Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 30, 2026

Ph.D. at Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU), Rohtak is a full-time research degree programme offered across 43 University Teaching Departments, Institutes, and Centres spanning 10 faculties including Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering, Management, Law, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Interdisciplinary Studies. The programme has a minimum duration of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, with a mandatory coursework component. Admission is primarily through UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE qualification followed by an interview, with an entrance test conducted for subjects where NET is not applicable (such as Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food Technology, and Hotel Management). MDU is a NAAC A+ accredited university ranked 46th among State Public Universities in NIRF 2025 and is the No. 1 university in Haryana. The programme is popular for its strong research infrastructure, 622-acre campus, world-class library, and extensive scholarship support.

Admissions for the 2026-27 session have been completed (registration opened October 23, 2026; classes commenced December 1, 2026). Admissions for the 2027-28 session are expected to open around October-November 2027 (tentative, based on 2026-27 schedule). The university conducts Ph.D. admissions on a bi-annual basis as per UGC guidelines.

Note: The Directorate of Distance Education (now Centre for Distance and Online Education - CDOE) at MDU does not offer Ph.D. through distance mode. The Ph.D. programme is offered through the regular University Teaching Departments (UTDs) on the main campus at Rohtak.

Key Points

Ph.D. is offered across 43 departments covering Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Engineering, Management, Law, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Interdisciplinary Studies.
Admission is primarily based on UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE qualification followed by a departmental interview; entrance test is conducted only for subjects where NET is not applicable.
Part-time Ph.D. is available for working professionals with minimum 2 years of post-graduation experience, subject to submission of a No Objection Certificate from the employer.
The university provides approximately 152 University Research Scholarships annually across 42 departments, with 15 additional scholarships exclusively for SC category students.
MDU has a state-of-the-art Aryabhata Central Instrumentation Laboratory and a Central Animal House to support research activities.
Foreign students can apply under supernumerary seats (2 per faculty member per department) and may appear for interviews through online mode.
The university has received research funding of over Rs. 50 crores in the last five years from agencies including UGC-SAP, DST-FIST, DBT, and ICSSR.

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

DDE MDU Ph.D. Fees

The Ph.D. fee structure at MDU is divided into admission/coursework fees and annual research fees. The fee at the time of admission is Rs. 12,100. Coursework fees vary by faculty: Engineering and Technology programmes have a coursework fee of Rs. 41,140, while other departments have a lower coursework fee. Annual research fees are payable each year after coursework completion. The application processing fee is Rs. 1,600 for General category candidates and Rs. 400 for SC/DSC/BC/PwD candidates of Haryana.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Fee at the time of admission (all departments)	12,100
Ph.D. Coursework Fee (Engineering and Technology)	41,140
Ph.D. Coursework Fee (Other Departments)	As per department (approx. 20,000-30,000)
Annual Research Fee (per year, after coursework)	As per department (approx. 14,000-20,000)
Application Processing Fee (General)	1,600
Application Processing Fee (SC/DSC/BC/PwD - Haryana)	400
Additional Application Fee (per additional subject)	400 (100 for SC/DSC/BC/PwD Haryana)
Total Fees (approx., non-Engineering, 3 years)	76,400 - 99,880
Total Fees (approx., Engineering, 3 years)	Up to 1,93,000

Fee payment is through online mode only (Net Banking/Debit Card) via the MDU admission portal.
Candidates who are awarded JRF/SRF fellowships by UGC/CSIR/DST etc. may be eligible for fee concessions or waivers as per university norms.
University Research Scholarship holders receive a monthly stipend as per university norms.
Hostel accommodation is available on campus for research scholars at nominal charges.
Fee structure is subject to revision by the university; candidates should verify the latest fee details from the official MDU prospectus before applying.

DDE MDU Ph.D. Admission 2026

Ph.D. admissions at MDU are conducted bi-annually as per UGC guidelines. The primary route is through UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE qualification followed by a departmental interview. For subjects where NET is not conducted (Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food Technology, Hotel Management), an entrance test is conducted by the university. The 2026-27 admission cycle has been completed. The 2027-28 cycle is expected to open around October-November 2027.

MDU Ph.D. Admission Important Dates

Event	Date
Opening of Online Registration	October 23, 2026
Last Date for Online Application	November 7, 2026
Correction Window	November 8-9, 2026
Entrance Test (Pharma, Food Tech, IHTM, UIET)	November 10, 2026
Display of Tentative Merit List	November 15, 2026
Interview - Category 1 NET Qualified Candidates	November 17, 2026
First Counselling	November 19, 2026
Second Counselling (Category 2 NET)	November 24-26, 2026
Third Counselling (Category 3 NET)	December 1-3, 2026
Commencement of Classes	December 1, 2026
Open Counselling for Vacant Seats	December 10, 2026

UGC-NET Exam Details

Event	Details
Exam Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Mode	Computer Based Test (CBT)
Subjects Covered	83+ subjects across Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Commerce, Management, Law, etc.
Eligibility	Master's degree with minimum 55% marks (50% for SC/ST/PwD/OBC-NCL)
Validity	NET score is valid for 3 years for Ph.D. admission purposes

Note: UGC-NET 2027 dates are to be announced by NTA. Candidates should check the official NTA website (nta.ac.in) for the latest schedule.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must have completed a Master's degree in the concerned/allied subject with at least 55% marks in aggregate (50% for SC/BC/PwD/EWS candidates of Haryana).
Candidates with a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor's degree must have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate.
M.Phil. degree holders with at least 55% marks are also eligible.
Candidates must have a valid UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE score for most departments; entrance test qualification is required for Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food Technology, and Hotel Management.

