Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 30, 2026

Ph.D. (Botany) at St Thomas' College, Thrissur is a full-time doctoral research programme offered through the Department of Botany, which is a recognised Research Centre under the University of Calicut. The programme has a minimum duration of 3 years and covers advanced research in areas such as plant taxonomy, plant physiology, ethnobotany, plant biotechnology, mycology, and environmental botany. The college holds NAAC A++ accreditation and NIRF Rank 53, and the Department of Botany is a DBT STAR College-funded department, reflecting its strong research infrastructure. Admission is conducted through the Calicut University Centralised PhD Admission Process.

The Calicut University PhD 2026 admission cycle is currently active. The shortlist for Stage II (interview/viva-voce) has been published, with interviews scheduled from March 9 to 13, 2027. For the 2027 cycle, the notification is expected around December 2027 (tentative).

Key Points:

Department of Botany at St Thomas' College is a recognised Research Centre under the University of Calicut
The college is a DBT STAR College and RUSA-funded institution, supporting strong science research infrastructure
Candidates with UGC-NET/JRF, M.Phil, CSIR JRF, GATE, or PhD INSPIRE Fellowship are eligible to apply directly without the entrance test
Both full-time and part-time modes of PhD are available under Calicut University regulations
Seat intake is as per the number of vacancies notified by the university each year

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

St Thomas' College Ph.D. (Botany) Fees

The PhD programme at St Thomas' College, Thrissur follows the fee structure prescribed by the University of Calicut. Fees are paid at the time of registration and annually thereafter.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (INR)
Registration Fee (one-time)	As per Calicut University norms
Course Work Fee	As per Calicut University norms
Annual Research Fee	As per Calicut University norms
Total Fees (Approx.)	As per Calicut University norms

Exact fee details are published in the Calicut University PhD notification each year.
Candidates are advised to check the official notification at admission.uoc.ac.in.
JRF/SRF awardees may be eligible for fee waivers as per UGC/CSIR norms.
No hostel fee is mandatory; hostel availability is subject to the college's accommodation policy.

St Thomas' College Ph.D. (Botany) Admission 2026

Admissions to Ph.D. (Botany) at St Thomas' College are conducted through the Calicut University Centralised PhD Admission Process. The process involves a written entrance test (Stage I) followed by an interview/viva-voce (Stage II) at the respective research centre. The PhD 2026 cycle is currently in Stage II, with interviews at St Thomas' College scheduled for March 9-13, 2027.

Admission Dates

Event	Date (2026 Actual / 2027 Tentative)
PhD Notification Released	December 2026 / December 2027 (Tentative)
Online Application Opens	December 2026 / December 2027 (Tentative)
Last Date for Application	December 22, 2026 / December 2027 (Tentative)
Shortlist (Stage I) Published	March 2027 / March 2028 (Tentative)
Stage II Interview/Viva-Voce at St Thomas' College	March 9-13, 2027 / March 2028 (Tentative)
Admission and Registration	After interview, as per university schedule

Entrance Exam Details

Exam	Details
Calicut University PhD Entrance Test	Written test conducted by University of Calicut; subject-specific syllabus for Botany
UGC-NET/JRF (Life Sciences/Botany)	Candidates with valid UGC-NET/JRF are exempted from the entrance test
CSIR-NET/JRF (Life Sciences)	Candidates with valid CSIR-NET/JRF are also exempted

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must hold a Master's degree (M.Sc. in Botany or equivalent) with a minimum of 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD candidates) from a recognised university.
Candidates with UGC-NET/JRF, M.Phil, CSIR JRF, GATE, or PhD INSPIRE Fellowship are eligible to apply directly without appearing in the entrance test.
Permanent faculty members of affiliated colleges are also eligible to apply directly as per Calicut University Research Regulations.

Admission Process:

Apply online through the Calicut University PhD portal at phd.uoc.ac.in during the notification period.
Pay the application fee online as specified in the notification.
Appear for the written entrance test (Stage I) if not exempted.
Shortlisted candidates are called for interview/viva-voce (Stage II) at the respective research centre (St Thomas' College, Thrissur for Botany).
Final selection is based on the combined performance in the entrance test and interview, as per the Research Admission Council's decision.
Selected candidates must register with the university and pay the prescribed fees to commence research.

St Thomas' College Ph.D. (Botany) Scholarships 2026

Doctoral students at St Thomas' College, Thrissur can avail of several fellowship and scholarship schemes that support research. The college actively facilitates access to these schemes through its scholarship wing.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Eligibility	Amount / Benefit
UGC-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	Candidates who qualify UGC-NET with JRF in Life Sciences/Botany	Rs 37,000/month (JRF) + HRA; Rs 42,000/month (SRF) + HRA
CSIR-JRF (Life Sciences)	Candidates who qualify CSIR-NET with JRF	Rs 37,000/month (JRF) + HRA
PhD INSPIRE Fellowship (DST)	Students with exceptional academic record in science	Rs 80,000/year
Maulana Azad National Fellowship	Minority community PhD students	Rs 37,000/month (JRF) + contingency grant
Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship	SC/ST PhD students	Rs 37,000/month (JRF) + contingency grant
e-Grantz Scholarship (Kerala Government)	Students from Kerala with family income below prescribed limit	As per scheme norms

CSIR-JRF (Life Sciences) is the most relevant fellowship for Botany PhD students.
Fellowship amounts are subject to revision by UGC/CSIR/DST from time to time.
Applications for government fellowships are made through the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in) or the respective agency's portal.
Students are advised to check the college scholarship wing and official portals for updated deadlines.

St Thomas' College Thrissur Ph.D Botany Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#158 out of 277 in India 2025

#7th in Kerala

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St Thomas' College Ph.D. (Botany) FAQs

Ques. Is there an entrance exam for PhD (Botany) at St Thomas' College, Thrissur?

Ans. Yes, admission is through the Calicut University Centralised PhD Admission Process, which includes a written entrance test (Stage I) and an interview/viva-voce (Stage II). However, candidates with UGC-NET/JRF, CSIR-NET/JRF, M.Phil, GATE, or PhD INSPIRE Fellowship are exempted from the entrance test and can apply directly.

Ques. What research areas are available for PhD (Botany) at St Thomas' College?

Ans. The Department of Botany has research expertise in plant taxonomy, plant physiology, ethnobotany, plant biotechnology, mycology, and environmental botany. Candidates are advised to contact the research guide to discuss specific research topics before applying.

Ques. What is the minimum duration of the PhD (Botany) programme?

Ans. The minimum duration is 3 years from the date of registration, as per University of Calicut Research Regulations. The maximum duration is typically 6 years (extendable in special cases).

Ques. What fellowships are available for PhD (Botany) students?

Ans. Botany PhD students can avail of CSIR-JRF (Life Sciences), UGC-JRF (Life Sciences), and PhD INSPIRE Fellowship (DST), in addition to state government scholarships like e-Grantz. These fellowships provide monthly stipends ranging from Rs 37,000 to Rs 42,000 plus HRA.

Ques. Is the Department of Botany at St Thomas' College well-equipped for research?

Ans. Yes, the Department of Botany is supported by DBT STAR College funding and RUSA grants, providing well-equipped laboratories and research infrastructure. The college's NAAC A++ accreditation further reflects the quality of its academic and research environment.

Ques. What is the career scope after PhD (Botany) from St Thomas' College?

Ans. PhD (Botany) graduates can pursue careers in academia, research institutions (CSIR, ICAR, DBT-funded labs), pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, environmental consulting, forest departments, and government scientific services. The growing focus on biodiversity conservation and plant biotechnology makes this a relevant research qualification.