The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal has opened admission to its M.Tech (Research) and PhD programmes for the Winter Session 2026-27, which begins in January 2027. The online application portal opened on 5 October 2026, and the last date for online submission of the application is 1 November 2026.
NITK pays a GATE scholarship of Rs 12,400 a month for up to 24 months to M.Tech (Research) students, and a PhD fellowship of Rs 37,000 a month in years one and two, rising to Rs 42,000 a month in years three and four. The hard copy of the application, with the fee receipt and documents, has to reach NITK by 5 November 2026.
NITK Surathkal PhD and M.Tech (Research) admission: quick facts
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal – M.Tech (Research) and PhD programmes, Winter Session 2026-27, starting January 2027, with an Institute scholarship or fellowship |
| Last date to apply | 1 November 2026 (online application, 11:59 pm; the hard copy must reach NITK by 5 November 2026) |
| Official website | NITK Surathkal PhD and M.Tech (Research) admission page (official website) |
NITK Surathkal admission 2026-27: important dates
- Online application portal opens: 5 October 2026.
- Last date for online submission of applications: 1 November 2026 (Sunday), 23:59 hrs.
- Hard copy of the application to reach NITK: 5 November 2026 (Thursday).
- Call letters to shortlisted candidates (by email and on the website): 13 November 2026 (Friday).
- Written test (40%) and technical interview (60%) at NITK, physical mode: 30 November to 2 December 2026.
- Departments send recommended merit lists to the Dean (Academic): 4 December 2026.
- Provisional selection list published on the website: 11 December 2026.
- Online fee payment, physical reporting and document verification: 14-17 December 2026.
The selection test and interview are held offline, in physical mode at the NITK campus. Shortlisted candidates receive the call letter by email, and the list is also announced on the NITK website.
NITK PhD eligibility: minimum qualification
- Route 1 – M.E./M.Tech or equivalent: a minimum CGPA of 6.0 on a 10-point scale, or 60% marks, for General, OBC and EWS candidates; 5.5 or 55% for SC/ST/PwD candidates. GATE is not mandatory on this route.
- Route 2 – direct admission after B.E./B.Tech: a minimum CGPA of 8.0 or 80% (7.5 or 75% for SC/ST/PwD), with a B.Tech/B.E./B.Arch/B.Plan/B.Des/B.S. (four-year) degree in a relevant discipline obtained within five years of the degree, plus a qualifying GATE score. Graduates of a centrally funded institute are exempt from the GATE requirement.
- Route 3 – M.Sc./M.A./M.C.A./M.B.A. or a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline: with a qualifying GATE, UGC-NET, CSIR, NBHM or DAE-JEST score, exempted if the Master’s degree is from a centrally funded institute.
PhD admission is open to Indian nationals, and the aggregate is computed across all subjects of all public and university examinations during the entire prescribed period of the qualifying degree.
NITK M.Tech (Research) eligibility and scholarship seats
- Minimum qualification: admission is open to Indian nationals who have passed the prescribed qualifying examination with a CGPA of 6.5 on a 10-point scale, or 60% aggregate, for General, OBC and EWS candidates, and 6.0 or 55% for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
- Scholarship seats (B.1): a valid GATE score is required to receive the Institute scholarship for four semesters, subject to the Ministry of Education scholarship rules.
- Non-scholarship seats (B.2): full-time sponsored seats (at least two years of full-time work experience in the sponsoring organisation, with a sponsorship-cum-clearance certificate), internal registrants (part time, NITK staff) and external registrants (part time).
- Selection: seats under B.1 and B.2 are allotted on performance in the qualifying examination together with a national-level written test and a technical interview, both held in physical mode at NITK.
NITK PhD seat categories
- A. Scholarship seats (full time, Institute fellowship): A.1 for M.E./M.Tech holders (with or without GATE), A.2 direct admission after B.E./B.Tech with a qualifying GATE score, and A.3 for Master’s degree holders in science, management or a relevant discipline with a qualifying GATE/UGC-NET/CSIR/NBHM/DAE-JEST score.
- B. Non-scholarship seats: QIP seats, full-time sponsored seats, internal registrants (part time, NITK staff), full-time non-sponsored seats, and external registrants (part time, research carried out at the parent organisation).
- Common requirement: for all PhD categories the candidate must qualify the national-level written test and the technical interview, both conducted by the respective departmental research committee (DRPC) in physical mode at NITK.
NITK financial assistance for M.Tech (Research) and PhD
- M.Tech (Research) GATE scholarship: Rs 12,400 a month, for a maximum of 24 months.
- PhD fellowship: Rs 37,000 a month in years one and two, and Rs 42,000 a month in years three and four.
- The stipend continues only while the student passes all registered courses with an SGPA/CGPA of at least 6.0. An FF, FA or N grade stops the scholarship until the subject is cleared, and the scholarship is not allowed beyond 24 months for the M.Tech (Research) programme.
- The student has to give an undertaking not to leave the course midway, and no other salary or stipend may be received from any other source. Scholarship seats meant for SC/ST candidates are not granted to OC or OBC students.
NITK fee structure for the Winter Session 2026-27
- Tuition fee: Rs 35,000 per semester for M.Tech (Research) and Rs 7,500 per semester for PhD.
- Day-scholar total, M.Tech (Research): Rs 75,760 in semester one and Rs 42,050 in semester two.
- Day-scholar total, PhD: Rs 76,290 in semester one and Rs 14,550 in semester two.
- SC, ST and PwD students are exempt from the tuition fee. The exemption does not apply to external and internal registrants.
How to apply for NITK Surathkal admission 2026-27
- Register on the online portal at www.nitk.ac.in and complete the online application.
- Pay the application fee through the IRIS portal on or before 1 November 2026.
- Post the hard copy of the application, with the fee receipt and copies of all documents, to the Assistant Registrar (Academic), NITK Surathkal, Srinivasnagar, Mangalore – 575 025, Karnataka, to reach on or before 5 November 2026.
- A candidate applying to more than one course has to submit a separate application, with a separate fee, for each course.
NITK Surathkal admission 2026-27: FAQ
The last date for online submission of the application is 1 November 2026, up to 11:59 pm. The hard copy of the application must reach NITK by 5 November 2026.
Yes. The application fee has to be paid through the IRIS portal, and the fee receipt has to be posted along with the hard copy of the application and the documents.
NITK pays Rs 37,000 a month in the first two years and Rs 42,000 a month in years three and four, subject to satisfactory academic performance with an SGPA/CGPA of at least 6.0.
Rs 12,400 a month, for a maximum of 24 months, and only for candidates who hold a valid GATE score.
No. For Route 1 (M.E./M.Tech holders) GATE is not mandatory, but a qualifying GATE score is required for direct admission after B.E./B.Tech and for Master’s degree holders in science or management subjects.
The written test (40% weightage) and the technical interview (60% weightage) will be held in physical mode at NITK between 30 November and 2 December 2026.
Official links
Related reading: NITK Surathkal PhD and M.Tech (Research) admission page
NITK Information Bulletin, M.Tech (Research) and PhD, Winter Session 2026-27 (PDF)
Related reading: National Scholarships, Fellowships and Post Graduation Scholarships.
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