other positions. You can view the table to see what PhD Professors make in India.
Job Profile |
Average Annual Salary |
Associate Professor |
Rs 4 to 8 Lakhs |
Professor |
Rs 7.80 to 30 Lakhs |
Research Assistant |
Rs 3.10 to 5 Lakhs |
Computer Engineer |
Rs 4 to 9 Lakhs |
Legal Assistant |
Rs 4 to 8 Lakhs |
Consultant |
Rs 8 to 10 Lakhs |
Research Scientist |
Rs 6 to 12 Lakhs |
Senior Writer |
Rs 10 to 14 Lakhs |
It is good news for the students enrolled in a PhD Program as the Education Ministry has increased stipends for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Senior Research Fellowship (SRF), and Research Associates.
This news is a big relief for PhD students and scholars in India. The announcement was made on the ministry's official X (formerly Twitter) page.
The new stipends are:
This increase will cost the government an additional Rs 725 crore.
The NCERT offers an NCERT Doctoral fellowship to young scholars in recognized Indian universities:
To assist deserving PhD candidates, the Central Government of India's Ministry of Human Resource Development established a fellowship program named Prime Minister Fellowship for Doctoral Research.
One of the most prominent PhD scholarships offered in India, it is administered by IISc and IITs. In the first year, recipients get a monthly stipend of ₹70,000; in the fourth and fifth years, this amount increases to ₹80,000.
Applications for the yearly scholarship are taken through the official website and are available to students from all Indian colleges.
The United States has some of the world’s best universities, making it a top destination for international researchers. A Master’s degree is not always required to do a PhD in the US. Some top universities offer direct-entry PhD programs.
An American PhD starts with two to three years of coursework to pass qualifying exams. During this time, doctoral students develop their research interests and choose their thesis topic.
They must write a thesis proposal, which needs approval before starting their dissertation. Most programs require PhD students to gain two to three years of teaching experience, either by leading a class or as teaching assistants.
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It takes about six years to earn a PhD in the US. Unlike some European countries, there is no minimum salary or national salary scale for PhD students in the US.
PhD students earn between $15,000 (Rs.12,52,195)and $30,000 ( Rs.25,04,391) a year, depending on their institution, field of study, and location. This stipend can be tax-free if it is a fellowship award, or taxable if it is a salary from a teaching position.
American PhD students are usually paid for only nine months of the year, but many programs offer summer funding opportunities. A PhD funding package often includes a full or partial tuition waiver.
PhD stipends usually range from £15,000 (Rs.16,02,925) to £18,000 (Rs. 19,23,492). In the UK, PhD students who work as teaching assistants can earn around £10 (Rs.1,068)per hour for marking tutorials, £15 (Rs.1,602) per hour for leading lab sessions, and up to £20 (Rs.2,136) per hour for teaching undergrad classes.
The actual amount you earn will depend on your department's pay rates and how many hours you can commit to. If you're part of a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) program, you'll have set weekly hours. If not, you'll need to consistently dedicate several hours per week.
Research assistantships in the UK pay between £25,000 (Rs.26,71,357) to £30,000 (Rs.32,05,850)per year, with STEM fields generally offering higher salaries than non-STEM fields.
If you are interested in pursuing a PhD in Canada, It is a great place for PhD studies, with lots of research opportunities. Canadian universities do a third of the country's research, which adds billions to the economy.
The University of British Columbia offers a Four Year Doctoral Fellowship that gives international and domestic doctoral students at least CA$18,200 (-US$13,700) per year plus full tuition for all four years of study.
Germany is a top choice for PhD research in Europe because it's prestigious and affordable. Public universities here don't charge any doctoral fees. International students have plenty of funding options available.
PhD funding in Germany includes academic scholarships, fellowships, and salaried assistantships offered by universities and research institutes. You can apply for the scholarships if you want to pursue a PhD program from Germany.
There are various types of PhD stipends that are variable some of them are mentioned below:
These opportunities can overlap. For instance, you could be a research assistant while also helping teach undergrads.
In colleges, graduate students may receive either a stipend or a salary:
There are numerous PhD scholarships and research fellowships available in India from academic institutions, government ministries, and various organizations.
