IGNOU Doctoral Program (PhD)
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About IGNOU Doctoral Program (PhD)
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program to assist students in building a strong core professional career in the educational domain. The PhD program at IGNOU is a doctoral degree program that offers extensive research opportunities to students.
What’s new at IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University)?
IGNOU starts its registration process for its fresh batch of students for all online & ODL courses of the January 2025 admission session. The last date to apply is January 31, 2025. Interested students can check and apply through the university's official website. Read more about the same here.
The duration of the IGNOU PhD program is 3 years but the university offers a leverage of additional 3 years and allows students to complete the program in a maximum of 6 years. To offer a broad career option in various domains the PhD at IGNOU is offered in diverse areas of specialization namely Social Work, Dairy Science and Technology, Anthropology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Commerce, Computer Science, Economics, English, Development Studies, Food & Nutrition, Management, Geography, Hindi, etc.
The candidates are allotted a center by IGNOU to prepare for the PhD program and are required to visit there for physical classes but an online DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) is a fully flexible and online learning program. An online DBA does not require any physical contact classes and can be done virtually as well.
Online Degree Acceptance
Online degrees earned from a government-approved university, just like a regular degree, are accepted by the top recruiters worldwide including government & private sectors.
Value of Online Degree
An online degree from a government-approved university holds similar recognition in the industry as that of a regular degree. Thus, it is equally valuable when considered for a job or higher education.
Quality of Education
The quality of education offered in online programs is of the same standard as offered in an on-campus program. Be it curriculum, faculty members, evaluation methods, practical sessions, online & on-campus programs follow similar standards of quality.
Course Benefits
- IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) offers a full time residential PhD program by allotting centers to the enrolled candidates.
- The PhD program at IGNOU is offered in a plethora of various areas of research and specialization.
- The duration of the IGNOU PhD program ranges between 3 - 6 years.
- The curriculum for the entrance exam of IGNOU PhD is designed according to the UGC (University Grants Commission) regulation 2022 and consists of research methodologies of 50% and specific subjects of 50%.
- The IGNOU PhD program requires the physical presence of enrolled students at the allotted centers.
- Candidates can opt for an online DBA program that is equally credible as a traditional PhD program and adds a “Dr.” title to the student's name post completion of it.
IGNOU Approved By
UGC-DEB
AIU
NIRF
WES
NAAC A++
Who Can Apply?
Interested candidates, willing to enroll in a Ph.D. program offered at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) are required to fulfill the below mentioned eligibility criteria and admission requirements of the program:
- A candidate must have completed a master's degree with a 10+2+3 pattern education qualification from a valid and recognized university.
- A candidate with a 4 year/8 semester bachelor's degree with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate is also eligible to apply for the Ph.D. program at IGNOU.
- Candidates with qualifications in professional courses like CA, ICWA, and CS can also apply.
- IGNOU conducts an entrance examination for the PhD program that is mandatory to qualify.
- The applicant with a valid score in GATE, GRE, GMAT, and JRF (UGC/CSIR) or CAT examination is exempted from the entrance examination for the IGNOU PhD program.
Note:
- Students from EWS, SC, ST, NC-OBC, and PwD categories are entitled to a 5% relaxation of marks.
- 5% of seats are reserved for Persons with Disabilities.
- It is mandatory for students to clear the interview and entrance examination.
Specializations
Specialization Wise Updated Fees 2025
| Specialization | Fees | Duration |
| PhD in Management | ₹17,850/Year | 3 years |
| PhD In Computer Science | ₹53,550 (Full Fee) | 3 years |
| PhD in Generative AI | ₹53,550 (Full Fee) | 3 years |
| PhD in Digital Leadership | ₹53,550 (Full Fee) | 3 Years |
| PhD in Emerging Technologies | ₹50,400 (Full Fee) | 3 Years |
Sample Certificate from IGNOU
Acquire a globally recognized online Degree/Diploma/Certificate from:
- Most trusted platform for online education
- UGC-entitled government-approved university
- An award-winning university by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada
IGNOU EMI Details
IGNOU Online offers the option of Credit Card/Debit card/Net Banking in its fee payment options but does not provide you a “No Cost EMI” option as of now for any of the online courses.
IGNOU Doctoral Program (PhD) Admission Process
Candidates interested in enrolling in a PhD program offered at IGNOU must follow the steps mentioned below.
Step 1: Qualify for the eligibility criteria and admission requirements of the IGNOU PhD program.
Step 2: Visit the official website of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and online apply for the program.
Step 3: Appear for the entrance examination conducted by IGNOU for PhD program, students with a valid score in GATE, GRE, GMAT, and JRF (UGC/CSIR) or CAT are exempted from this step.
Step 4: Appear for the personal interview round and qualify it. The interview has 3 major components i.e. 40% Research Methodology, 40% Subject domain, and 20% of Communication Skills.
