Doctoral Research Programmes
For Women and Men
Duration: 6 Years
The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at SSSIHL is intellectually demanding and students must have a high level of attainment and motivation to pursue this programme of advanced study and research. Admissions to the SSSIHL Doctoral Research programme is currently available across nine of the University’s departments. First, see the Eligibility tab on this page for detailed information on admissions eligibility criteria. Then, visit the Research Areas tab to see the topics and areas of research available per department.
After you have decided on the Research Areas you want to apply for, go to the SSSIHL Admissions Application Guide. This page will give you step-by-step guidance on how to successfully apply for the Doctoral Research programme at SSSIHL, including a full overview of what it is like to do research at SSSIHL.
Once you submit your online application, you cannot change it. Therefore, it is very important that you go through the Application Guide and read the important information it provides on various aspects of the application, such as Registering for Online applications, what documents to upload, and what happens at each stage of the application process.
SSSIHL has a rolling admissions policy for its Doctoral Research Programme. This means that admissions to a Ph.D. programme is open throughout the academic year. Applicants can apply at any point of time without a set application deadline.
However, this strictly applies only to those applicants who are eligible for a direct interview (see below). For all other applicants – who must appear for the Admissions Test – the Admissions cycle will take place twice a year (each semester). Kindly visit our Admissions Dates & Deadlines page for these dates.
SSSIHL IS UNIQUE
As detailed in the About Us section of our website, SSSIHL is unique in several ways.
In addition to the Sri Sathya Sai Values-based Integral Education practiced at SSSIHL, one of the salient features is that, aligned with the vision of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, education at SSSIHL is provided FREE to all students for all programmes of study.
This commitment aims to eliminate financial barriers and promote access to quality education for all deserving candidates, fostering an inclusive learning environment. SSSIHL does not levy any of the following fees:
- Tuition fees
- Admissions fees
- Infrastructure & Development fees
- Library fees
- Examination fees
- Basic amenities fees
- Sports fees
- Medical fees*
*students have access to free medical treatment at Sri Sathya Sai General and Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospitals located at Prasanthi Nilayam and Whitefield, Bangalore
Hostel fees: Boarding and lodging charges will be communicated to selected candidates
All applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria to qualify for admissions to the Ph.D. programme and appear for the SSSIHL Admissions Interview.
GENERAL
Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed to be University) has a merit-based Admissions Policy open for all.
The following criteria apply to all applicants of the SSSIHL Doctoral Research Programme:
- Age: Below 30 years of age on the date of application to the programme.
- Compulsory Hostel stay: Given the unique modern Gurukula system of Values-based Integral Education at SSSIHL, it is mandatory that all students study and reside at gender-specific campuses during their entire period of study.
Candidates who do not meet all the admissions criteria listed for the programme they apply to will not be eligible for admissions.
Relaxation of Age
A relaxation of up to 5 years is provided to Women applicants and candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC-NCL/PwD (Divyangjan)/EWS.
ACADEMIC
To qualify for an SSSIHL Doctoral Research Programme, applicants must meet at least one of the following three criteria:
NATIONAL-LEVEL EXAMINATION
Candidates who have qualified in either one of the following:
- UGC-NET (Category 1, 2 or 3)
- Joint CSIR-UGC NET (Category 1, 2 or 3)
- GATE
- JEST
POSTGRADUATE DEGREE
Candidates who hold either one of the following:
- A 2-year/4-semester Master’s degree (following a 3-year undergraduate programme)
- A 1-year/2-semester Master’s degree (following a 4-year NEP [Hons. with Research] undergraduate programme)
The Master’s degree can be from SSSIHL or any other recognized university, in a relevant discipline within the faculties of Science, Engineering, Management & Commerce, Humanities & Social Sciences (including subjects like Economics, Education, Languages & Literature) etc., with a minimum of 55% marks (aggregate) or its grade equivalent.
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE
Candidates who hold a 4-year/8-semester NEP Bachelor’s degree (Hons with Research) from SSSIHL or any other recognized university in the respective discipline, with a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10 or its equivalent percentage of marks.
Candidates submitting their GATE / JEST scores will be assessed by the respective Department of the Institute, and those found eligible need not take the admission test of the institute and they will be considered for the Interview based on their performance in the evaluation test in English and a Subject Viva.
Relaxation of Marks
Candidates belonging to the following categories shall be provided a relaxation of 5% marks as per prevalent UGC guidelines:
- Scheduled Castes (SC) / Scheduled Tribes (ST)
- Other Backward Classes (OBC) – Non-Creamy Layer (NCL)
- Persons with Disabilities (PwD) / Divyangjan
- Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
ADMISSIONS TEST
Candidates Eligible for a Direct Interview
Candidates who have qualified in either of the National-level Examinations – UGC-NET (Category 1, 2 or 3) | Joint CSIR-UGC NET (Category 1, 2 or 3) | GATE | JEST – need not take the SSSIHL Research Aptitude Assessment Test and will be considered directly for the Interview.
Candidates who must appear for the Admissions Test
All other candidates who have not qualified in one or more of the above National Examinations but meet the minimum eligibility criteria for the Doctoral Research programme, will be required to take the SSSIHL Research Aptitude Assessment Test, and, if shortlisted, the interview to the Ph.D. programme.
Kindly see the Research Areas tab to view detailed information on the departments that offer a Ph.D., and the current areas of research available for admissions.
Each department at SSSIHL has a unique set of research areas for both women and men campuses.
Note: Given the unique modern Gurukula system of Values-based Integral Education at SSSIHL, it is mandatory that all students study and reside at gender-specific campuses during their entire period of study. Accordingly, admissions (to all programmes) are campus-specific.
The Ph.D. programme is open for the following departments at SSSIHL:
