Pondicherry University MA International Relations And Political Science: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

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Pondicherry University's Master of Arts (MA) in Politics and International Relations is a 2-year full-time postgraduate programme offered by the Department of Politics and International Studies under the School of Social Sciences and International Studies. The programme equips students with theoretical and practical knowledge of international relations, foreign policy, international organisations, international political economy, and comparative politics. The total course fee is Rs. 32,472 for the entire 2-year programme. With a seat intake of 60 students and admission based on CUET-PG scores, the programme is popular among students aspiring for careers in diplomacy, civil services, and international organisations. The course is offered in full-time, on-campus mode at the Pondicherry campus.

Admissions for the 2026-27 academic session are expected to be based on CUET-PG 2026 scores. The CUET-PG 2026 exam was conducted from March 6 to March 27, 2026, and results are expected by May 6, 2026. Pondicherry University typically releases its PG merit list and conducts counselling in June-July. Based on the 2025-26 cycle, counselling was held in early July 2025. Candidates are advised to monitor the official admissions portal at admissions.pondiuni.edu.in for the 2026-27 schedule.

Key Points

The programme covers Theories of International Relations, India's Foreign Policy, International Organisations, International Political Economy, Comparative Political Analysis, and Issues in Indian Politics.
A key objective of the course is to make students aware of the implicit Eurocentrism of International Relations by highlighting perspectives from the Global South.
The programme is designed to equip students for employment in areas of International Relations, International Organisations, Foreign Policy Analysis, and competitive examinations.
Students can pursue interdisciplinary electives from other departments under the CBCS system, including courses from the Centre for South Asian Studies (UMISARC), a UNESCO-associated institute on the same campus.
The programme is offered under the Department of Politics and International Studies, which also offers PhD programmes in Politics and International Studies.
The university has an MoU with the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi, providing students exposure to world affairs and policy discussions.

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PU MA PIR Fees

The MA Politics and International Relations programme at Pondicherry University is highly affordable, with a total course fee of Rs. 32,472 for the entire 2-year programme. The first semester involves the highest payment of Rs. 19,372, which includes all one-time charges such as the Amenities Development Fund, University Development Fund, and Alumni Association Fund. Semesters II and IV are Rs. 1,700 each, while Semester III is Rs. 9,700. A caution deposit of Rs. 1,000 is refundable upon leaving the university.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Sem I (Rs.)	Sem II (Rs.)	Sem III (Rs.)	Sem IV (Rs.)	Total (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	1,500	1,500	1,500	1,500	6,000
Registration Fee	300	-	-	-	300
Matriculation Fee	100	-	-	-	100
Recognition Fee	400	-	-	-	400
Sports Fund	500	-	500	-	1,000
Medical Examination / Facilities Fund	600	-	600	-	1,200
Library Fund	1,500	-	1,500	-	3,000
Computer Lab Fund	2,000	-	2,000	-	4,000
Amenities Development Fund	6,000	-	-	-	6,000
Students' Welfare Fund	400	-	400	-	800
Alumni Association Fund	200	-	-	-	200
Caution Deposit (Refundable)	1,000	-	-	-	1,000
Placement Activity Fund	200	200	200	200	800
Academic Activity Fund	1,000	-	1,000	-	2,000
Digital Activity Fund	2,000	-	2,000	-	4,000
Group Medical Insurance	472	-	-	-	472
University Development Fund	1,200	-	-	-	1,200
Total Fees	19,372	1,700	9,700	1,700	32,472

Caution Deposit of Rs. 1,000 is refundable upon leaving the university, subject to clearance of all dues.
SC/ST students who are eligible for Post-matric scholarships are permitted to pay fees after receiving the scholarship amount, by submitting an undertaking at the time of admission.
Fees must be paid within 90 days of admission.
Differently abled students are exempted from payment of all fees (except refundable caution deposit and Group Medical Insurance premium).
Late payment fine: Rs. 10 per day for the first 15 days; Rs. 25 per day thereafter.
Hostel fees are separate and not included in the above.

