NISER PhD Admission January 2027: Apply by 1 November

The National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar has invited applications for admission to its PhD programme for the Winter Session 2026-27, which begins in January 2027. The advertisement (No. NISER / ACAD / PhD / 2026-27 (2), dated 29 September 2026) opens the online portal on 1 October 2026 and sets the last date to apply at 1 November 2026 for all six schools.

NISER does not charge any application fee for the PhD programme, and the institute’s own fellowship pays Rs 37,000 a month for the first two years and Rs 42,000 a month for up to three more years. A national-level examination score is compulsory for every school – an INSPIRE Doctoral Fellowship alone, without a qualifying national exam, is not accepted.

NISER Bhubaneswar PhD admission for the Winter Session 2026-27 with a last date to apply of 1 November 2026

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NISER PhD admission 2026-27: quick facts

Quick facts2026-27

Scholarship from	National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar – PhD programme starting January 2027, with the institute’s own junior and senior research fellowship
Last date to apply	1 November 2026 (online application, all schools; no application fee)
Official website	NISER PhD admissions page (official website)

Go to official website

NISER PhD admission 2026-27: important dates

Online application portal activated: 1 October 2026.
Last date for filling up the online application: 1 November 2026 (all schools).
Short-listed candidates uploaded on the NISER website: by 10 November 2026 (all schools).
Test and interview – School of Chemical Sciences: 19-20 November 2026.
Test and interview – School of Humanities and Social Sciences: 26-27 November 2026.
Test and interview – School of Computer Sciences, School of Earth & Planetary Sciences and School of Physical Sciences: 1-2 December 2026.
Test and interview – School of Biological Sciences: 14-15 December 2026.
PhD first-semester registration: 1 January 2027; classes commence on 4 January 2027.

Each school sends its call letters separately, and the list of selected candidates is announced on the NISER website. All the interview dates published in the advertisement are marked tentative.

Schools offering PhD admission at NISER for the January 2027 session

School of Biological Sciences (SBS).
School of Chemical Sciences (SCS).
School of Computer Sciences (SCoS).
School of Earth & Planetary Sciences (SEPS).
School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS).
School of Physical Sciences (SPS).

A candidate who wants to apply to more than one school must fill out a separate online application form for each school, with the supporting documents attached to each form.

NISER PhD eligibility: minimum educational qualification

Biological Sciences: 55% or an equivalent GPA in a Master’s or M.Tech or M.Pharm in any branch of Agricultural Sciences, Biology, Life Sciences, Pharmacy, Veterinary Sciences, Computer Sciences, Bioinformatics or Biotechnology. Students with a Master’s degree in Physics, Chemistry or Mathematics who are interested in biology are also encouraged to apply, and a four-year or eight-semester Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 75% aggregate marks is also accepted.
Chemical Sciences: 55% or an equivalent GPA in a Master’s in Chemistry or an allied Chemistry field, with a four-year or eight-semester Bachelor’s degree with Chemistry as a major subject at 75% aggregate also accepted.
Computer Sciences: 55% or an equivalent GPA in a Master’s in Mathematics or Computer Science, or an M.Tech or M.E. in Computer Science, Electronics, Electrical Engineering or a related field, or a four-year Bachelor’s degree with 75% aggregate marks.
Earth & Planetary Sciences: 55% or an equivalent GPA in an M.Sc or M.Tech or M.E. in Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Space Science, Geology, Applied Geology, Geoscience, Geological Sciences, Geophysics, Earth Science(s), Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering Physics, Electrical, Electronics, Mechanical, Civil, Computer, Data Science and related areas, or 75% aggregate in a four-year science Bachelor’s degree with Physics, Chemistry or Geology as one of the subjects, or in a four-year B.E./B.Tech.
Humanities and Social Sciences: a Master’s or equivalent degree recognised by the UGC with 55% or an equivalent GPA in Humanities and Social Sciences, or 75% aggregate in a four-year Bachelor’s degree with Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, History or Tourism as one of the subjects.
Physical Sciences: 55% or an equivalent GPA in a Master’s in Physics, or an M.E./M.Tech in Applied Physics, Quantum Technology, Photonics, Optical Engineering or a related field, or 75% aggregate in a four-year science Bachelor’s degree with Physics as one of the subjects, or in a four-year B.E./B.Tech.

Candidates who are appearing for the final examination of their qualifying degree can also apply, provided they submit an undertaking that they will produce the degree certificates by the time of admission. Candidates whose qualifying degree carries a GPA must produce a conversion note from their institution if the percentage conversion is not printed on the mark sheet.

National-level examination requirement, school by school

Biological Sciences: at least one of CSIR-UGC-NET, GATE, GPAT, DBT-BET, ICMR or JGEEBILS-2025, valid for the academic year 2026-2027.
Chemical Sciences: CSIR-UGC NET or GATE, valid for the academic year 2026-2027.
Computer Sciences: CSIR-UGC-NET (LS or JRF), or GATE in Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technology, Electrical Engineering or Statistics, or NBHM, JEST or TIFR-GS in Mathematics, Computer Science or LIDS, valid for the academic year 2026-2027.
Earth & Planetary Sciences: CSIR-UGC-NET, GATE or JEST, valid for the academic year 2026-2027.
Humanities and Social Sciences: for Philosophy, a JRF or NET in Philosophy from the UGC, CSIR, ICSSR, GATE or a comparable funding agency; for Sociology, a JRF in Sociology, Psychology, History or Tourism from the UGC, CSIR, ICSSR, GATE or a comparable funding agency.
Physical Sciences: CSIR-UGC-NET, GATE or JEST, valid for the academic year 2026-2027.

The cut-off marks for GATE, JEST, JGEEBILS, CSIR-UGC-NET and the other examinations are decided separately by each school for its subject area. Students who hold only an INSPIRE Doctoral Fellowship, without qualifying any of the national-level written examinations listed above, will not be considered for PhD admission at NISER.

NISER PhD fellowship amount

Rs 37,000 per month as a Junior Research Fellowship for the first two years, and subsequently Rs 42,000 per month as a Senior Research Fellowship for a maximum of another three years, subject to the institute’s academic requirements.
Students who hold an external fellowship from an agency such as CSIR or the UGC must draw their fellowship under that agency’s rules and will not be considered for the NISER/DAE fellowship.
NISER charges no application fee for the PhD programme.

Selection procedure

The selection committee of the respective school short-lists candidates from the applications received by the deadline. Meeting the minimum qualification does not guarantee short-listing, and a school may set additional criteria.
Short-listed candidates are called for an interview, supplemented by a written test if the school considers it necessary.
Selection is based on the academic record and performance in the selection process.
All eligible candidates called for the test or interview are reimbursed the return travel fare equal to second-sleeper class railway fare by the shortest route from their place of residence to the institute, on production of valid documents.

How to apply for NISER PhD admission 2026-27

Open the NISER admission page and go to the online application portal; the advertisement and the portal link are published on the NISER website.
Register and complete the online application form, following the step-wise instructions on the portal. Successful submission of the application is entirely the candidate’s responsibility.
Upload a JPEG of your passport-size photograph, a JPEG of your signature, your birth certificate or 10th pass certificate, the certificates and mark sheets for the qualifying degree, and the certificate or document for your qualifying national-level examination.
If you are applying to more than one school, submit a separate form for each school with the appropriate supporting documents.
Submit the form on or before 1 November 2026. No application fee is payable.

NISER PhD admission 2026-27: frequently asked questions

What is the last date to apply for NISER PhD admission for the January 2027 session?

The last date for filling up the online application is 1 November 2026 for all schools. The online application portal was activated on 1 October 2026.

Is there an application fee for the NISER PhD programme?

No. The official advertisement states that NISER does not demand any application fee from candidates for the PhD programme.

How much fellowship does NISER pay a PhD student?

Rs 37,000 per month as a Junior Research Fellowship for the first two years, and Rs 42,000 per month as a Senior Research Fellowship for up to three more years, subject to the institute’s academic requirements.

Can I apply to NISER for PhD with only an INSPIRE fellowship?

No. Students who hold only an INSPIRE Doctoral Fellowship, without qualifying any of the listed national-level written examinations, will not be considered for admission to the NISER PhD programme.

Can final-year master’s students apply for the NISER PhD programme?

Yes. Candidates appearing for the final examination of their qualifying degree can apply, provided they submit an undertaking that they will submit the qualifying degree certificates by the time of admission.

How many schools can I apply to at NISER?

You may apply to more than one school, but a separate online application form, with the appropriate supporting documents, is required for each school.

Is the NISER test and interview held online or at the campus?

Short-listed candidates are called for an interview, supplemented by a written test if necessary, as per the schedule of the respective school. Eligible candidates called for the test or interview are reimbursed second-sleeper return rail fare.

Official links

Related scholarships and admission hubs

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