Content Curator | J/hVSQ

The Ph.D. (Engineering) Part Time programme at the Institute of Technology, Nirma University, Ahmedabad is a doctoral research programme designed specifically for working professionals who wish to pursue advanced research alongside their employment. Offered under the Faculty of Technology and Engineering, the programme covers disciplines including Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. The programme spans a minimum of 3 years and requires candidates to complete 16 credits of mandatory course work before proceeding to full-time research. The annual fee is Rs. 50,000, and the total first-year cost including all charges is Rs. 1,17,200. Unlike the full-time programme, part-time scholars do not receive a monthly stipend. The programme is popular among industry professionals, faculty members, and government employees who wish to earn a doctoral degree while continuing in their careers.

Admissions for the 2026-27 batch are currently open. The Ph.D. Entrance Examination and Presentation for the Institute of Technology (Part Time) is scheduled for July 22, 2026 (Wednesday) at Nirma University, Ahmedabad. Candidates holding valid GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET scores are exempted from the written entrance test and directly called for the viva-voce/presentation.

Key Points

The Part Time PhD is specifically designed for working professionals, allowing them to pursue doctoral research without leaving their jobs.
The programme is offered across multiple engineering disciplines: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
Candidates with valid GATE, UGC-NET (including JRF), or CSIR-NET scores are exempted from the written entrance test and directly proceed to the viva-voce/presentation stage.
All PhD scholars must complete a mandatory course work of 16 credits before proceeding to full-time research.
Scholars are required to publish at least one paper in a Web of Science/Scopus-indexed journal (Q3 or higher) and present at national/international conferences before thesis submission.
The programme is coordinated by the Faculty of Doctoral Studies and Research (FDSR), which oversees all doctoral programmes across the university.
Part-time scholars are not eligible for the monthly stipend that is available to full-time scholars.

Official Link:

Go To Website

Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

Institute of Technology, Nirma University Ahmedabad Latest Updates and News

17 Mar, 2026 Institute of Technology, Nirma University Ahmedabad Ph.D Engineering Fee Structure 2026 is out. The total academic fee is ₹ 2.18 Lakhs.

20 Feb, 2026 Institute of Technology, Nirma University Ahmedabad PhD Registration 2026-27 is open till May 16 @nirmauni.ac.in. The entrance exam and presentation are tentatively scheduled between Jun 20 & Jul 24, 2026. Check details.

Institute of Technology, Nirma University Ahmedabad Important Events

PhD2

ITNU Ph.D. (Eng.) PT Fees

The fee structure for the Ph.D. (Engineering) Part Time programme at Nirma University for 2026-27 is Rs. 50,000 per annum, which is higher than the full-time programme (Rs. 40,000 per annum) to account for the flexible study arrangement. The total first-year fee including all one-time charges and refundable security deposit is Rs. 1,17,200. Unlike full-time scholars, part-time scholars do not receive a monthly stipend, so the full fee is borne by the candidate.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount
Annual Fee (Per Annum)	Rs. 50,000
Course Work Fee (One Time)	Rs. 15,000
Initial Post-Graduation Registration Fee (One Time)	Rs. 1,000
Course Work Examination Fee (at time of course work submission)	Rs. 1,200
Viva Voce Examination Fee (at time of thesis submission)	Rs. 20,000
Total Other Fees	Rs. 37,200
Refundable Security Deposit (One Time)	Rs. 30,000
Total First Year Fee	Rs. 1,17,200
Eligibility Certificate (if required, One Time)	Rs. 1,000

The refundable security deposit of Rs. 30,000 is returned at the time of leaving the programme.
The Course Work Fee (Rs. 15,000) is a one-time charge payable at the time of admission.
The Course Work Examination Fee (Rs. 1,200) is payable at the time of submission of course work.
The Viva Voce Examination Fee (Rs. 20,000) is payable at the time of thesis submission.
Application processing fee is Rs. 1,250 (non-refundable), payable online at the time of application.
Part-time scholars are not eligible for the monthly stipend available to full-time scholars.

Fee Structure As Per Official Website:

ITNU Ph.D. (Eng.) PT Admission 2026-27

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Engineering) Part Time programme for 2026-27 are currently open. The Ph.D. Entrance Examination and Presentation for the Institute of Technology (both Full Time and Part Time) is scheduled for July 22, 2026. Candidates with valid GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET scores are exempted from the written test. The final selection is based on 70% weightage to the entrance test and 30% to the viva-voce/presentation. Candidates are advised to apply online at admissions-phd.nirmauni.ac.in and regularly check the official FDSR website for updates.

Ph.D. Admission Schedule

Event	Date/Details
PhD Admissions 2026 Advertisement Published	March 25, 2026
Online Application Open	Ongoing (apply at admissions-phd.nirmauni.ac.in)
Application Processing Fee	Rs. 1,250 (non-refundable, online payment)
Written Test and Presentation - Institute of Technology (Full Time and Part Time)	July 22, 2026 (Wednesday), In-Person at Nirma University, Ahmedabad
Written Test and Presentation - Institute of Management (Full Time Only)	June 20, 2026 (Saturday)
Written Test and Presentation - Institute of Management (Part Time Only)	July 24, 2026 (Friday)
Result / Merit List Declaration	To be announced after entrance test
Commencement of Programme	To be announced (tentatively August 2026)

Entrance Exam Exemptions

Exam	Exemption Status
GATE (valid score)	Exempted from written entrance test; directly called for viva-voce
UGC-NET including JRF (Category 1)	Exempted from written test; awarded full marks of written test
UGC-NET (Categories 2 and 3)	Valid for one year; marks considered in final merit
CSIR-NET including JRF	Exempted from written entrance test; directly called for viva-voce

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

A Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline from a recognised university with at least 55% marks in aggregate (or equivalent grade).
OR a 4-year Bachelor's degree programme or equivalent in a relevant discipline from a recognised university with at least 75% marks in aggregate (or equivalent grade).
OR an MPhil degree from a recognised university with at least 55% marks in aggregate (or equivalent grade).
Candidates appearing in the final year of their qualifying examination may also apply, subject to furnishing proof of eligibility at the time of joining.

