University of Kerala PhD Admission 2025 (July)

Applications are invited from eligible candidates of Indian Nationals for online registration to Full-time / Part-time research leading to the Award of Ph.D. Degree of the University of Kerala, for the July 2025 Session

Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates who have qualified the following criteria are eligible for Ph.D. Registration:
  • Master’s Degree programme with either 1-year/2-semester duration after a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor’s Degree programme or a 2-year/4-semester Master’s Degree programme after a 3-year Bachelor’s Degree programme or qualifications declared equivalent to the Master’s Degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed.
  • Provided that a candidate seeking admission after a (4-year/8-semester) Bachelor’s Degree programme should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed.
• Qualified in the entrance test conducted by this University or National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by the UGC/CSIR /ICAR/ICMR or GATE or State Level Eligibility Test conducted by the Kerala Government or Fellowship awarded by the Central and State Govt. Departments/Agencies approved by the University. Candidates who qualified the NET examination in any of the three categories mentioned under the Public Notice, dated 27.03.2024, issued by the UGC are also eligible for admission to Ph.D. programme.
  • Category-1 include eligibility for Award of JRF, Appointment as Assistant Professor and Admission to Ph.D.
  • Category-2 include eligibility for Appointment as Assistant Professor and Admission to Ph.D.
  • Category-3 include eligibility for Admission to Ph.D. only.
  • The validity period of the above qualification (if any) prescribed by the concerned agencies shall be considered, while granting admission.
• Candidates who have passed the M.Phil Degree Programme with a minimum of Grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7-point scale (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent. The M.Phil Degree shall be in the discipline concerned for which the applicant is seeking registration and M.Phil Degree shall be obtained from a University recognised by University of Kerala.
• Candidates possessing an equivalent qualification, from a foreign Educational Institution, accredited by an Assessment and Accreditation Agency which is approved, recognized or authorized by an authority, established or incorporated under a law in its home country or any other statutory authority in that country to accredit or assure quality and standards of educational institutions, shall be eligible for admission to Ph.D programme.
• A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the State Government / University from time to time.
• The relaxation of 5% marks/grade to the categories mentioned under (4) above are calculated only on the marks/Grade obtained in the qualifying examination. No weightage/ grace marks shall be added to the marks obtained in the qualifying examination other than the marks/grade mentioned in the mark list.

Exemption from Entrance Test

The following categories are exempted from qualifying the entrance test for registration to Ph.D.

• Teachers of University/ Govt./ Aided College (Regular), having 7 or more years of teaching experience are exempted from the entrance test.
• Scientists working in approved research laboratories either owned or managed by the Central/State Government or in Autonomous Research Institute of National Status, with 7 years experience as Grade Scientists having two research papers published in recognized research journals of the subject concerned approved by the UGC.
• Those candidates who qualify UGC-NET/JRF, UGC-CSIR-NET/JRF, DBT/JRF, DST-INSPIRE, SLET, GATE and Research Fellowships of Central or State Government Departments/ Agencies approved by the University, as the case may be.
• Teacher Fellowship holders and M.Phil Degree holders seeking registration for Ph.D. shall be required to qualify Entrance Test in case registration is sought in a different discipline other than that specialized at PG/M.Phil Degree levels respectively.
• Awardees of DST Women Scientist Scheme by the Department of Science & Technology (DST)
• Candidates who have passed the M.Phil Programme with a minimum of Grade ‘B’ in the UGC 7-point scale (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent.
• Awardees of VSSC-JRF/UGC-NFSC/UGC-NFOBC/UGC-NFPwD.

Admission Process

• The admission shall be based on the criteria notified by the University, keeping in view the guidelines/norms in this regard issued by the UGC and other statutory/regulatory bodies concerned, and taking into account the reservation policy of the State Government from time to time. The mode of implementation of the reservation policy in the admission for Ph.D. programme shall be based on the University orders issued in this regard from time to time.
• The registration for Ph.D shall be granted only on the basis of merit and subject to the availability of vacancies with the supervising teachers and as per the norms and regulations framed by the University in accordance with the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for the Award of Ph.D Degrees) Regulations 2022.
• Selection of the candidates to the Ph.D. programme shall be based on either of the following methods as applicable to the candidates: shall be
  • Selection of students who qualify the fellowship/scholarship in UGC-NET/UGC-CSIR NET/GATE/CEED and similar National level tests / State level tests approved by the University exclusively for this purpose shall be based on an interview by the Doctoral Committee concerned.
  • The selection of candidates who have qualified M.Phil Degree and Ph.D. entrance examination conducted by the University shall be based on an interview provided that for the selection of candidates who qualify the entrance test conducted by the University, a weightage of 70% for the entrance test and 30% for the performance in the interview / viva-voce shall be given. (Not applicable to the candidates who have passed Ph.D. entrance examination conducted by the University prior to January 2024).
• Candidates called for the initial screening and subsequent presentation before the Doctoral Committee, will be intimated through the email address provided in the application form. In case of candidates are less in number, no screening will be conducted.
• The candidates who fail to attend the initial screening process shall not be considered for further procedures to the admission for Ph.D. Research.

Application Process

• Candidates are requested to visit official website of Research Portal of University of Kerala: www.research.keralauniversity.ac.in
• Click on the Login/Register.
• If not registered, choose register option and enter your name, mobile number and email number carefully. You may then click to register. An email with login credentials will be sent to the entered email id.
• If already registered, then login to the portal and complete the one-time profile asper guidelines mentioned in the portal.
• All relevant documents proving qualification and eligibility should be uploaded before submitting the profile.
• Please ensure that the details entered are correct before submission. Please note that details cannot be edited once submitted.
• Candidate can pay the registration fee only through the online payment facility by clicking on “Proceed to pay” button; no other mode of payment will be accepted. Please note that Fees once paid will not be refunded.

Applications should be submitted online www.research.keralauniversity.ac.in, more details can be had from ‘How to apply’ in the home page of the portal.

• Candidates who wish to apply for Ph.D. registration in the subjects which are not offered at the University Departments shall submit the print outs of the applications along with all supporting documents to the Registrar, University of Kerala on or before 16.07.2025.
• UGC/CSIR-JRF/DBT-JRF/DST-JRF (INSPIRE) / GATE / UGC-MANF / VSSC-JRF / UGC-NFSC/UGC-NFOBC/UGC-NFPWD/KSCSTE/DST (Women Scientist) qualified candidates who were permitted to join for Ph.D. research, after the last date of submitting application called for in the previous session of Ph.D. registration i.e. January 2025 session shall submit their online application in this session, without fail.
• In case of subjects which are not given access for online registration due to non availability of vacancies, the UGC-JRF awardees and other similar candidates as mentioned above, who were given provisional admission for doing research without prior registration through the portal, such candidates are directed to submit a request duly recommended by the Supervisor and the concerned Doctoral Committee Chairman, specifying the details of provisional admission, to the office of the Registrar on or before 10/07/2025.

The last date for receipt of duly filled online applications is 15 July 2025 (5  PM)

• Notification
• Vacancies 
• Application
• University of Kerala Website