National Institute of Health and Family Welfare – NIHFW PhD Admission 2025-26

National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) offers admissions in Ph.D. Programme for academic session 2025-26 through UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) category-1/ category2/ category-3 / CSIR-NET/ ICMR/AYUSH, DBT examinations.

About NIHFW

The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW), was established on 9th March, 1977 by the merger of two national level institutions, viz. the National Institute of Health Administration and Education (NIHAE) and the National Institute of Family Planning (NIFP). The NIHFW, an autonomous organization, under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, acts as an ‘apex technical institute’ as well as a ‘think tank’ for the promotion of health and family welfare programmes in the country.

About PhD Program at NIHFW

• The PhD programme at the NIHFW is started in the year 2023- 24. The programme is affiliated with Jawaharlal Nehru (JNU) University, New Delhi and open to candidates qualified UGC-NET (for category-1/ category-2/ category-3) and CSIR-NET/ ICMR/AYUSH/DBT.
• The admitted students will be enrolled with JNU and Degree will be jointly awarded by the JNU and NIHFW. The Vice-Chancellor, JNU has constituted an Academic Committee under Chairpersonship of Director, NIHFW with external and internal members to oversee the PhD Programme at the NIHFW.
• The NIHFW may provide few research fellowships to PhD students after successfully completing semester 1 and semester 2 examinations as per the Institute’s guidelines taking into account semester scores and internal assessment.

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum Academic Qualifications

Applicants with M.B.B.S./M.D./ MDS/ MSc (Nursing), M. Phil, M. Pharma., MPH, MBA, MA/MSc (Mathematics/Statistics /Operations-Research). Master Degree in Epidemiology, Population Studies, Demography, Economics/ Health Economics, Communication/ Journalism, Education, M.Sc. (Biochemistry, Bio-Technology etc.); M.A. (Anthropology, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work) and allied subjects/fields. Master Degree in AYUSH Systems of Medicine will be considered eligible for the admission in the Ph.D. programme.

• At least 55% aggregate score or equivalent grade in Master’s degree are essential for the general category.
• A candidate seeking admission after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree programme in Social Sciences, Humanities, Management, Sciences, Technology and allied subjects/fields should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed.
• Relaxation to SC/ST/OBC (Non creamy layer)/PWD/EWS as per the UGC Regulations 2022.
• Rounding off of percentage score to the next integral value is not permitted.
• Candidates appearing for the final examination of the qualifying degree in the current academic year are eligible to apply; they will be admitted provisionally pending satisfactory fulfilment of the eligibility requirements at the time of joining.

In addition to the minimum educational qualification, the candidate must have qualified for UGC National Eligibility Test (NET) category-1/ category-2/ category-3 /CSIR-NET/ ICMR/AYUSH, DBT examinations or any equivalent Fellowship offered by the Union/State Governments.

Admission Criteria

Only those candidates who fulfil the minimum eligibility requirements as prescribed for admission of candidates to Ph.D. programmes (mentioned in detail further in next section) and have qualified for UGC- National Eligibility Test (NET) (for category-1/ category-2/ category-3) and CSIR-NET/ ICMR/AYUSH/DBT) (result, declared after June 2024, only) examinations are eligible to apply in the prescribed form enclosed.

CATEGORY-1

• Please note that candidates who have been awarded Candidates may make sure themselves that their JRF certificate must be valid at the time of physical verification of documents.
• Candidature will be rejected, if found, their JRF certificate not valid at the time of physical verification of the documents.
• Candidates applying under JRF category selection will be done on the basis of UGC- NET scores (conducted after June 2024), presentation of tentative synopsis and viva-voce.

CATEGORY-2 & 3

• As per UGC Notification dated 27.03.2024, for students who qualify in Categories 2 and 3, admission will be based on the combined merit of NET marks and the marks obtained in the Interview.
• The marks obtained by the candidate in the NET Examination conducted by UGC/CSIR after June 2024 in Category 2 and 3 will be valid for a period of one year for admission to Ph.D. Programs.

Interview

• After screening of the applications, candidates will be invited to present research proposal of his choice and appear in the interview. Selection of candidates will depend on the score obtained in UGC -NET category-1/ category2/ category-3/ CSIR-NET/ ICMR/AYUSH, DBT examinations along with the presentation of a research proposal/synopsis followed by interview/viva-voce as per the UGC guidelines.
• The unsatisfactory presentation of the research proposal may lead to rejection of candidate. The recommendation of the expert committee will be the final.
• Candidates selected will be enrolled for the joint Ph.D. programme by the Jawaharlal Lal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. The enrolment number will be issued by the JNU on submission of application form and payment of fee as per the JNU guidelines. The enrolment fee will be separate from the NIHFW annual fee.

Application Process

• A physical copy of the completed Application Form, along with photocopy of relevant certificates and requisite fees payable through Bank Draft in favour of Director, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi/Online Payment should reach Director, The National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Munirka, New Delhi 110067.
• In case of delay, advance copy of application may also be submitted to the Director(director@nihfw.org) and cc to dean@nihfw.org with single scanned pdf file consisting of completed Application Form as well as scanned copy of DD/Certificates informing transactions IDs of fees paid in online mode (Accounts details available in the Prospectus).

• Announcement of the Ph. D admission: 1 August, 2025
• Closing date for submission of application: 30 September, 2025
• Result of screening of applications: 17 October, 2025
• Synopsis presentation and interview: 30 October, 2025
• Declaration of Result: 10 November, 2025
• Start of admission – Document Verification and Fees Submission: 12 – 21 November, 2025
• Commencement of Course Work: 1 December, 2025

• Notification
• Prospectus
• Application Form
• NIHFW Website