Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 30, 2026

Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC), Belagavi, a constituent college of KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER) - a NAAC A+ accredited Deemed-to-be-University - offers a Ph.D. in Paediatrics under its Faculty of Medicine (Clinical - Medicine and Allied Subjects). The programme has a minimum duration of 3 years and is available in both Full-Time and Part-Time (Internal/External) modes. The total fees for the first year range from Rs. 24,000 (Part-Time Internal/KLE employees) to Rs. 90,000 (Full-Time, Non-KLE candidates), with only tuition fees payable in subsequent years. Admission is through the KAHER PhD Entrance Examination followed by a personal interview, conducted twice a year (Batch A in January and Batch B in June). The Department of Paediatrics at JNMC is a highly active research department, with faculty publishing in national and international journals on topics including neonatal care, paediatric neurology, infectious diseases in children, nutritional disorders, and developmental paediatrics.

Admissions for the 2026-27 Batch A (January cycle) are currently closed, with applications having been accepted in December 2025. The next admission cycle - Batch B (June 2026) - is expected to open in April 2026 (second week), based on the established annual calendar. Candidates are advised to monitor the official KAHER website (kaher.edu.in) for the upcoming Batch B notification.

Key Points

Ph.D. in Paediatrics is offered under the Faculty of Medicine (Clinical - Medicine and Allied Subjects) at JNMC, a constituent college of KAHER Deemed University, Belagavi.
The programme is available in Full-Time (minimum 3 years) and Part-Time Internal/External (minimum 3 years) modes; maximum duration is 6 years (extendable up to 8 years).
As of 2026-27, the approved PhD guide for Paediatrics at JNMC is Dr. Mahesh Kamate, Professor, Department of Paediatrics.
Admission is conducted twice a year - Batch A (January) and Batch B (June) - through a university-level entrance exam and interview.
The KAHER PhD Entrance Test consists of 50% Research Methodology and 50% subject-specific questions; candidates must score a minimum of 50% to qualify for the interview.
Prior to thesis submission, scholars must publish at least 2 research papers in SCOPUS/PubMed/Web of Science/UGC-listed journals and present at 2 conferences.
Full-time scholars may be assigned up to 6 hours per week of teaching/research assistantship.
Female PhD scholars and Persons with Disabilities (more than 40% disability) are eligible for an additional 2-year relaxation in programme duration.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

JNMC Ph.D. (Paediatrics) Fees

The Ph.D. (Paediatrics) programme at JNMC Belagavi falls under the Health Sciences category for fee purposes. Full-Time (Non-KLE) candidates pay Rs. 90,000 in the first year, which includes registration, tuition, orientation, defence/viva-voce, and eligibility fees. From the second year onwards, only the annual tuition fee of Rs. 60,000 is applicable, bringing the total for a minimum 3-year programme to Rs. 2,10,000. Part-Time External candidates pay Rs. 59,000 in Year 1 and Rs. 35,000 per year thereafter (total Rs. 1,29,000 for 3 years), while Part-Time Internal (KLE employees) pay only one-time charges totalling Rs. 24,000 with no annual tuition.

Fee Breakup - Year 1 (2026-27 Batch A onwards)

Fee Component	Full-Time (Non-KLE)	Part-Time External	Part-Time Internal (KLE)
Registration Fees (one-time)	Rs. 8,000	Rs. 4,000	Rs. 4,000
Tuition Fees (per year)	Rs. 60,000	Rs. 35,000	NIL
Orientation Course (one-time)	Rs. 8,000	Rs. 8,000	Rs. 8,000
Defence and Viva-Voce (one-time)	Rs. 12,000	Rs. 12,000	Rs. 12,000
Eligibility Fees (one-time)	Rs. 2,000	Not Applicable	Not Applicable
Total (Year 1)	Rs. 90,000	Rs. 59,000	Rs. 24,000

Subsequent Years (Tuition Fees only)

Category	Annual Tuition Fees
Full-Time (Non-KLE)	Rs. 60,000 per year
Part-Time External	Rs. 35,000 per year
Part-Time Internal (KLE)	NIL

Total Fees (Minimum 3-Year Programme)

Category	Total Fees (3 Years)
Full-Time (Non-KLE)	Rs. 2,10,000
Part-Time External	Rs. 1,29,000
Part-Time Internal (KLE)	Rs. 24,000

Hostel facility is available on campus but is optional and not included in the above fees.
Hostel charges are to be paid separately as per actuals.
Fees are to be paid on or before 31st January (Batch A) and 31st July (Batch B) each year up to thesis submission.
Late fees will be applicable for payments made after the stipulated date.
Candidates who discontinue the programme are liable to pay the entire course fee.
Full-time scholars who receive financial assistance from the university and fail to continue the programme must refund the entire scholarship and contingency amount.

