IIT Bombay PhD & MS (Research) Admissions 2024 has begun. The last date to apply online for PhD at IIT Bombay is April 05 (Without late fees)/ April 10 (With Late fees). IIT Bombay PhD program is a 3-year program offered in 36 specializations. The most popular amongst the offered specializations is the Computer Science Engineering course with cut of up to 660-1000 in the GATE examination. The minimum eligibility required for applying is 60% aggregate marks in a Master’s degree and the selection of the candidate is done based on GATE/ CEED/ UGC-NET exam scores. For the IIT Bombay PhD CSE admissions, the institute conducted 2 tests followed by the final interview round.


IIT Bombay PhD Eligibility Criteria

Given below are the IIT Bombay PhD eligibility criteria for admission in 2024:

  • Candidates applying for PhD programs need to have completed a Master’s degree in arts, commerce, science, technology, or engineering. 
  • Additional requirements include a valid score through GATE/ CEED/ UGC-NET
  • Candidates should be selected through any national-level exams like UGC-NET, IISc, IISER, or IIIT.
  • A minimum of two years of professional experience is required after completing all the aforementioned degrees.

The selection procedure can be categorized into two broad phases: application shortlisting and written/ interview phases.

IIT Bombay Ph.D. Selection Criteria 2024

The selection procedure can be categorized into two broad phases: application shortlisting and written/ interview phases.

Stage 1: Application shortlisting 

  • Shortlisting is done based on previous academic records and GATE/ UGC-NET scores
  • The relaxations are considered based on the Government of India norms which are as follows:

General/ OBC(NC)/ EWS

  • An aggregate of 60% marks or first class in the Master’s degree 
  • Alternatively, a minimum 6.0 CGPA or equivalent on a scale of 10
  • Minimum 55% marks in Master’s degree in Arts, Commerce or allied subjects such as Design and Social Science

ST/ SC/ PWD

  • An aggregate of 55% marks or first-class specified by the University in a Master’s degree
  • Minimum of 5.5 CGPA or equivalent on a scale of 10
  • At least 50% marks in master's degree in arts, commerce, design, or social sciences

Stage 2: Final Selection

  • The final selection is done based on the performance at written tests and personal interviews. This is solely about the Teaching Assistance category. 
  • Written tests are department-specific and students need to apply for written tests according to their research area of interest.
  • Students shortlisted from the written test will be notified and called for an interview.

Note for PWD candidates: PWD candidates can apply for a one-time second-class railway fare for the shortest route between the place of residence and the institute. PWD candidates applying for more than 1 discipline will receive only 1 grant.

Check IIT Bombay Admission

IIT Bombay PhD Application 

The application mode for the IIT Bombay PhD 2024 is Online. Candidates are required to download the PhD brochure online and apply through the given link.

The application fee required for admission is as follows:

  • Women Candidate: INR 150
  • SC/ ST/ PWD categories: INR 150
  • All other candidates: INR 300

How to apply? 

Applications for IIT Bombay PhD admissions are submitted online. Students need to apply through their official website, the steps for which are as follows:

  • Visit the IIT Bombay online portal for PhD admissions.
  • New users need to register with a valid email address and password.
  • The email address will be used as a communication pathway to share details of the application form link.
  • Apply with all the personal details and academic records.
  • Make the payments through net banking, credit cards, or debit cards.
  • Apply.

Note: There are no downloadable forms available. Additionally, no application can be completed without payment of application fees. Students are advised to download a copy of the application submitted for future reference.

Documents required 

  • Scanned copies of Photograph and Signature.
  • Marksheet of last semester/ Consolidated mark sheet of the qualifying degree
  • Caste Certificate (OBC-NC/SC/ST), if applicable. An affidavit for having applied in case the certificate is not yet received.
  • Sponsorship certificate, if applicable. (please upload the Sponsorship Certificate, If not available then attach a Self- Declarant letter stating that the sponsorship certificate will be given at the time of Interview/ Admission).
  • Statement of Purpose (SoP)
  • A sample of writing (if applicable)
  • Research proposal (if applicable), as a single file irrespective of the number of disciplines/specializations. 

Financial Support for PhD Candidates

IIT Bombay provides financial support to all its PhD candidates based on MHRD norms categorically for Teaching Assistantship (TA), Research Assistantship (RA), and TA or RA through projects. The details for which are stated below;

Teaching Assistantship (TA)

  • The payable assistantship is available for 5 years and even up to the submission of the thesis.
  • For the first 2 years, the monthly rate is INR 31,000 and the following years will be INR 35,000/-
  • Candidates will be applicable to work as Teaching Assistants for 8 hours every week

Research Assistantship (RA)

  • Candidates will be selected for a payable assistantship for 5 years and till thesis submission.
  • The monthly stipend is INR 35,000/- for the first 2 years and then INR 39,000/- for the remaining period.
  • Candidates have to look for laboratories and assist in research work for 20 hours a week.

