What is the procedure to enrol for a PhD at IITM? How to prepare for the interview?

Admission
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Dreaming of diving deep into a subject until you’re a pioneer of your field? IIT Madras offers one of the finest Ph.D programs in the country in Engineering, Science, Humanities, and Management disciplines, making it an excellent choice for aspiring researchers.

Here are the eligibility criteria for each discipline:

Engineering:

  • Master’s in Engineering/Technology or by Research.
  • 5-year Dual Degree in Engineering or BS+MS with strong academics.

Sciences:

  • Master’s in Sciences with good academic standing.
  • Master’s in Engineering/Technology or 5-year BS+MS Dual degree.
  • Valid GATE or equivalent score.

Humanities and Social Sciences:

  • Master’s in relevant discipline.
  • UGC-NET/JRF/CSIR-JRF/GATE Score.
  • International-level exams for OCI/NRI/Foreign Nationals.

Management:

  • Master’s/2-year PG Diploma or Bachelors with strong academics.
  • 5-year integrated master’s/dual degree.
  • Qualifying national/international exams.

There are other criteria that can be found here.

The process of applying to Ph.D. programs at IIT Madras is entirely online, and through the research portal here. Don’t let the eligibility criteria scare you, it’s way less intimidating than you think!

Interview

Shortlisted candidates possessing the minimum educational qualifications & eligible degree (as specified in the admission brochure) will be called for a “test and interview” or “interview” by the Selection Committees of the respective departments, the details of which will be communicated via email. Most departments will specify the syllabus for the interview on the department website (as seen in the IITM Mathematics department’s website). The test and the interview will assess the fundamentals and basic understanding of the subject. Hence candidates need to brush up on basic concepts. It is also important to look upon the questions where they went wrong in the test, as there is a chance that questions might be asked from that on the interview.

Based on the academic record and the performance of the candidates in the interview and/or test, the Departmental Selection Committee will recommend suitable candidates for admission to the program.