Admission Process

Apply online at admissions-phd.nirmauni.ac.in by paying the non-refundable application fee of Rs. 1,250.
Eligible candidates are called for the written entrance test (50% qualifying marks required); syllabus consists of 50% Research Methodology and 50% subject-specific content.
Candidates with valid GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET scores are exempted from the written test and directly called for viva-voce.
Shortlisted candidates appear for a viva-voce/presentation before the Departmental Research Committee, discussing their research interest and proposed area of work.
Final merit is computed as 70% weightage to written test + 30% weightage to viva-voce performance.
Selected candidates are allocated a Research Supervisor by the Departmental Research Committee based on specialisation and research interests.
All admitted scholars must complete 16 credits of mandatory course work before proceeding to full-time research.

ITNU Ph.D. (Eng.) PT Scholarships 2026-27

Part-time PhD scholars at Nirma University are not eligible for the monthly stipend that is available to full-time scholars. However, the university does offer certain financial support mechanisms that part-time scholars may explore. The programme is primarily self-funded, and many part-time scholars are sponsored by their employers or funded through external research grants.

Stipend Categories

Category	Stipend/Support
Part-Time PhD Scholars (all faculties)	Not eligible for monthly stipend
Full-Time PhD Scholars - Technology and Pharmacy (for reference)	Rs. 26,290/month (Years 1-2); Rs. 30,030/month (Year 3 onwards)
External Funding (SERB, DST, CSIR, etc.)	Scholars may apply independently for external research grants

Part-time scholars are not eligible for the university's monthly stipend programme.
Scholars who transition from part-time to full-time status (subject to university approval) may become eligible for the stipend.
Many part-time scholars are sponsored by their employers, particularly those working in industry or academic institutions.
External funding from agencies such as SERB, DST, CSIR, and AICTE may be available to part-time scholars for specific research projects.

Institute of Technology, Nirma University Ahmedabad Ph.D Engineering Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#131 out of 500 in India 2025

#1st in Ahmedabad

#6 in Gujarat

Do you think the Rankings are wrong ? Report Here

ITNU Ph.D. (Eng.) PT FAQs

Ques. Who is the Part Time PhD in Engineering at Nirma University best suited for?

Ans. The Part Time PhD is best suited for working professionals such as industry engineers, faculty members at colleges or polytechnics, government scientists, and R&D professionals who wish to earn a doctoral degree without leaving their current employment. The programme allows candidates to pursue research at their own pace while continuing their professional careers. Many part-time scholars at Nirma University are faculty members from affiliated colleges or engineers from companies in the Ahmedabad-Gujarat industrial belt.

Ques. What is the difference in fees between the Full Time and Part Time PhD in Engineering at Nirma University?

Ans. The annual fee for the Full Time PhD is Rs. 40,000 per annum, while the Part Time PhD costs Rs. 50,000 per annum. Additionally, the Part Time programme has a one-time Course Work Fee of Rs. 15,000 (compared to no such separate charge for Full Time), and a higher refundable security deposit of Rs. 30,000 (vs. Rs. 15,000 for Full Time). The total first-year cost for Part Time is Rs. 1,17,200 compared to Rs. 82,200 for Full Time. Importantly, part-time scholars do not receive the monthly stipend of Rs. 26,290 that full-time scholars receive.

Ques. Is GATE score required for Part Time PhD admission at Nirma University?

Ans. GATE score is not mandatory for Part Time PhD admission. However, candidates with a valid GATE score are exempted from the university's written entrance test and are directly called for the viva-voce/presentation stage. Candidates without GATE/NET scores must appear for the university's own entrance test, which has a qualifying threshold of 50%. The final merit is computed as 70% written test + 30% viva-voce.

Ques. What is the minimum duration of the Part Time PhD programme at Nirma University?

Ans. The minimum duration for the Part Time PhD programme at Nirma University is 3 years from the date of registration, same as the Full Time programme. However, in practice, part-time scholars often take longer to complete the programme due to their professional commitments. All scholars must complete 16 credits of mandatory course work before proceeding to full-time research.

Ques. Can a Part Time PhD Scholar at Nirma University switch to Full Time mode?

Ans. Yes, it is possible to switch from Part Time to Full Time mode, subject to the approval of the Departmental Research Committee and the Dean of the Faculty of Doctoral Studies and Research. Upon switching to Full Time mode, the scholar may become eligible for the monthly stipend. Candidates are advised to contact the FDSR office (phd.section@nirmauni.ac.in) for specific procedures and conditions.

Ques. What are the publication requirements for Part Time PhD scholars at Nirma University?

Ans. The publication requirements are the same for both Full Time and Part Time scholars. Before submitting the thesis, a scholar must publish at least one research paper in a refereed journal indexed in Web of Science or Scopus (Q3 or higher category) and make two paper presentations at reputed national/international conferences. Alternatively, the scholar may publish at least two research papers in refereed journals indexed in Web of Science/Scopus and make one conference presentation. Evidence in the form of presentation certificates and/or reprints must be submitted along with the thesis.