The University of Delhi (DU) has announced the eligibility criteria, exam pattern and syllabus for PhD admissions in 2026. According to the notification eligible candidates can apply for PhD programmes through the entrance examination.
Candidates who have completed a four-year or eight-semester undergraduate degree under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022 can apply for admission.
Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- General category: A minimum CGPA of 7.5.
- SC, ST and PwBD categories: A minimum CGPA of 7.0.
- Research work: Candidates must have completed a dissertation, academic project or entrepreneurship-related work during the fourth year of their undergraduate programme.
Candidates should check the official admission notification for complete eligibility details before applying.
The entrance examination will be conducted for two hours and carry a total of 100 marks. The question paper will have two sections.
- Research Methodology (50 marks): This section will consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to test candidates' understanding of research methods.
- Subject-Specific Section (50 marks): This section will include descriptive questions based on the candidate's dissertation, academic project or entrepreneurship-related work.
The university has also introduced negative marking for the MCQ section. Candidates will lose 25 per cent of the marks assigned to a question for every incorrect answer.
Candidates must secure the minimum qualifying marks in the entrance examination to become eligible for the interview.
- General category: At least 50% marks in the entrance exam.
- SC, ST and PwBD categories: At least 45% marks.
Candidates who qualify for the interview must submit their dissertation, academic project report or entrepreneurship report before the interview.
The final selection will be based on the candidate's performance in both the entrance examination and the interview. The written examination will carry 70 per cent weightage, while the interview will account for the remaining 30 per cent.
The University of Delhi has released a common Research Methodology syllabus for PhD entrance examinations across different subjects. Candidates can check the syllabus on the official admission portal at admission.uod.ac.in.
Candidates who have qualified examinations such as UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE or CEED must follow the relevant admission process and use their qualifying examination scores instead of appearing for this entrance test, as applicable.
The university has extended the application deadline for PhD admission to October 20, 2026. The dates for the entrance examination will be announced separately.