JNMC Ph.D. (Paediatrics) Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Paediatrics) programme at JNMC Belagavi are conducted twice a year by KAHER - Batch A in January and Batch B in June. The selection process involves a written entrance examination followed by a personal interview. For the 2026-27 Batch A, applications were accepted in December 2025 and the process is now closed. The upcoming Batch B (June 2026) cycle is expected to open in April 2026. Candidates are advised to regularly check the official KAHER website (kaher.edu.in) for notifications.

KAHER PhD Admission Calendar (2026-27 Batch A - Completed and Batch B - Upcoming/Tentative)

Event	Batch A (January Cycle) - 2026-27	Batch B (June Cycle) - 2026 (Tentative)
Issue of Admission Notification	November 2025 (II week)	April 2026 (II week)
Scrutiny of Applications	December 2025 (II week)	May 2026 (II week)
Online Application Availability	December 2025	May 2026
Last Date for Online Application	December 2025	May/June 2026
PhD Entrance Examination	January 2026 (I week)	June 2026 (I week)
Declaration of Entrance Result	January 2026 (IV week)	June 2026 (IV week)
PhD Interview	February 2026 (II week)	July 2026 (II week)
Release of Selection List and Admission	February 2026 (IV week)	July 2026 (IV week)
Joining of Scholars / Batch Commencement	March 2026 (I week)	August 2026 (I week)
Commencement of Coursework	March 2026 (I week)	August 2026 (I week)

Note: Batch A 2026-27 admissions are closed. Batch B dates are tentative and based on the official KAHER PhD Calendar of Events. Candidates must check kaher.edu.in for the official Batch B notification.

Entrance Exam Details

Exam	Conducting Body	Relevance	Mode
KAHER PhD Entrance Test	KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research (KAHER)	Mandatory for all PhD admissions at JNMC/KAHER	Offline (Written Test at JNMC Campus, Belagavi)

Note: There is no national-level entrance exam required for PhD Paediatrics at KAHER/JNMC. The university conducts its own entrance test. Candidates holding UGC-NET/SLET/CSIR or ICMR Fellowship are eligible as full-time research scholars as per UGC norms.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold an MD (Paediatrics) or equivalent postgraduate medical degree (MD/DNB or equivalent) from a recognized university with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate (50% for SC/ST/OBC/Differently-abled candidates).
Candidates with UGC-NET/SLET/CSIR or ICMR Fellowship with the necessary qualification for the concerned discipline are eligible as full-time research scholars.
Part-Time Internal candidates must be faculty members in constituent colleges of KAHER; Part-Time External candidates must be faculty/professionals at other recognized institutions with a valid NOC from their employer.

Admission Process

KAHER issues a notification (twice a year) on its official website and in national/regional newspapers.
Candidates apply online through the prescribed application form available on the KAHER website.
Eligible candidates appear for the KAHER PhD Entrance Test (50% Research Methodology + 50% Subject-specific questions) at JNMC Campus, Belagavi.
Candidates scoring a minimum of 50% in the entrance test (45% for SC/ST/OBC/EWS/Differently-abled) are called for a personal interview.
Final selection is based on merit: 70% weightage for entrance test score + 30% weightage for interview performance. A minimum combined score of 50 out of 100 is required.
Selected candidates are allotted a Research Supervisor (Guide) from the approved list; as of 2026-27, Dr. Mahesh Kamate (Professor, Department of Paediatrics, JNMC) is the approved guide for Paediatrics.
Admitted scholars must pay fees and report to the Principal of the respective college through the Supervisor and Head of Department.

