Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai PhD Admission 2025-26

Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai (MNLU, Mumbai) invites application for PhD Admission 2025-26.

Admission Categories

• Full-time Enrolment
  • Enrolment for the Ph.D. Degree shall ordinarily be full-time. The candidate shall put in a minimum of three years residence of which at least 18 months shall be in the university. There shall thus be provision for the candidate to earn credits for research work done outside the university.
  • Six years shall be the maximum period in which a full time candidate shall complete the research work and submit it for evaluation.
• Part-time Enrolment
  • A part-time candidate shall put in a minimum of four years, including course work, of part-time study in the University including time spent for research at any other place with the permission of the Supervisor.
  • Six years shall be the maximum period in which a part time candidate shall complete the research work and submit it for evaluation.
  • Conversion either from part-time to full-time or from full-time to part-time is to be permitted only with the approval of the Doctoral Committee.

Eligibility Criteria

• Master’s degree in Law with at least 55% marks or equivalent grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7- point scale. OR Obtained a Master’s Degree (regular mode) in any discipline from a recognized University including a foreign University with not less than 55% marks or its equivalent. Provided that the candidate with qualifications in Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities may pursue his / her research interfacing with public policy or law.
• A relaxation of 5% in eligibility criteria will be granted to candidates from SC/ST/OBC (Non-creamy layer)/EWS/ Differently-Abled persons and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the Commission from time to time, or for those who had obtained their Master’s degree prior to 19th September, 1991. The eligibility marks of 55% (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) and the relaxation of 5% to the categories mentioned above are permissible based only on the qualifying marks without including the grace mark.
• Candidates appearing in the final year of the qualifying examination are also eligible to apply. (However, before the completion of the admission procedure, the original mark sheet of the qualifying examination has to be produced to show that the candidate fulfills the eligibility criteria.)
• The candidate who has passed the Company Secretary examination conducted by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) and has been awarded the Associate Membership of the Institute (ACS) and having a Bachelor Degree in Law from a recognized University through regular stream shall be eligible for admission to the programme. Provided that the research he / she wishes to pursue interfaces with a special focus on public policy or law.
• The candidate who has passed the Chartered Accountants examination conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, New Delhi and has been awarded Membership of the Institute and having a Bachelor Degree in Law from a recognized University through regular stream shall be eligible for admission to the programme. Provided that the research he / she wishes to pursue interfaces with a special focus on public policy or law.

Admission Process

• The admission process shall include an offline entrance test and a personal interview. The entrance test will be held at the University’s campus.
• UGC-NET , JRF, CSIR, SLET, GATE, M.Phil qualified candidates will be exempted from appearing in the Ph.D. Admission Test (PAT) but will have to submit the research proposal and shall appear for the Personal Interview.
• Candidates eligible for PAT and personal interview shall be communicated through e – mail. Candidate must regularly check mails from the University.
• The entrance test (PAT) will seek to judge the abilities of the candidates in the fields of Subject Knowledge of Law and Research Methodology. The subject knowledge specific questions will be short-answer type, essay type as well as multiple-choice questions. These may include Jurisprudence, Constitutional Law, International Law, Human Rights, Law, Contract Law, Personal Laws, Criminal Law, Environmental Law, Corporate Law, Alternative Dispute Resolutions and Intellectual Property Rights.
• PAT shall have the following scheme
  • Research Aptitude – 50 Marks.
  • Essays/answers on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines – 50 Marks.
• Special care shall be taken for the candidates of sciences, social sciences and Humanities. If the research they wish to pursue interfaces with a special focus on public policy or law, the question paper shall be prepared accordingly.
• Qualifying marks for PAT shall be 50% provided that a relaxation of 5 % of marks (from 50% to 45%) shall be allowed for the candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy layers)/Differently-abled category in the entrance examination conducted by the university.
• Candidate short-listed on the basis of entrance test will be asked to submit research proposal. The selection of such candidates shall be evaluated in the ratio 70 (written test) : 30 (interview).

Application Process

• Candidates have to apply online.
• Filled-up application form along with the self-attested photocopies of the supporting documents and proof of online payment details must be carried by the candidate at the time of personal interview.

• Advertisement of Ph.D. Admission in the newspaper and on the website: 2 December, 2025
• Last date of receiving fully filled application form: 31 December, 2025
• Ph. D. Admission Test (PAT): 30 January, 2026 (Tentative)
• Result of PAT: 10 February, 2026 (Tentative)
• Submission of Research Proposal: 28 February, 2026 (Tentative)

• Notification & Application
• MNLU Mumbai Website