TA and RA through Research Projects 

  • Candidates who applied in this category are sponsored by the projects of which they are apart
  • Payable for up to 5 years and until thesis submission

Check More: IIT Bombay Scholarships

IIT Bombay PhD Seats 2024

IIT Bombay has sanctioned 445 seats in its PhD program to various categories of students. Earlier, there were only 431 seats available in the program. The increase in the number of seats is due to newly introduced C-Minds and KCDH from the academic year 2020 and 2021, respectively. Each category is given seats as per the Government of India Reservation Policy:

Sanctioned Strength for PhD Program for the year 2022-23
Department Last year intake GE (40.5%) EWS (10%) OBC- NC (27%) SC (15%) ST (7.5%) Current year intake
Aerospace Engg. 15 6 2 4 2 1 15
Biosciences and Bioengg. 18 7 2 5 3 1 18
Chemical Engg. 20 8 2 5 3 2 20
Chemistry 26 10 3 7 4 2 26
Civil Engg. 22 9 2 6 3 2 22
Computer Sci. & Engg. 26 10 3 7 4 2 26
Earth Sciences 15 6 2 4 2 1 15
Electrical Engg. 38 15 4 10 6 3 38
Energy Sci. & Engg. 12 5 1 3 2 1 12
Humanities & Social Sciences 22 9 2 6 3 2 22
Mathematics 26 12 3 8 5 2 30
Mechanical Engg. 30 12 3 8 5 2 30
Metallurgical Engg. & Mat. Sci. 22 9 2 6 3 2 22
Physics 26 10 3 7 4 2 26
Industrial Engg. & Operations Research 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
Systems and Control Engg. 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
Educational Technology 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
Climate Studies 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
CESE (Environmental Sci. & Engg.) 11 4 1 3 2 1 11
Industrial Design Centre (IDC) 15 6 2 4 2 1 11
CS RE (Geoinformatics & Natural Resources Engg.) 8 3 1 3 1 1 8
CRNTS (Centre for Research in Nanotechnology & Science) 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
CTARA (Technology & Development) 5 2 1 1 1 0 5
CUSE (Centre for Urban Science and Engg.) 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
SJM School of Management 18 7 2 5 3 1 18
CPS (Centre for Policy Studies) 8 3 1 2 1 1 8
C-MINDS - 3 1 2 1 1 8
KCDH - 2 1 1 1 1 6
Total 431 174 50 117 66 38 445

Note: There are a total of 20 seats sanctioned to the PD* category students. These seats are consumed based on birth category quota.

IIT Bombay PhD Placements

IIT Bombay Placements 2023 final report is released. IIT Bombay PhD average package stood at INR 18.34 LPA whereas IIT Bombay PhD highest package stood at INR 29 LPA. The below table represents more highlights of IIT Bombay Ph.D. Placements 2023:

Particulars Ph.D. Placements Statistics 2023
Registered Students 166
Active Participants 131
Accepted Offers 41
Highest Package INR 29 LPA
Average Package INR 18.34 LPA
Percentage of Offers to Active Participants 31.66%
Percentage Increase 34.16%

Check IIT Bombay Placements

IIT Bombay PhD FAQs 

Ques. With one application fee, can I apply for more than one PhD specialization at IIT Bombay?

Ans. Yes, you may apply for 3 specializations with one application fee. 

Ques. I am an OBC-NC candidate, but I do not have the latest OBC-NC certificate. Am I eligible to apply for the IIT Bombay PhD under the OBC-NC category?

Ans. In case, you don’t have the latest OBC-NC certificate, you can apply with your old certificate. This will help you in applying only. If selected, you must submit the latest certificate otherwise your admission will get canceled/ rejected.

Ques. What is the written test and/ or interview like for PhD admission in CSE at IIT Bombay?

Ans. The selection process for the IIT Bombay Ph.D. CSE consists of 3 stages:

  • Basic test
  • Advanced test
  • Interview round

Stage 1: Basic test: The first stage invites all the applicants who have applied for the PhD program and they all appear for the Basic test. The basic test consists of 30 marks out of which the qualifying marks in 14. Candidates scoring more than 14 marks on the test are called for the Advanced test.

Stage 2: Advanced test: In this stage, the selected candidates from stage 1 are given the choice to solve questions from panels for whom they want to appear for the interview round. Candidates are given questions from their chosen fields, after which they finally appear for the Interview round.

Stage 3: Interview: At this stage, the candidates appear for the interview round and the panel they selected asks them questions related to their field and checks if the candidate is suitable enough for admission.

Ques. What should be done if any issue arises while filling out the IIT Bombay PhD online application form?

Ans. In case, you face any issues while filling out the IIT Bombay PhD online application form, click on the ‘Report Problem...Otherwise’ tab on the portal and submit the query. The staff will revert to the candidate.

Ques. Can I get admission to the IIT Bombay PhD program without the written exam?

Ans. Yes, you may apply for the written test waiver if you have completed your Master’s degree from an IIT institute. You will be exempted from the written test required for PhD admissions at IIT Bombay.

Ques. What are the research opportunities available for UG and PG students at IIT Bombay?

Ans. There is a program called URA known as UG Research Awards. The only prerequisites for pursuing research as an undergraduate are a strong research area and the ability to manage the workload during that period. It gives the student a challenging opportunity to participate in research and establish his/her research aptitude. It will also appear on his/her grade card as research experience. URA is essentially a recognition of the significant amount of research work done by undergraduate students as part of a project - which might be done under a BTP/DDP or as work under a professor outside the curriculum. All the students who have entered through JEE and have done significant research work under a professor can get a URA. There are 3 levels of URA:

  • URA01: for preliminary research/ developmental experience
  • URA02: for B. Tech. Level Research Project.
  • URA03: for Dual Degree Level Research Project

Ques. Can I enroll in a part-time PhD? program at IIT Bombay?

Ans. The part-time Ph.D. course is open to admission to:

  • College teachers in and around Mumbai
  • IIT-B faculty/ staff
  • IIT Project staff
  • IIT Research Assistants 
  • External sponsored candidates from other organizations in and around Mumbai

Others not included in the list above must apply to a full-time course.