Here is a list of some Indian scholarships and fellowships for PhD programs in India:
PhD Scholarship |
Application Deadlines |
Organization |
Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) |
Between March and April |
MHRD, Government of India |
Burning Questions Fellowship Awards |
Between May and June |
Tiny Beam Fund |
Google PhD Scholarships |
Between March and April |
|
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Scholarships |
Ph.D. Scholarship |
Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund |
ICHR Junior Research Fellowships (JRF) |
Between November and December |
Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) |
FITM – AYUSH Research Fellowships Scheme |
Between November and December |
Forum on Indian Traditional Medicine (FITM) and the Ministry of Ayush |
SAARC Agricultural PhD Scholarships |
Between March and April |
SAAR Agricultural Centre |
Swami Vivekananda Single Child Scholarship for Research in Social Science |
Between November and January |
UGC |
CSIR-UGC JRF Fellowship |
October |
Government of India |
DBT-JRF Fellowship |
March |
Government of India |
ESSO-NCESS Junior Research Fellowship |
Open throughout the year |
ESSO- National Centre for Earth Science Studies |
Vision India Foundation (VIF) Fellowship |
Between December and January |
Vision India Foundation (VIF) |
Here is a list of top PhD scholarships in India that students can apply for to pursue higher education abroad, with some fully funded covering all expenses, and others partially funded.
PhD Scholarship |
Application Timeline (Approx) |
Organization |
UNU IAS PhD Scholarship |
Between March and April |
Japan Foundation of UNU (JFUNU) |
Fujian Normal University President Scholarship for Foreign Students |
Between May and June |
Fujian Normal University |
Imperial College PhD Scholarship in Chemical Engineering |
Between March |
Imperial College London |
Raman-Charpak Fellowship |
Between May and July |
GOI and the Government of France |
President’s PhD Scholarships |
Open throughout the year |
Imperial College London |
Fulbright Kalam Climate Fellowship |
Between January and July |
USIEF |
Dr Eduard Gubelin Research Scholarship |
The last date to apply is June 30th |
Dr Eduard Gübelin Association for Research |
Sir Ratan Tata Trust & Navajbai Ratan TataTrust Education Grants |
The last date to apply is May 31st |
Tata Trusts |
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships |
Between November and December |
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission |
Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship |
Between April and May |
MEXT Japan |
New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships |
Between February and March |
Government of New Zealand |
Korean Government Scholarship Program |
Between February and March |
Government of Korea |
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds PhD fellowship |
Between May and June |
Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds, Germany |
MAXQDA Research Grants |
Between April and June |
VERBI Software GmbH |
IGLP Residential Fellowship Program, Harvard Law School, USA |
Between December and February |
Institute of Global Law & Policy (IGLP), Harvard Law School |
CBS PhD Scholarships at the Department of Operations Management |
Between May and June |
Department of Operations Management, Copenhagen Business School (CBS) |
IITB-Monash Research Academy PhD Scholarships |
Between February and March |
IITB-Monash Research Academy |
HDR Scholarship |
Between April and May |
Deakin University |
Special Research Fun Doctoral Scholarships, Ghent University |
Between February and March |
Ghent University, Belgium |
Cimi Toulouse Doctoral Fellowships |
Between January and February |
International Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science (CIMI), Toulouse, France |
A PhD is one of the toughest yet most rewarding degrees globally. One great thing about pursuing a PhD is that you get paid for it. A PhD stipend is a monthly allowance given to cover your living costs, research expenses, and accommodation. JRF stipends increased from Rs 31,000 to Rs 37,000, and SRF stipends have risen from Rs 35,000 to Rs 42,000 effective from January 1, 2023.
Students in the final year of a bachelor's degree in a science or technology-related stream with a minimum CGPA of 8 may apply for the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship.
Under the revised fellowship stipend schedule, the JRF stipend has been increased to Rs.37,000 from Rs.31,000, and the SRF stipend has been raised to Rs.42,000 from Rs.35,000.
The average starting salary for a PhD student in India is around Rs.0.5 Lakh per year (Rs.4.2k per month). The highest salary that a PhD student can earn is Rs.18.0 Lakhs per year (Rs.1.5L per month).
Yes, in India, a PhD holder has better job prospects than someone with only an undergraduate degree. The unemployment rate for PhD holders in India is below 1%, while the overall unemployment rate in India is around 7%.
Yes, the estimated total pay for a PhD student is Rs.37,917 per month, with an average salary of Rs.35,000 per month. These numbers represent the median based on salaries collected from users.
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