NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD: Apply by 25 October

National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) has invited applications for PhD (Full-Time) admission under the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme Phase-II, 2026, funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The scheme pays a higher fellowship than the regular institute assistantship and also carries a research contingency grant.

The admission notice (No. NITR/AC/Visvesvaraya/2026/M/2142) was issued on 28 September 2026 and a corrigendum dated 13 October 2026 extended the last date. The last date to submit the online application form is now 25 October 2026 (Sunday).

Only one seat is on offer in this call, and it is meant for full-time students with an external fellowship, across Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering in the broad research areas of Electronic System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM) and IT/IT Enabled Services (ITES).

NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD scheme 2026, last date 25 October 2026

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NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD 2026 at a glance

Quick facts2026-27

Scholarship from	Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme Phase-II, funded by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), at NIT Rourkela
Last date to apply	25 October 2026 (Sunday) – extended from 14 October 2026 by corrigendum dated 13 October 2026
Official website	NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD admission notice (official PDF)

Go to official website

Fellowship and benefits under the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme at NIT Rourkela

Fellowship: Rs 46,250 per month in the first and second year, rising to Rs 52,500 per month in the third, fourth and fifth year.
Research contingency grant: Rs 1,20,000 per year.
Reimbursement of rent as per the funding agency norms.
The period of the project is five years or till the completion of the project, whichever is earlier, and the fellowship is paid from the date of joining the department – for a maximum of five years or till the project is completed.
The fellowship is paid as per the guidelines of the Visvesvaraya PhD Scheme Phase-II funded by MeitY, and admitted candidates are governed by the institute’s PhD regulations along with the scheme guidelines.

Eligibility criteria for NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD admission

The minimum qualification is any one of the following, in a relevant discipline:

ME/M.Tech/M.Sc Engg./M.Pharm/M.Arch/M.Plan/M.Des with at least 6.5 CGPA or 60% marks or first class, in both the qualifying postgraduate degree and the preceding BE/B.Tech/BSc Engg/MSc/BPharm/MCA/BArch/BDes or equivalent from a recognised technical institute or university.
BE/B.Tech/BSc Engg/MSc/BPharm/MCA/BArch/BDes or equivalent in a relevant discipline with a CGPA of 7.0 or 65% marks.
M.Sc in basic sciences with a CGPA of 7.0 or 65% marks in relevant disciplines. For applicants with a valid GATE/NET/GPAT or equivalent score, the requirement may be relaxed by a maximum of 0.5 CGPA or 5% marks.

In addition, the following conditions apply:

A candidate should score a minimum of 6.5 CGPA or 60% marks or first class throughout their career. The Departmental Research Committee may make an exception in one of the results of Class 10, +2, BSc or diploma (not the qualifying degree) if the candidate has qualified GATE/NET/GPAT or another national fellowship test such as DST-INSPIRE, or has joined as JRF/SRF in a research project.
Candidates from reserved categories (PwD/SC/ST) may be relaxed by 0.5 CGPA or 5% at the +2 level.
For admission to engineering, a candidate must have passed Mathematics in +2 Science or diploma. Science students joining an engineering PhD must have passed Mathematics at +2 and +3 level, or else register for additional mathematics and computer science coursework.
Degrees obtained through distance learning or correspondence are not considered where a regular mode of education exists for that degree.
For engineering disciplines, candidates with a B.Tech degree are given preference over MSc degree holders, even if the latter also hold an M.Tech.

Qualifying degrees accepted by department

Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC): B.Tech in Electronics/Electronics and Communication/Electronics and Instrumentation/Applied Electronics and Instrumentation/Electrical and Electronics Engineering/Computer Science or biomedical and allied branches, or MCA/MSc (with GATE or any national-level fellowship) in electronics, computer science, IT, physics, mathematics or biomedical and allied subjects.
Electrical Engineering (EE): B.Tech (with GATE or any national-level fellowship) or M.Tech/M.E./M.S. in electrical, electronics, communications, computer science, instrumentation, control engineering, biomedical, material science or engineering physics, or allied engineering branches, or MCA/MSc (with GATE or any national-level fellowship) in physics, electronics, mathematics, computer science, IT or biomedical and allied subjects.
Computer Science and Engineering (CS): B.Tech (with GATE or any national-level fellowship) or M.Tech in computer science and engineering or information technology, or MCA, or MSc (with GATE or any national-level fellowship) in computer science or information technology.

