Marwadi University Rajkot Ph.D. Human Resource Management: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. Yes, the Part-Time PhD in HRM at MU is specifically designed for working HR professionals including HR managers, talent acquisition specialists, L&D professionals, organizational development consultants, and industrial relations officers. You can continue your job while pursuing the PhD, and research can be conducted at your workplace and/or at MU. You must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from your employer at the time of application. This is particularly beneficial for HR professionals who deal with real organizational challenges and want to contribute their practical insights to academic research.

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 (Management 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% Management/HRM subject-specific questions based on the UGC-NET Management syllabus.

Ans. The Faculty of Management Studies at MU supports research in a wide range of HRM areas including talent management and succession planning, organizational behavior and culture, employee engagement and motivation, industrial relations and labor laws, HR analytics and people analytics, diversity, equity and inclusion, strategic HRM and HR business partnering, performance management systems, and remote work and hybrid work models. The specific research topic is finalized in consultation with your assigned supervisor and approved by the Doctoral Advisory Committee.

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 HRM research, journals like the International Journal of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Review, Journal of Organizational Behavior, and other SCOPUS-indexed 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 HR professionals who may have demanding organizational responsibilities.

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.