UGC (University Grants Commission) PhD guidelines are periodically updated to improve the quality of research and streamline the admission process. As of **2025**, the UGC has continued its efforts to standardize PhD admissions and research quality across universities in India.
Here’s a comprehensive summary of the **UGC PhD Guidance for 2025**:
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### **1. Eligibility Criteria:**
- **Master’s Degree:** Candidates must have a Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline with at least **55% marks** (50% for SC/ST/OBC/ PwD candidates).
- **4-year Bachelor’s Degree:** UGC has continued allowing candidates with a **4-year UG degree with minimum 75% marks (or equivalent grade)** to apply directly for PhD (subject to university-specific norms).
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### **2. Admission Process:**
- **Entrance Test (NET/SET/SLET/University-level Test):**
- **UGC NET/JRF qualified candidates** are generally exempt from entrance tests and can directly appear for the interview.
- Universities may conduct their **own entrance test** followed by an interview process.
- **Interview/Viva-Voce:**
- The focus is on evaluating the candidate's **research aptitude**, **domain knowledge**, and **research proposal feasibility**.
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### **3. Coursework:**
- All PhD candidates must complete a **mandatory coursework of 12-16 credits**, including:
- Research Methodology
- Ethics and Publication Practices
- Domain-specific subjects
- Review of literature & advanced research techniques
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### **4. Research Duration:**
- **Minimum Duration:** 3 years (including coursework)
- **Maximum Duration:** 6 years (relaxation of up to 1 year for special cases like maternity/paternity leave, illness)
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### **5. Research Quality & Publications:**
- **Mandatory Research Paper Publication:**
- At least **one paper in a peer-reviewed or UGC-listed journal** before submission of the thesis.
- **Plagiarism Policy:**
- Strict adherence to **UGC anti-plagiarism guidelines**, with thesis similarity index below **10%**.
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### **6. Supervision Norms:**
- One eligible faculty can guide:
- **8 PhD scholars** at a time (increased from earlier limits to encourage more supervision but maintaining quality).
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### **7. Interdisciplinary Research:**
- UGC strongly promotes **interdisciplinary, collaborative, and socially relevant research projects**.
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### **8. Part-time/External PhD:**
- Provision for **Part-time PhD** for working professionals, with NOC from the employer and flexible research schedule.
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### **9. Research Funding:**
- UGC offers scholarships/fellowships:
- **JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)**
- **SRF (Senior Research Fellowship)**
- **Maulana Azad, Rajiv Gandhi, and National Fellowship schemes**
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### **10. Thesis Evaluation & Viva:**
- **Two external examiners** (one international examiner if required).
- Open defense viva after positive thesis evaluation reports.
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## **Important UGC Notifications & Circulars:**
UGC regularly updates PhD guidelines; candidates are advised to:
- Regularly check [UGC Official Website](https://www.ugc.gov.in)
- Refer to the latest **UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022 & subsequent amendments (2024, 2025)**.
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### **Suggestions:**
1. Prepare a **clear, original research proposal**.
2. Keep updated with university-specific PhD notifications.
3. Focus on **NET/JRF preparation** for better chances.
4. Engage in **pre-research reading** and identify gaps in existing literature.
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