Step 5: Admission for PhD program is based upon merit, the merit is calculated by culminating the performance in the entrance and interview session.
Step 6: Students who fall under the merit are sent their offer letters after they pay their program fee.
Now, Get admission twice a year, in July/August and January/February. Latest Notice by UGC, Click here to know.
IGNOU Results - Term-End Latest. Click Here to Find!.
IGNOU Grade Card/ Marks Sheet. Click Here to Find!.
Know Your IGNOU Admission/Registration Details. Click Here to Find!.
IGNOU January Admission Cycle 2025. For ODL Programme Official Link - Apply Here | For Online Programme Official Link - Apply Here.
IGNOU January Admission Cycle 2025 Scholarship- Eligible students can apply for Government of India Scholarships on the National Scholarship Portal at https://scholarships.gov.in/ after confirmation of admission.
Download the Common IGNOU Prospectus and read carefully the Rules of the University as mentioned in the common prospectus. Click Here to Donwnload!.
UGC updated the list of approved Online programs for the academic batch of 2025, Click here to get the list!
Precautions to be taken by the students before enrolling for programs offered under ODL & Online Learning Mode, Click here to know!
A degree obtained through ODL mode is equivalent to a traditional degree, Click here to know!
UGC declares a 100% Fee Refund policy for students within a specified period by universities.Click hereto read the full notice.
UGC issues a public notice regarding misleading abbreviations in the names of Universities & Colleges. Read the UGC Letter.
IGNOU Doctoral Program (PhD) Syllabus / Curriculum
The curriculum for a PhD program from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) is developed by considering the industry needs and requirements to make students compatible with the global competitive market. The curriculum involves a major adaption from core subjects like Psychology, Sociology, Science, Probability, General Aptitude, etc. A PhD program is more about research than learning, a student learns while researching their chosen area of research (specialization).
The curriculum also involves a few topics from 10+2 educational qualifications as well. The IGNOU PhD program ensures to meet international education quality standards with its regularly updated curriculum. For a brief overview of the syllabus of the Ph.D. program at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), some core courses of Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology (PHDAN) at IGNOU are listed below:
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IGNOU Doctoral Program (PhD) Examination Pattern
The examination pattern followed at IGNOU online for different types of courses is semester mode, i.e., exams are conducted by the university at an interval of 6 months. For online courses, exams are conducted through an AI-proctored tool for an unbiased performance evaluation of students.
Job Roles after Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D)
A PhD program from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers decent job profiles to a candidate in renowned academic institutions. A PhD program is for the academic domain whereas a student willing to enhance their corporate career can enroll in an Online DBA program. An Online DBA is a doctorate program that is designed for skill enhancement and career advancement in business and corporate domains.
A few job profiles students can opt for after completing their Ph.D. program from IGNOU are listed below with their average salaries respectively:
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| Associate Professor | INR 4 to 8 LPA |
| Professor | INR 7.80 to 30 LPA |
| Research Assistant | INR 3.10 to 5 LPA |
| Computer Engineer | INR 4 to 9 LPA |
| Legal Assistant | INR 4 to 8 LPA |
| Consultant | INR 8 to 10 LPA |
| Research Scientist | INR 6 to 12 LPA |
| Senior Writer | INR 10 to 14 LPA |
Frequently Asked Questions?
Yes, a PhD program pursued by IGNOU is completely valid and recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Yes, a student who has completed their master’s degree with a minimum of 55% or aggregate marks is eligible for the IGNOU PhD program.
There are no age restrictions on applicants willing to enroll in a PhD program at IGNOU.
Yes, students enrolled in a PhD program at IGNOU are entitled to a stipend of INR 8,000 per month.
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Raushan
Reviewed in India on June 29, 2023
Job Security is rated the lowest
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Aditya Anand
Reviewed in India on May 12, 2023
Highly Recommend it! I am really glad that I took the decision of getting associated with India’s one of the most trusted & affordable universities for online courses. I am one of those who could not afford a full-time graduation but an online B.Com from IGNOU made me get a well-paid job & now I am planning on an M.Com from the university to upgrade my career.
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Ashish
Reviewed in India on May 12, 2023
Great Faculty Support! I have completed my BCA in online learning mode from IGNOU & am really grateful for all the support I got from my professors. They even helped me in preparing for the job interviews.
2 people found this helpful
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Nikhil Patil
Reviewed in India on November 10, 2022
IGNOU offers a variety of study material which makes understanding the concept really easy, the faculty is also very helpful and experienced.
1 person found this helpful
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Sajal giri
Reviewed in India on November 10, 2022
I had a great experience at IGNOU as it is a great university for those who wish to puruse any course with flexibilty of time. It has a wide variety of courses offered which is difficult to find these days.
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IGNOU
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