Ph.D. in Social Work is a prestigious full-time doctoral program offered by the School of Social Work at TISS Mumbai. The program is designed for research-intensive doctoral studies in social work with focus on contemporary social issues and development challenges. It offers research opportunities across diverse themes including rural and tribal development, urban development, community development, social policy, mental health, disabilities, climate change, and social innovation. The program follows UGC guidelines and mandates successful completion of coursework, regular presentations before Research Advisory Committees, and thesis evaluation. The program has an intake of 20 seats and is offered on campus at the Mumbai location.
Current Admission Status:
Admissions for the 2026-27 academic year are conducted through UGC-NET examination in Social Work. Eligible candidates must clear UGC-NET in one of three categories: Category 1 (with JRF), Category 2 (without JRF but eligible for Assistant Professor position), or Category 3 (admission to Ph.D. only). The program follows a rolling admission process based on merit and UGC-NET scores. Interested candidates must apply through the official TISS admissions portal with a research proposal or concept note.
Key Points:
Fee structure details for the Ph.D. programme will be announced on the official TISS website. Typically, full-time Ph.D. scholars are fellowship/scholarship holders. SC/ST students receive additional support under GoI-PMS scheme. Limited hostel facilities are available on need-cum-merit basis for the duration of three years. Hostel fees and other charges will be communicated separately.
Eligibility: Master's degree in Social Work or equivalent qualification with minimum 55% aggregate marks (50% for SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwD candidates). Candidates with 4-year bachelor's degree in Social Work must have minimum 75% marks. Valid UGC-NET certificate in Social Work (not older than 3 years for JRF, 1 year for non-JRF categories).
Curriculum:
Ph.D. coursework includes minimum 12 credits covering research methodology (qualitative and quantitative), research and publication ethics, and specialized courses in social work. Coursework is offered in offline classroom mode during first and second semesters. Scholars must obtain minimum 55% marks in coursework to continue. Research areas include social work and policy practice in rural/tribal areas, urban development, community development, social enterprises, mental health, disabilities, climate change, and indigenous studies.
Ques. Is UGC-NET mandatory for Ph.D. admission?
Ans. Yes, candidates must clear UGC-NET in Social Work in one of three categories to be eligible for Ph.D. admission at TISS.
Ques. What are the research areas available?
Ans. The program offers diverse research areas including rural development, urban development, community development, social policy, mental health, disabilities, climate change, social innovation, and indigenous studies.
Ques. Are there fellowship opportunities?
Ans. Yes, full-time Ph.D. scholars are mostly fellowship/scholarship holders. Category 1 (JRF) candidates receive JRF fellowship.
Ques. What is the duration of the Ph.D. program?
Ans. The Ph.D. program typically takes 3-5 years for completion, depending on research progress and thesis evaluation.
Ques. Are hostel facilities available?
Ans. Limited hostel seats are available on need-cum-merit basis for the duration of three years. Ph.D. students must vacate hostels after completing three years.
Ques. What are the career prospects after Ph.D.?
Ans. Graduates can pursue careers as researchers, academics, policy makers, consultants in government organizations, NGOs, research institutions, and international development organizations.
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It is hard to compare one specific major or stream but whatever is in the public domain the general ranking of these three colleges in HR domain quality-wise and RoI-wise is given below in a table.
|
Quality wise |
RoI wise |
|
XLRI |
TISS |
|
TISS |
XLRI |
|
SCMHRD |
SCMHRD |
|
MDI |
MDI |
Below is a table comparing these colleges on absolute numbers like fees, highest package, and average package.
|
Institution |
Fees (approx.) |
Highest Package |
Average Salary |
Median Package |
|
XLRI |
INR 26 lakhs |
INR 1.1 CPA |
INR 32.7 LPA |
INR 30 LPA |
|
TISS |
INR 1.4 lakhs |
INR 49 LPA |
INR 27.22 LPA |
INR 25.75 LPA |
|
MDI |
INR 23.5 lakhs |
INR 60 LPA |
INR 26.1 LPA |
INR 26.13 LPA |
|
SCMHRD |
INR 22.1 lakhs |
INR 67.60 LPA (International) INR 35.02 LPA (Domestic) |
INR 23.71 LPA |
INR 22 LPA |
For HR domain XLRI is the best and RoI wise for HR domain TISS is the best.
The simple answer to your question is no, the new HR programs of IIM Ranchi, NMIMS, or XIMB are not at par with the established ones XLRI, TISS, MDI, and SCMHRD. The established programs especially that of XLRI are the epitome of HR programs. They cannot be compared to the new ones at any given level or parameter.
Now one can say that the curriculum can be replicated and learned faculty can be sought to match the quality of the HR program at these institutes. But the truth is faculty and curriculum are the main but not the only factors that determine an institute's worth. Its own culture, ethics, and background have a lot to do with the programs it offers.
So one cannot match XLRIs programs no matter how much they try.
SCMHRD offers a good HR MBA program. It offers a decent curriculum and placements. SCMHRD placements in 2021 concluded with an average CTC of INR 16.5 LPA. The highest CTC offered was INR 33.6 LPA.
For HR, XLRI is better than SCMHRD. TISS is a great option for HR as well. In terms of placements, SCMHRD is comparable to TISS.
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