Hostel Fees (Optional - Not Mandatory)

Hostel Fee Component	Amount
Room Rent (PG Students)	As per hostel circular for 2026-27 (to be issued separately)
Mess Fees	As per prevailing rates (paid per semester)
Caution Deposit (Refundable)	As per hostel circular for 2026-27

Hostel accommodation is not mandatory.
SC/ST students are exempt from room rent.
Hostel is subject to availability; preference is given to students from distant places.
Dining in the hostel mess is compulsory for hostel residents.

PU MA PIR Admission 2026

Admissions to MA Politics and International Relations at Pondicherry University are based on CUET-PG scores, specifically the HUQP18 test paper (Political Science). The university prepares a merit list based on CUET-PG scores and conducts counselling for seat allotment. For 2026-27, the CUET-PG 2026 exam has been conducted and results are awaited. Candidates should register on the official admissions portal and track merit list announcements. Based on the 2025-26 cycle, counselling was held in early July 2025 and the academic session commenced in August 2025.

PG Admission Key Dates

Event	Tentative Date (2026-27)
CUET-PG 2026 Application Start	December 14, 2025
CUET-PG 2026 Application End	January 25, 2026
CUET-PG 2026 Admit Card	March 3, 2026
CUET-PG 2026 Exam	March 6 - March 27, 2026
CUET-PG 2026 Result	May 6, 2026
PU PG Application / Registration	May - June 2026 (Tentative)
Provisional Merit List Release	June 2026 (Tentative)
Counselling / Seat Allotment	July 2026 (Tentative)
Commencement of Classes	August 2026 (Tentative)

Entrance Exam Dates

Event	Date
Application Start	December 14, 2025
Application End	January 25, 2026
Admit Card Release	March 3, 2026
Exam Dates	March 6 - March 27, 2026
Result Declaration	May 6, 2026
CUET-PG Test Paper Code for MA Politics and International Relations	HUQP18

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% of marks or equivalent grade from a recognised university under the 10+2+3 system.
SC/ST candidates who have passed the qualifying examination are eligible to apply irrespective of the percentage of marks obtained.
Candidates awaiting their final year results are also eligible to apply, subject to producing mark sheets/degree certificates before the notified date.

Admission Process

Register and apply for CUET-PG 2026 on the NTA portal (cuet.nta.nic.in) and appear for the HUQP18 test paper.
Register separately on Pondicherry University's admissions portal (admissions.pondiuni.edu.in) once PU opens its PG application window.
Merit list is prepared based on CUET-PG scores; candidates are called for counselling in order of merit.
Attend counselling on the allotted date with original documents for verification.
Pay the prescribed fees and complete the admission formalities to confirm the seat.
70% attendance is mandatory to appear for semester examinations.

Pondicherry University: Students' Opinion

AI-Generated Summary based on 2 Reviews

The university fosters positive student-teacher relationships with an experienced faculty and conducts exams according to the academic calendar. Each semester involves two internal exams worth 30 marks each and 10 marks for classroom participation, totaling 40 internal marks, plus 60 marks for external exams. Students must maintain at least 75% attendance. In the M.A. Politics and International Relations course, the internal assessment is similarly structured. A dedicated Placement Cell motivates and trains students for campus interviews, although specific campus placements are not available for this course due to its arts focus.

However, students can pursue internships with government agencies like the NHRC and Nehru Yuva Kendras to gain relevant administrative experience. The fee structure is as follows: 19,000 rupees for the first semester, 1,700 rupees for the second, 9,700 rupees for the third, and 1,700 rupees for the fourth semester. Hostel residents must pay a mandatory daily mess fee of 78 rupees, collected at the start of each semester, along with an annual hostel fee of 1,000 rupees.

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PU MA PIR Scholarships 2026

Pondicherry University offers multiple scholarship options for MA Politics and International Relations students, ranging from university-level merit scholarships to government-funded fellowships for reserved category students. The university's own Merit and Merit-cum-Means scholarships are available to all PG students, while central government schemes provide additional support for SC/ST, OBC, minority, and girl students. These scholarships can significantly offset the already affordable course fees.

