IMU Chennai Ph.D : Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. Yes, shore-based working professionals (those not employed on merchant ships) are eligible to apply for the Part Time Ph.D. at IMU. However, they must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their current employer at the time of admission. This NOC is mandatory and must be from the organization where the candidate is currently employed. Seafarers, on the other hand, are exempted from the NOC requirement and instead need to submit proof of active seagoing service - specifically, copies of their Certificate of Competency (CoC) and Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) for the six months prior to the last date of admission.

Ans. A B.Tech. degree alone is generally not sufficient for direct admission to the Ph.D. programme. Candidates typically need a Master's degree (either a 1-year/2-semester PG after a 4-year B.Tech., or a 2-year/4-semester Master's after a 3-year Bachelor's) with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks. However, candidates with a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor's degree (like B.Tech.) with a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate are also eligible. Additionally, mariners holding Master/MEO Class I Certificates of Competency or PGDMoM qualifications with 2 years of teaching experience at degree level in IMU/affiliated institutes/DGS-approved institutes are also eligible.

Ans. The IMU Ph.D. written test consists of 50% questions on Research Methodology and 50% subject-specific questions related to the candidate's area of research. Candidates need to score at least 50% marks in the written test to be eligible for the interview (with a 5% relaxation for SC/ST/OBC/PwD/EWS candidates). Candidates who hold valid UGC-NET (JRF/Lectureship), CSIR-NET (JRF/Lectureship), GATE, CEED, or CAT scores are completely exempted from the written test and are directly called for the interview, where selection is based on 100% interview performance. This exemption makes it significantly easier for qualified candidates to gain admission.

Ans. The Part Time Ph.D. at IMU is designed for working professionals and does not require daily attendance at the campus. However, scholars are expected to interact regularly with their research supervisor, attend periodic review meetings by the Doctoral Committee, and present their research progress as per the programme's requirements. Since IMU has 6 campuses (Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam), scholars may be associated with a campus closer to their workplace or residence depending on supervisor availability. The minimum duration is 4 years and the maximum is 6 years (extendable up to 8 years in special cases).

Ans. The IMU University Fellowship (JRF: Rs. 31,000/month for first 2 years; SRF: Rs. 35,000/month from 3rd to 5th year) is exclusively available for Full Time Ph.D. scholars. Part Time Ph.D. scholars are NOT eligible for this fellowship, as they are expected to be employed (either as seafarers or in shore-based jobs). However, reserved category candidates (SC/ST/OBC/Minority/EWS) may apply for state government post-matric scholarships and central government scholarships through the National Scholarships Portal (scholarships.gov.in). The annual fee for Part Time Ph.D. is Rs. 60,000 per year for the first four years, which is relatively affordable given the professional nature of the programme.

Ans. IMU offers research across a wide range of maritime-specific areas including Marine Engineering, Nautical Sciences, Naval Architecture, Ship Building, Port and Shipping Management, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Maritime Security, Maritime Law, Maritime Insurance, Blue Economy, Autonomous Shipping, Cyber Security for Seaports, and Seafarer Mental Health, among others. The IMU Ph.D. degree is awarded by a Central University established by an Act of Parliament (Act 22 of 2008) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, making it a fully recognized UGC-approved degree. IMU is ranked No. 1 maritime university in India (Outlook 2025), and its doctoral degree is well-regarded in both academia and the maritime industry globally.