CU South Bihar Ph.D Economics: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. No. As per the UGC public notice dated March 27, 2024, only candidates who have qualified UGC-NET from the June 2024 cycle onwards are eligible for PhD admission at CUSB. Candidates who cleared NET prior to June 2024 are not eligible to apply, regardless of whether they hold JRF or Assistant Professor eligibility. This is a critical change that many applicants miss, so ensure your NET scorecard is from June 2024 or a later cycle before applying.

Ans. The PhD programme at CUSB is a full-time, campus-based programme. Candidates who are employed must submit a Leave Sanction / Relieving Order from their employer at the time of admission, permitting them to pursue studies at CUSB for the full duration of the programme. Without this document, the offer of admission is withdrawn. So while technically employed candidates can apply, they must be on full-time leave from their employer for the entire duration of the PhD.

Ans. The seat intake for PhD Economics at CUSB is very limited - only 5 seats were available in AY 2025-26 (OBC: 1, SC: 3, ST: 1, EWS: 0, UR: 0). This means there are no unreserved seats in some cycles, making it extremely competitive for general category candidates. The number of seats varies each year depending on faculty availability and research supervisor capacity. Candidates should check the official notification carefully for category-wise seat distribution before applying.

Ans. At the time of the interview, candidates must bring 5 copies of a written research proposal (approximately 1,000 words) on any topic or area of research of their choice. The proposal must include an introduction, objectives, research methodology, and relevance of the subject. Candidates may also be asked to make a presentation on this topic during the interview. This research proposal is a key component of the interview process, so it should be well-prepared and reflect genuine research interest in Economics.

Ans. PhD scholars who have qualified UGC-NET with JRF receive a monthly fellowship of ₹37,000 (for the first two years) and ₹42,000 (from the third year onwards), funded by UGC. Scholars without JRF do not automatically receive a stipend from CUSB, but they can apply for ICSSR Doctoral Fellowships (₹25,000/month), CUSB's own Merit-cum-Means scholarship (tuition fee waiver), and the Earn While You Learn scheme. CUSB Economics scholars have also been selected for ICSSR fellowships in the past, which is a strong indicator of the department's research standing.

Ans. CUSB follows the UGC's three-category system for PhD admission. Category 1 candidates have qualified UGC-NET with JRF (eligible for JRF + Assistant Professor + PhD admission) and are selected purely on the basis of an interview (100% weightage). Category 2 candidates have qualified UGC-NET for Assistant Professor eligibility and PhD admission (but not JRF), and are selected on 70% NET score + 30% interview. Category 3 candidates have qualified UGC-NET for PhD admission only, and are also selected on 70% NET score + 30% interview. JRF holders have a significant advantage as they are assessed only on interview performance, not on NET scores.