Content Curator | Updated on - Apr 8, 2026

The Ph.D. (Statistics) programme at Vishwakarma University (VU), Pune is a full-time doctoral research programme offered under the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science and Technology. The department, established in 2018, is the first private university department in Pune to offer B.Sc. Honours in Statistics, and has a strong focus on data science, biostatistics, machine learning, and applied statistical methods. The Ph.D. programme spans a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years as per UGC norms, with an annual tuition fee of Rs. 75,000. Admission is through the university's VUPET (Vishwakarma University Ph.D. Entrance Test) followed by a personal interview. The programme has a seat intake of 18 (9 Open, 9 Reserved) for AY 2026-27, making it one of the larger Ph.D. intakes at VU, and is popular among candidates seeking research careers in data analytics, biostatistics, actuarial science, and academia.

Admissions for AY 2026-27 are currently ongoing. The VUPET application window opened on 1 February 2026, and the last date for form submission was 22 March 2026. The VUPET entrance test was scheduled for 12 April 2026, with results and interviews to follow in April-May 2026. The final admission deadline for selected candidates is 30 May 2026.

Key Points

The Ph.D. (Statistics) programme is offered under the Department of Mathematics and Statistics within the Faculty of Science and Technology at VU, Pune.
The department has a collaboration with TCS-iON (Industry Honour Program), providing industry exposure and internship opportunities to students.
Research supervisors for Ph.D. (Statistics) include Dr. Nazia Wahid, Dr. Richa Panchgaur, Dr. Mahfooz Alam, Dr. Raeesa Bashir, and Dr. Sanjay Kumar Pal.
Key research areas include Statistical Machine Learning and AI, Bayesian Inference and Computational Statistics, Time-Series Analysis and Econometrics, Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, and Data Analytics.
Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET (Category 1, 2, or 3), GATE, or CEED with a valid score may be exempted from the VUPET written test; however, form submission and interview remain mandatory for all.
The VUPET examination consists of two papers: Paper I (Research Methodology and General Aptitude, 50 marks, objective type) and Paper II (Statistics subject-specific, 50 marks, subjective type), each of 2 hours duration.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

VU Ph.D. (Statistics) Fees

The Ph.D. (Statistics) programme at Vishwakarma University carries an annual fee of Rs. 75,000, payable every year for the duration of the programme (minimum 3 years, maximum 6 years). A one-time thesis submission fee of Rs. 25,000 is payable at the time of thesis submission. The VUPET application form fee is Rs. 1,200 for Open category and Rs. 1,000 for SC/ST/OBC/Differently-Abled/EWS candidates. Hostel facility is available on campus separately and is not mandatory for Ph.D. students.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Annual Tuition Fee	75,000 per year
VUPET Application Form Fee (Open)	1,200 (one-time)
VUPET Application Form Fee (SC/ST/OBC/EWS)	1,000 (one-time)
Thesis Submission Fee	25,000 (one-time, at thesis submission)
Total Fees (3 years, excluding thesis fee)	2,25,000
Total Fees (3 years, including thesis fee)	2,50,000

Hostel charges (optional, not mandatory): Rs. 1,25,000 to Rs. 1,45,000 per year depending on seat type; includes mess (breakfast and dinner) and a refundable deposit of Rs. 5,000.
Laundry charges are separate.
If admission is cancelled before 31 August 2026, a deduction will be made and the balance will be refunded.
No refund is applicable for cancellations after 31 August 2026.
Refunds (if applicable) are processed within 15 working days via RTGS/NEFT.
Fees are payable annually; no EMI option is explicitly mentioned for Ph.D. fees.

VU Ph.D. (Statistics) Admission 2026-27

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Statistics) programme at Vishwakarma University for AY 2026-27 are currently in progress. The VUPET entrance test was scheduled on 12 April 2026, and the final admission deadline for selected candidates is 30 May 2026. With 18 seats available (AY 2026-27), this programme offers relatively better access compared to other humanities Ph.D. programmes at VU. Candidates are advised to check the official website for any updates to the schedule.

VU Ph.D. (Statistics) Admission Schedule

Event	Date
VUPET Application Form Opens	1 February 2026
Last Date for Form Submission	22 March 2026
VUPET Entrance Test	12 April 2026
Result of VUPET Paper II	21 April 2026
Interview Schedule Declared	27 April 2026
Result of Interview	15 May 2026
Final Deadline for Ph.D. Admission (Selected Candidates)	30 May 2026

UGC-NET Entrance Exam Dates

Event	Phase 1	Phase 2 (Tentative)
Registration Start	7 October 2025	1 April 2026
Registration End	7 November 2025	1 May 2026
Admit Card	28 December 2025	1 June 2026
Exam Date	31 December 2025 - 7 January 2026	1 June 2026
Answer Key Release	14 January 2026	1 July 2026
Result	4 February 2026	1 July 2026

Note: UGC-NET qualified candidates (Category 1, 2, or 3) with a valid score may be exempted from the VUPET written test. However, form submission and interview are mandatory for all candidates including those with UGC-NET qualification.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must have completed a 2-year/4-semester Master's degree (after a 3-year bachelor's degree) or a 1-year/2-semester Master's degree (after a 4-year bachelor's degree) in Statistics with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate (50% for SC/ST/OBC/Differently-Abled/EWS candidates).
Candidates who have completed M.Phil. with at least 55% marks in aggregate are also eligible.
Candidates qualifying their Master's degree in 2026 may also apply; they must submit their final result on or before 30 July 2026.