Admission Process

Register online at mduadmission.samarth.edu.in and fill the application form for the desired department(s).
Pay the application processing fee online (Rs. 1,600 for General; Rs. 400 for SC/DSC/BC/PwD Haryana).
Upload all required documents including marksheets, NET/GATE score card, category certificates, and character certificate.
Appear for the departmental interview (or entrance test for applicable subjects) as per the schedule.
Selected candidates must deposit the admission fee online within the stipulated time.
Submit proof of fee payment and required documents to the concerned department.
Part-time Ph.D. candidates must additionally submit a No Objection Certificate from their employer.

DDE MDU Ph.D. Scholarships 2026

MDU provides extensive financial support to Ph.D. scholars through university-funded and government-funded scholarships and fellowships. The university offers approximately 152 University Research Scholarships annually across 42 departments, with 15 additional scholarships exclusively for SC category students. Scholars with JRF/SRF fellowships from UGC, CSIR, DST, DBT, and other agencies also pursue their Ph.D. at MDU.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship/Fellowship	Eligibility	Amount/Benefit
MDU University Research Scholarship	Merit-based, for full-time Ph.D. scholars	Monthly stipend as per university norms
MDU University Research Scholarship (SC Category)	SC category Ph.D. scholars	Monthly stipend as per university norms
UGC-JRF Fellowship	UGC-NET Category 1 qualified candidates	Rs. 37,000/month (JRF), Rs. 42,000/month (SRF)
CSIR-JRF Fellowship	CSIR-NET qualified candidates in Science subjects	Rs. 37,000/month (JRF), Rs. 42,000/month (SRF)
DST-INSPIRE Fellowship	Top 1% in 10+2 and PG, pursuing Ph.D. in Natural Sciences	Rs. 31,000/month + Rs. 20,000 annual contingency
DBT-JRF Fellowship	DBT-BET qualified candidates in Biotechnology	Rs. 37,000/month
Post Matric Scholarship (SC/BC)	SC/BC students from Haryana	As per government norms
Haryana State Merit Scholarship	Merit-based, Haryana domicile students	As per government norms
National Scholarship Portal Schemes	Various categories (SC/ST/OBC/Minority/PwD)	As per respective scheme norms

University Research Scholarship applications are processed through the concerned department at the time of admission.
JRF/SRF fellowship amounts are as per UGC/CSIR norms and are subject to revision.
Scholars receiving external fellowships (JRF/SRF) are not eligible for the MDU University Research Scholarship simultaneously.
Post Matric and other government scholarships are applied through the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in).
The university also offers the Sahyog Scheme and Earn While Learn scheme for needy students through the Dean Students' Welfare office.

DDE MDU Ph.D. FAQs

Q1. Does MDU Rohtak offer Ph.D. through distance mode via the DDE/CDOE?

Ans. No. The Ph.D. programme at MDU is offered only through the regular University Teaching Departments (UTDs) on the main campus at Rohtak. The Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE, formerly DDE) offers only UG and PG programmes (BA, B.Com, MA, M.Com, M.Sc. Mathematics, M.Lib.Sc.) through distance/online mode. Ph.D. requires physical presence for coursework, lab work, and research activities.

Q2. Can I pursue Ph.D. at MDU on a part-time basis while working?

Ans. Yes. MDU offers a Part-Time Ph.D. programme for working professionals with a minimum of 2 years of post-graduation experience. Part-time scholars must submit a No Objection Certificate from their employer and maintain a minimum attendance of 15 days per semester. There is no residency period for part-time scholars, but they must complete the mandatory coursework.

Q3. Which departments at MDU have the highest number of Ph.D. seats?

Ans. Based on the 2026-27 seat matrix, IMSAR (Management) has the highest seats at 69, followed by Mechanical Engineering (24), Law (30), Geography (19), Hindi (17), ECE (16), Computer Science and Applications (16), Pharmaceutical Sciences (16), and English (16).

Q4. Is UGC-NET mandatory for Ph.D. admission at MDU?

Ans. UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE qualification is the primary route for Ph.D. admission at MDU. However, for subjects where NET is not conducted by UGC (such as Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food Technology, and Hotel Management), MDU conducts its own entrance test. Candidates qualifying the entrance test are also eligible for admission.

Q5. What is the stipend for MDU University Research Scholarship holders?

Ans. The exact stipend amount for MDU University Research Scholarship is determined by the university and may vary. Candidates are advised to check the latest prospectus or contact the concerned department for the current stipend amount. Scholars with external fellowships (UGC-JRF: Rs. 37,000/month; CSIR-JRF: Rs. 37,000/month) receive their fellowship directly from the funding agency.

Q6. Can foreign students apply for Ph.D. at MDU Rohtak?

Ans. Yes. Foreign students can apply for Ph.D. at MDU under supernumerary seats (2 per faculty member per department). Foreign students may appear for the interview through online mode. MDU is recognized as an authorized partner institute of the Study in India initiative by the Ministry of Education, Government of India (Institute ID: SII-I-0252). The Centre for International Academic Affairs at MDU provides single-window support for foreign students.