ADBU Ph.D English: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. The PhD in English at ADBU covers a wide range of research areas including Linguistics, American Literature, Gender Studies, Cultural Studies, Race and Body Politics, Language and Literature from North East India, Diaspora Studies, Sociolinguistics, Language Shift and Maintenance, Indian Writing in English, South Asian Literature, Postcolonial Literature, Contemporary British Literature, Ecocriticism, IKS and Literary Imagination, and Folklore Studies. A distinctive feature is the thrust area of Language and Literature from North East India, which is rarely available at other universities and offers unique research opportunities for scholars from the region. The department has been offering PhD in English since 2013 and has active international collaborations.

Ans. Candidates who have qualified NET/GATE or similar national-level tests are exempted from the written entrance test. All other candidates must appear for the written test, which covers Research Methodology and Subject Specific Area. However, all candidates (including those exempted from the written test) must attend the personal interview, where they are required to present a research proposal not exceeding 300 words. The final selection is based on marks/grades in the Master's degree, performance in the written test (if applicable), and performance in the personal interview.

Ans. All candidates admitted to the PhD programme at ADBU must complete a mandatory coursework of one semester (six months) before formal registration as a PhD scholar. Candidates must secure a minimum grade point of 6.00 in the coursework to proceed. The coursework is designed to build research skills and subject knowledge. After successful completion of the coursework, the candidate prepares a detailed research proposal and submits it for approval. Formal registration as a PhD scholar must be completed within 18 months of the date of admission.

Ans. Research scholars at ADBU are required to have at least two research publications co-authored with their supervisor in Scopus Indexed, Web of Science, or peer-reviewed journals, with affiliation to Assam Don Bosco University, before submitting the thesis. A research paper jointly published by two research scholars may be given equal weightage to both, with justification about their contribution by the supervisor. The Department of English at ADBU has a strong publication record, with faculty and students publishing in international journals such as ELE-Praxis and presenting at international conferences.

Ans. The Department of English at ADBU has active international collaborations with universities such as the University of Chester (UK), UNIR (Spain), UALR (USA), Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena (Germany), and DeSales University (USA). The department has co-organised international conferences with institutions such as the Department of Language Education, Kathmandu University, and a special issue of the Journal of English Language Education (ELE-Praxis) emerged from papers presented at one such conference. PhD students can benefit from these collaborations through joint research, conference participation, and access to international academic networks.

Ans. Graduates with a PhD in English from ADBU can pursue careers as Assistant Professors in colleges and universities (PhD holders may be exempted from UGC-NET as per UGC regulations), researchers in academic and research institutions, editors, translators, content strategists, and language consultants. The specialisation in areas such as Postcolonial Literature, Language and Literature from North East India, and Ecocriticism opens up niche research and teaching opportunities. Graduates can also pursue post-doctoral research at national and international institutions. The department's strong track record of UGC-NET qualifiers (including NET JRF) demonstrates the quality of preparation provided.