Marwadi University Rajkot Ph.D Commerce: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. Yes, CA/CS/ICWA qualification is considered equivalent to a PG degree for PhD eligibility as per UGC public notice (D.O. No. 9-35/2016 dated 15th April 2021). This means practicing CAs, CSs, and Cost Accountants can directly apply for the PhD in Commerce at MU without needing a separate M.Com. degree, provided they have at least 55% marks or equivalent in their CA/CS/ICWA qualification. This is a significant advantage for commerce professionals who hold these prestigious qualifications.

Ans. No, UGC-NET is not mandatory, but it gives you a direct exemption from the MU PhD entrance test. Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET (Commerce paper) can directly appear for the personal interview without taking the university-level entrance exam. Candidates without UGC-NET must appear in the computer-based entrance test consisting of 10% research methodology and 90% Commerce subject-specific questions based on the UGC-NET Commerce syllabus.

Ans. The Faculty of Management Studies at MU supports research in a wide range of Commerce areas including financial management and accounting, taxation and GST, banking and financial services, international trade and foreign exchange, corporate governance and business ethics, capital markets and investment, e-commerce and digital finance, and business economics. The specific research topic is finalized in consultation with your assigned supervisor and approved by the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC).

Ans. As per MU PhD regulations, you must publish a minimum of two research papers in SCOPUS or Web of Science Core Collection indexed journals before submitting your thesis synopsis. You must be the first author of these publications, and the papers must be from the research work done to fulfil the objectives of your approved thesis. For commerce research, journals like the Journal of Business Research, International Journal of Finance and Economics, and other SCOPUS-indexed commerce and management journals are commonly targeted.

Ans. For part-time candidates, the maximum duration is 7 years from the date of registration. An extension of up to 2 years beyond this maximum can be granted by the Provost on the recommendation of the Doctoral Advisory Committee. Women candidates and persons with disability (more than 40%) are allowed an additional relaxation of 2 years. The total period for completion in any case should not exceed 10 years. This extended timeline makes the part-time PhD feasible for working commerce professionals and practicing CAs/CSs.

Ans. PhD scholars must appear before the Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) once every six months for a Research Progress Review (RPR) presentation. A total of five RPR presentations are required before you can submit your thesis synopsis. RPR presentations are typically held in May/June and November/December each year. For RPR4 and RPR5, you must have published or received acceptance for your first and second research papers respectively. The DAC includes your supervisor, an external subject expert, and internal faculty members who guide and evaluate your research progress at each stage.