National Law University Tripura PhD Admission 2026-27

National Law University Tripura (NLUT) invites applications in the prescribed form for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Programme for the academic year 2026-27.

Eligibility Criteria

Minimum Qualification for PhD Law

• Candidates having a 5-year/ 10-semester/ 15-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law [LL.B./LL.B. (Hons.)] through regular mode from a recognized Indian University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC (non- creamy layer)/PWD candidates);
• Candidates having a 3-year/ 6-semester/ 9-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law [LL.B./LL.B. (Hons.)] (following a 3 (or 4)- year bachelor’s degree through regular mode from a recognized Indian University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/PWD candidates), with an additional condition of at least two years of work experience and at least four research papers published in the UGC-Care List Group I and Group II;
• Candidates having a Masters in Law degree (LL.M.) through regular mode from a recognized Indian University having secured an aggregate of at least 55% marks or its equivalent grade (50% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/PWD candidates);
• Candidates having passed the Solicitors Examination conducted by the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and having a completed a bachelor’s in Law [LL.B./LL.B. (Hons.)] degree from a recognized University through regular mode; or Provided that candidates in their final year of study in the respective degrees in shall be eligible to apply, subject to the candidate securing the minimum marks or equivalent grade prior to the date of commencement of the Ph.D.

Selection Process

The admission to the Ph.D. programme of the University shall be a three-pronged process, comprising:

• Step 1: Admission Test / Eligibility Route
• Eligible candidates may seek admission through either of the following routes:
  • UGC-NET (Ph.D. Category): Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET under the Ph.D. category, pursuant to UGC Circular No. F.4-1(UGC-NET Review Committee)/2024(NET)/140648 dated March 28, 2024, and who are otherwise eligible for the relevant academic year, may apply for admission in lieu of appearing in the NLUT-Doctoral Research Admission Test (NLUT-DRAT).
  • NLUT-DRAT: Candidates who are otherwise eligible and do not seek admission through the UGC-NET (Ph.D. category) route may appear in the NLUT-Doctoral Research Admission Test (NLUT-DRAT) conducted by the University. The NLUTDRAT shall be conducted at one designated centre only, i.e., Agartala. A candidate must secure a minimum of 50% marks in the NLUT-DRAT to qualify for the subsequent stages of the admission process.
• Step 2: Submission and Evaluation of Research Proposal (SERP)
  • Candidates qualifying under Step 1 shall be required to submit a Research Proposal, which shall be evaluated in accordance with the criteria prescribed by the University.
• Step 3: Oral Presentation of Research Proposal (OPRP)
  • Candidates shortlisted on the basis of the evaluation under Step 2 shall be required to make an Oral Presentation of the Research Proposal (OPRP) before the designated committee.

Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET under the Ph.D. category and are eligible to apply for the relevant academic year, in accordance with the validity of their UGC-NET qualification for Ph.D. admissions, may apply to the Ph.D. programme without appearing in the NLUTDRAT. Such candidates, after screening of their applications on the basis of the prescribed eligibility and merit criteria, shall be invited to participate in the subsequent stages, namely Submission and Evaluation of Research Proposal (SERP) and Oral Presentation of Research Proposal (OPRP).

Candidates seeking admission through the NLUT-DRAT route shall appear for the said test at the designated examination centre at Agartala. Only candidates securing a minimum of 50% marks in the NLUT-DRAT shall be eligible to proceed to the Submission and Evaluation of Research Proposal (SERP) and thereafter, subject to the prescribed criteria, to the Oral Presentation of Research Proposal (OPRP).

Application Process

The candidates seeking admission to the Ph.D. programme in NLUT shall fill the online form available on the university website.

• Ph.D. admission notification: 1 September, 2026
• Last date for receiving online application forms & submission of research proposal: 21 September, 2026
• DRAT-NLUT written exam: 26 September, 2026
• Presentation of research proposals in person at NLU Tripura campus: 5 October, 2026
• Declaration of candidates selected for NLUT Ph.D. programme: 6 October, 2026
• Last date to take admission to the Ph.D. programme by paying applicable fees: 15 October, 2026
• Commencement of coursework classes: 26 October, 2026

• Detailed Advertisement & Application Link
• NLU Tripura Website