JNMC Ph.D. (Paediatrics) Scholarships 2026

KAHER provides financial assistance to deserving full-time PhD scholars in the form of scholarships and contingency grants, subject to recommendation by the competent authority/committee. The scholarship is available for Senior Research Fellows (post MD/MS/MDS) and Junior Research Fellows, making the programme financially accessible for meritorious full-time candidates. Scholars receiving funding from any other external agency are not eligible for KAHER's scholarship.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Financial Assistance	Category	Amount	Duration
Senior Research Fellowship (SRF)	Full-Time scholars with post MD/MS/MDS qualification	Rs. 40,000 per month	Up to 33 months (subject to clearing Pre-PhD exam in first attempt)
Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)	Full-Time scholars (others)	Rs. 20,000 per month	Up to 33 months (subject to clearing Pre-PhD exam in first attempt)
Contingency Grant	All Full-Time scholars	Rs. 50,000 per year	Up to 2 years

Scholarship and contingency are granted based on the recommendation of the competent authority/committee and are not automatically awarded to all scholars.
Scholars receiving financial support from any other agency (e.g., ICMR, DST, DBT) are not eligible for KAHER's scholarship and contingency.
Scholarship is granted for a period of 33 months, subject to clearance of the Pre-PhD Examination in the first attempt.
Contingency is provided for 2 years to support research-related expenses.
Full-time scholars who fail to continue the programme must refund the entire scholarship and contingency amount received.
No separate government scholarships (state or central) specific to this programme have been officially notified; candidates from reserved categories may explore UGC/ICMR fellowship schemes independently.

JNMC Belagavi Ph.D Paediatrics Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#379 out of 632 in India 2025

#34th in Karnataka

Indiatoday Ranking

#39 out of 54 in India 2025

#9th in Karnataka

IIRF Ranking

#22 out of 57 in Top Private Colleges in India 2025

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JNMC Ph.D. (Paediatrics) FAQs

Ques. Is an MD (Paediatrics) mandatory to apply for PhD Paediatrics at JNMC, or can an MBBS candidate apply?

Ans. An MD (Paediatrics) or equivalent postgraduate degree is mandatory. MBBS alone does not qualify a candidate for PhD in Paediatrics at JNMC/KAHER. The minimum requirement is a postgraduate medical degree (MD/DNB or equivalent) with at least 55% marks in aggregate (50% for reserved category candidates).

Ques. What research areas does the Paediatrics department at JNMC Belagavi focus on for PhD work?

Ans. The Department of Paediatrics at JNMC has a strong research tradition. Key research areas include paediatric neurology (epilepsy, developmental disorders, metabolic neurological diseases), neonatal care and neonatology, paediatric infectious diseases, nutritional disorders and growth, paediatric haematology and oncology, and evidence-based paediatric practice. Dr. Mahesh Kamate, the approved PhD guide, is particularly known for research in paediatric neurology and metabolic disorders.

Ques. How many PhD scholars can the approved guide in Paediatrics at JNMC supervise simultaneously?

Ans. As per KAHER rules, a Professor can guide a maximum of 8 PhD scholars at any given time. As of 2026-27, Dr. Mahesh Kamate (Professor, Paediatrics) is the approved guide. Prospective candidates are advised to contact the department directly to check current guide availability before applying.

Ques. Can a candidate from outside Karnataka apply for PhD Paediatrics at JNMC Belagavi?

Ans. Yes. Full-Time PhD candidates from any recognized university across India (and internationally) are eligible to apply. Part-Time External candidates must be employed at a recognized institution and obtain an NOC from their employer. There is no state-level domicile restriction for PhD admissions at KAHER/JNMC.

Ques. What is the minimum attendance requirement during PhD coursework at KAHER?

Ans. Scholars must maintain a minimum of 80% attendance during the Pre-PhD coursework period. The coursework spans approximately one year and includes in-person sessions (Biostatistics, Title Presentation) as well as online/hybrid sessions (Research Methodology, Health Research Fundamentals, Research and Publication Ethics). Failure to meet attendance requirements may affect eligibility to appear for the Pre-PhD examination.

Ques. Is it possible to pursue PhD Paediatrics on a part-time basis while working as a paediatrician at another hospital?

Ans. Yes, through the Part-Time External category. Candidates employed at other recognized institutions can enroll as Part-Time External research scholars, provided they obtain an NOC from their employer confirming they are permitted to pursue studies on a part-time basis. They must spend a minimum of 8 hours per week with their research guide at JNMC/KAHER. Part-time PhD is not offered through distance or online mode; physical presence at the institution is required.