Scholarship Options

Scholarship	Eligibility	Amount
Merit Scholarship (University)	Top 3 rankers in CUET-PG / semester SGPA	Rs. 2,000 / Rs. 1,500 / Rs. 1,000 per month (Rank 1/2/3)
Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarship	20% of PG students; parental income below Rs. 2.5 lakh p.a.; min. 70% attendance; pass in all papers	Rs. 750 per month
Indira Gandhi Scholarship for Single Girl Child	Single girl child pursuing PG programme	As per UGC norms
PG Merit Scholarship for University Rank Holders	University rank holders at UG level	As per UGC norms
Govt. of India SC/ST/OBC Scholarship	SC/ST/OBC students	As per respective state/central government norms
Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST)	SC/ST students eligible for post-matric scholarship	Covers tuition and other fees
National Fellowship for Higher Education of ST Students (NFST)	ST students pursuing PG/research	As per Ministry of Tribal Affairs norms
Adi Dravidar Welfare Scholarship (Puducherry Govt.)	SC/ST students from UT of Puducherry	As per Puducherry government norms

Students are eligible for only one scholarship at a time.
MCM Scholarship requires minimum 70% monthly attendance and passing all registered papers each semester.
For the first semester, Merit and MCM scholarships are sanctioned based on CUET-PG entrance exam marks; for subsequent semesters, based on SGPA.
SC/ST students may defer fee payment until receipt of scholarship, subject to submission of an undertaking and payment within 90 days of admission.

PU MA PIR FAQs

Ques. What is the difference between MA Politics and International Relations and MA Political Science at Pondicherry University?

Ans. Pondicherry University offers two separate programmes: MA Politics and International Relations and MA Political Science. MA Politics and International Relations focuses specifically on international relations theory, India's foreign policy, international organisations, international political economy, and global politics. MA Political Science has a broader focus covering political theory, Indian constitution, party system, public policy, and comparative politics. Both use the HUQP18 CUET-PG test paper. Students interested in diplomacy and international affairs should opt for MA Politics and International Relations.

Ques. What is the CUET-PG test paper for MA Politics and International Relations at Pondicherry University, and what topics does it cover?

Ans. The CUET-PG test paper code is HUQP18 (Political Science). The test covers topics including Political Theory, Indian Polity, Indian History, World History, Current Affairs, General English, and General Knowledge. Candidates should prepare from UG-level Political Science, Indian Polity, International Relations, and current affairs for this paper.

Ques. What career opportunities are available after completing MA Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University?

Ans. Graduates can pursue careers in the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) through UPSC Civil Services, international organisations (UN, SAARC, UNESCO, World Bank), think tanks and policy research institutes, journalism and media (international affairs), NGOs working on international issues, academia and research (PhD programmes), and state/central government services. The programme's focus on international relations theory and India's foreign policy makes it particularly relevant for aspirants of the IFS and international organisations.

Ques. Can students from non-political science backgrounds apply for MA Politics and International Relations at Pondicherry University?

Ans. Yes, the eligibility criterion is a Bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50% marks. There is no requirement for a background in Political Science at the undergraduate level. This makes the programme accessible to graduates from arts, science, commerce, and other streams who wish to pursue a career in international relations and diplomacy.

Ques. Does Pondicherry University offer any special opportunities for MA Politics and International Relations students related to Parliament or world affairs?

Ans. Yes. The Hon'ble Vice-President of India and Chancellor of the University offers an Intern at Parliament programme to 10 students (5 girls and 5 boys) every year. Additionally, the Chancellor in the capacity of Chairman of Rajya Sabha has extended an invitation to a batch of students to visit the new Parliament Building every year. The university also has an MoU with the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA), New Delhi, which provides students exposure to world affairs and policy discussions - particularly beneficial for MA Politics and International Relations students.

Ques. How competitive is admission to MA Politics and International Relations at Pondicherry University?

Ans. With 60 seats and national-level CUET-PG competition, admission is moderately competitive. Based on 2025-26 CUET-PG cut-off data, the general category cut-off for MA Politics and International Relations at Pondicherry University was around 176-260 marks (out of 300). SC/ST candidates have lower cut-offs. The programme attracts students from across India, and candidates with strong preparation in Political Science, International Relations, and current affairs tend to score well in the HUQP18 paper.