Doon University, Dehradun has invited online applications for Ph.D. admission to the 2026-27 session in 21 programmes. The admission announcement No. Admission/Ph.D./2026-27 was issued by the Office of the Registrar on 22 September 2026, the online form opened on 26 September 2026, and the last date for filling the application form is 30 October 2026.
Two candidates selected on merit and research proposal get a Doctoral Fellowship at par with the UGC fellowship under the Dr. Ambedkar Chair, funded by the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India. The Chair’s thrust area is social inclusion and empowerment of SC/ST communities and marginalised women in Uttarakhand.
Doon University PhD admission 2026-27: quick facts
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Doon University, Dehradun – Ph.D. admission for the 2026-27 session, with two Doctoral Fellowships at par with the UGC fellowship under the Dr. Ambedkar Chair |
| Last date to apply | 30 October 2026 (online applications opened on 26 September 2026) |
| Official website | Doon University PhD admission announcement 2026-27 (official PDF) |
Doon University PhD programmes and seats
| Ph.D. Environmental Science | 13 seats |
| Ph.D. Management | 20 seats |
| Ph.D. Computer Science | 14 seats |
| Ph.D. Geography | 10 seats |
| Ph.D. Mathematics | 9 seats |
| Ph.D. Chemistry | 8 seats |
| Ph.D. Media and Communication Studies | 8 seats |
| Ph.D. Japanese | 8 seats |
| Ph.D. Physics | 6 seats |
| Ph.D. Geology | 6 seats |
| Ph.D. Hindu Studies | 6 seats |
| Ph.D. Urban Development Management | 6 seats |
| Ph.D. Biological Sciences | 4 seats |
| Ph.D. under Dr. Ambedkar Chair | 4 seats |
| Ph.D. English | 3 seats |
| Ph.D. French | 3 seats |
| Ph.D. Spanish | 3 seats |
| Ph.D. Design | 3 seats |
| Ph.D. Economics | 2 seats |
| Ph.D. Psychology | 2 seats |
| Ph.D. German | 2 seats |
All programmes are full time, of 3 or 6 years duration. Reservation is applicable as per State Government rules. The university has stated that seats can be increased or reduced and that it reserves the right to withdraw a programme if the situation so warrants.
Doon University PhD important dates
| Commencement of the online application form | 26 September 2026 |
| Last date for filling the application form | 30 October 2026 |
| Entrance test for Ph.D. in Design and Ph.D. in Urban Development Management | During the 3rd week of November |
| Interview | During the 1st week of December |
| Admission | During the 2nd / 3rd week of December |
| Commencement of classes | Second week of January (the announcement prints the year as 2026, which is a typo for the January 2027 session) |
After the online form closes, candidates are called for an interview and the merit list is prepared as per the UGC Regulations and the Doon University Ph.D. Ordinances. The entrance test for Ph.D. in Design and Ph.D. in Urban Development Management will be conducted only at Doon University, Dehradun.
Doon University PhD eligibility
- The National Eligibility Test (NET) scores for admission to Ph.D. programmes are used by the university as per the UGC notification dated 27.03.2024.
- Candidates who have qualified national-level examinations such as JRF (UGC/CSIR) or NET (UGC/CSIR) are considered for admission; candidates with a valid UGC NET with JRF are called directly for the interview.
- Marks obtained in the NET by candidates in Category 2 and Category 3 are valid for one year for admission to Ph.D. programmes.
- Ph.D. Design: a Master’s degree with at least 55% marks (50% for reserved categories as defined in the Doon University PhD Ordinance), or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 75% marks. Candidates with CEED or GATE are exempt from the entrance test.
- Ph.D. Urban Development Management: an M.A./M.Sc. in Urban Development Management, Urban Studies or Development Studies with 55% marks, or an M.A./M.Sc. with 55% marks plus GATE/NET in Urban Planning, Urban Infrastructure, Regional Planning, Environmental Planning, Geo-Informatics, Geo-Spatial Science, Remote Sensing and GIS, Geography, Disaster Management, Environmental Studies, Economics or Sociology. GATE/NET holders in those subjects are exempt from the entrance test.
- Dr. Ambedkar Chair: research opportunities in Economics, Social Work / Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology, following the same NET-based criteria.
Selection process and merit weightage
- For candidates with CEED or GATE (Ph.D. Design) the final merit is 70% weightage to the CEED/GATE score and 30% to the interview or viva-voce; such applicants are exempt from the entrance examination.
- For candidates without CEED or GATE the entrance test carries 50% questions on research methodology and 50% on the discipline; the final merit is 70% to the entrance examination and 30% to the interview or viva-voce.
- Applicants to the Dr. Ambedkar Chair have to make a presentation at the interview covering the research problem, objectives and research questions, proposed methodology and study area, the expected contribution and the relevant literature.
Application fee, course fee and hostel charges
| Application fee | Rs 800; Rs 400 for Uttarakhand SC/ST candidates. Non-refundable. |
| Admission fee (one time, non-refundable) | Rs 2,000 |
| Caution money (one time, refundable) | Rs 5,000 |
| Degree fee (one time, per degree, non-refundable) | Rs 750 |
| University magazine fee (annual) | Rs 100 |
| Student council fee (annual) | Rs 100 |
| Tuition fee plus other fee (per semester) | Rs 10,000 + Rs 10,000 = Rs 20,000 per semester |
| Hostel lodging (per semester) | Rs 6,600 |
| Electricity, water and utilities (per semester) | Rs 2,200 |
| Mess caution money (one time, refundable) | Rs 2,000; mess charges are actual, as per tender rates |
Doon University PhD: official links
- PhD admission announcement 2026-27, Doon University (PDF)
- Online application form (Doon University admission portal)
- Doon University official website
- University Grants Commission (NET regulations)
For admission queries, the university’s admission office can be reached on 0135-2533136 and 0135-2533137. Information about the interview and the merit list is notified on the university website.
Frequently asked questions
The last date for filling the application form is 30 October 2026. The online form opened on 26 September 2026.
Twenty-one programmes, including Environmental Science, Management, Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Chemistry, Media and Communication Studies, Japanese, Physics, Geology, Hindu Studies, Urban Development Management, Biological Sciences, English, French, Spanish, Design, Economics, Psychology, German and Ph.D. under the Dr. Ambedkar Chair.
NET scores are used for admission as per the UGC notification dated 27.03.2024. Candidates who have qualified JRF (UGC/CSIR) or NET (UGC/CSIR) are considered, and valid UGC NET with JRF holders are called directly for the interview. For Ph.D. Design, UGC or CSIR does not conduct NET, so CEED or GATE is used instead.
Rs 800 for general candidates and Rs 400 for Uttarakhand SC/ST candidates. The fee is not refundable.
Two candidates selected on merit and research proposal receive a Doctoral Fellowship at par with the UGC fellowship under the Dr. Ambedkar Chair, provided by the Dr. Ambedkar Foundation, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
The entrance test for Ph.D. in Design and Ph.D. in Urban Development Management is conducted only at Doon University, Dehradun, in the 3rd week of November.
Admission is completed in the 2nd or 3rd week of December and classes commence in the second week of January.
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