Application fee, fee structure and how to apply

Application fee: Rs 500, non-refundable, payable through SBI Collect only – search for SB Collect, then Educational Institutions, Odisha, Director NIT Rourkela, Application Fee Visvesvaraya PhD/Post-Doc 2026, and select PhD. Note down the SB Collect reference number and enter it in the application form.
Applications are submitted online at eapplication.nitrkl.ac.in. Hard copies of the form or documents are not to be sent by post; candidates called for the interview have to carry a signed copy of the form, photocopies of certificates and the originals from the HSC onwards for verification.
First semester fees: Rs 67,000 (Rs 59,500 for SC/ST students) and second semester fees: Rs 54,500 (Rs 47,000 for SC/ST). The break-up includes a one-time admission fee of Rs 2,500, tuition fee of Rs 7,500 per semester (nil for SC/ST), other fees of Rs 3,000, student activity fee Rs 2,000, medical fee Rs 2,000, hostel seat rent Rs 5,000, one-time refundable caution money of Rs 10,000, hall establishment fee Rs 5,000 and a mess advance of Rs 30,000.
Fees for the remaining semesters are the same as the second semester unless the competent authority revises them.
For queries, the institute lists [email protected] and +91 661 246 4052.

Important dates for NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD admission

Last date to submit the online application form: 25 October 2026 (Sunday)
Publication of the result of scrutiny on the website: 27 October 2026 (Tuesday)
Test and/or interview (offline, at NIT Rourkela): 30 October 2026 (Friday)
Publication of the interview result on the website: 2 November 2026 (Monday)
Admission: 9 November 2026 (Monday)
All dates are tentative and may change at any stage by the competent authority – the institute posts updates on the Notice Board section of its website.

Frequently asked questions on NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD admission

What is the last date for NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD admission 2026?

The last date to submit the online application form is 25 October 2026 (Sunday). It was extended from 14 October 2026 by a corrigendum dated 13 October 2026.

How much fellowship does the NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD scheme pay?

Rs 46,250 per month in the first and second year and Rs 52,500 per month in the third, fourth and fifth year, plus a research contingency grant of Rs 1,20,000 per year and reimbursement of rent as per the funding agency norms.

How many seats are available in this call?

One seat for a full-time student with an external fellowship, across Electronics and Communication Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Engineering, in the ESDM and IT/ITES research areas.

What is the application fee and how do I pay it?

The application fee is Rs 500 and it is non-refundable. It can be paid only through SBI Collect under Director NIT Rourkela – Application Fee Visvesvaraya PhD/Post-Doc 2026, and the SB Collect reference number has to be entered in the online application form.

Is GATE or NET compulsory for this PhD programme?

The scheme is open to full-time students with an external fellowship and the eligibility is based on your degrees and marks – ME/M.Tech with 6.5 CGPA or 60%, or BE/B.Tech with 7.0 CGPA or 65%, or MSc in basic sciences with 7.0 CGPA or 65%. A valid GATE/NET/GPAT score relaxes the requirement by up to 0.5 CGPA or 5% marks.

Is the selection test held online?

No. The test and/or interview is held offline at NIT Rourkela on 30 October 2026, and the interview result is published on 2 November 2026.

Can I apply if I have a distance-learning degree?

No. Where a regular mode of education exists for a degree, a qualification obtained through distance learning or correspondence is not considered for PhD admission at NIT Rourkela.

NIT Rourkela Visvesvaraya PhD 2026: Rs 46,250 a Month, Apply by 25 October