Admission Process:

Check eligibility and available research supervisors on the official VU website before applying.
Fill the VUPET application form online at vupet.edupluscampus.com and pay the application fee (Rs. 1,200 for Open; Rs. 1,000 for SC/ST/OBC/EWS).
Appear for VUPET Paper I (Research Methodology and Aptitude) - minimum 50% required to qualify for Paper II.
Appear for VUPET Paper II (Statistics subject-specific, subjective) - minimum 50% required to qualify for interview.
Candidates qualifying both papers appear for a personal interview at the university.
Selected candidates must complete admission formalities and pay fees by the final deadline (30 May 2026 for AY 2026-27).
UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE qualified candidates with valid scores are exempted from the written test but must submit the form and appear for the interview.

VU Ph.D. (Statistics) Scholarships 2026-27

Vishwakarma University does not offer a broad institutional merit scholarship programme for Ph.D. students. Ph.D. scholars in Statistics may avail of government-funded fellowships and scholarships based on eligibility. The university facilitates student loan assistance through banking partners such as SBI, HDFC, and Oriental Bank of Commerce. Students from EWS, SC, ST, and OBC categories may be eligible for government scholarships and fee concessions under state and central government schemes.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Offered By	Amount	Eligibility
UGC-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	University Grants Commission (UGC)	Rs. 37,000/month (1st 2 years); Rs. 42,000/month (subsequent years)	Qualify UGC-NET with JRF; valid for Ph.D. enrolment
UGC Non-NET Fellowship	UGC / University	As per UGC norms	Ph.D. scholars not holding JRF but enrolled full-time
Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST)	Government of Maharashtra / Central Govt.	Varies	SC/ST students; income-based
EWS Fee Concession	Vishwakarma University	Up to 50% fee reduction	EWS certificate holders
Central Sector Scholarship	Ministry of Education, Govt. of India	Rs. 10,000/year	Merit-based; income criteria apply
Education Loan	SBI, HDFC, Oriental Bank of Commerce	As per bank norms	All eligible students

UGC-JRF holders are exempted from the VUPET written test and receive a monthly fellowship directly from UGC.
Students must apply separately for government scholarships through the National Scholarship Portal (scholarships.gov.in).
EWS concession is subject to submission of a valid EWS certificate at the time of admission.
Scholarship deadlines vary; students are advised to check the National Scholarship Portal and UGC website for current deadlines.

VU Ph.D. (Statistics) FAQs

Ques. What are the research areas available under Ph.D. (Statistics) at Vishwakarma University?

Ans. The Department of Statistics at VU focuses on applied and theoretical statistics with research areas including Statistical Machine Learning and AI, Bayesian Inference and Computational Statistics, Time-Series Analysis and Econometrics, Biostatistics and Clinical Trials, and Data Analytics. Candidates should check the specific research interests of available supervisors (Dr. Nazia Wahid, Dr. Richa Panchgaur, Dr. Mahfooz Alam, Dr. Raeesa Bashir, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Pal) on the official VU website before applying.

Ques. Is a Master's degree in Statistics mandatory, or can candidates with M.Sc. in Mathematics or Data Science apply?

Ans. The official eligibility states "Masters in Statistics with more than 55% marks." Candidates with M.Sc. in Mathematics or Data Science may or may not qualify depending on the supervisor's discretion and the relevance of their background. It is strongly recommended to contact the department directly to confirm eligibility before applying.

Ques. How many seats are available for Ph.D. (Statistics) at VU, and what is the category-wise split?

Ans. For AY 2026-27, the total intake for Ph.D. (Statistics) was 18 seats - 9 Open category and 9 Reserved category. This is one of the larger Ph.D. intakes at VU. The seat matrix for AY 2026-27 should be checked on the official VUPET notification.

Ques. Does the Statistics department at VU have industry collaborations that benefit Ph.D. scholars?

Ans. Yes, the Department of Statistics at VU has a collaboration with TCS-iON (Industry Honour Program), which provides industry exposure, expert sessions, and internship opportunities. While this is primarily structured for UG and PG students, Ph.D. scholars can benefit from the department's industry connections and access to real-world datasets and applied research opportunities.

Ques. What career opportunities are available after completing Ph.D. (Statistics) from VU?

Ans. Ph.D. (Statistics) graduates can pursue careers as Assistant Professors or Researchers in universities and research institutions, Data Scientists and Statisticians in the industry, Biostatisticians in pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, Actuaries and Risk Analysts in the finance and insurance sector, and Research Scientists in government bodies such as ICAR, ICMR, and CSO.

Ques. Is the VUPET Paper II for Statistics very difficult, and how should one prepare?

Ans. VUPET Paper II for Statistics is a 50-mark subjective paper of 2 hours duration, testing subject knowledge, research thinking, and communication skills. The syllabus for Ph.D. Statistics Paper II is available on the official VU website. Candidates should focus on core statistical theory, probability, inference, regression, multivariate analysis, and their chosen research area. Reviewing M.Sc. Statistics coursework and recent research papers in the chosen domain is recommended.