PhD in India

I’ve spent quite some time confused about understanding all these exam names people throw around when they talk about doing a PhD in India, and fellowships and universities and RAs. If your head spins slightly when you think about these things too, my friend Arjun is here to save you. His head stays super steady when it comes to these things, and you can write to him here.

A shout-out also to all our friends who vetted these questions and answers with us! If you find any errors here, please do bring it to our notice.

This page is for you if you’ve done/you’re doing your master’s, and you’re looking for ecology/conservation science PhD options in India.

General FAQ

1. What do you do after finishing a master’s – are there exams you can write before your course is done?

If you’re thinking about a PhD in ecology/conservation science in India, you can write these exams:

• UGC-NET (environmental sciences paper)
• CSIR-NET (life sciences paper)
• GATE (ecology and evolution paper)

With valid scores from these exams, you can apply to a bunch of institutes/universities:

• Centre for Ecological Sciences (IISc, Bangalore)
• Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (in various states) – note: they accept JGEEBILS score, while some IISERs also conduct their own entrance exams.
• National Centre for Biological Sciences – they also have their own exam called JGEEBILS. All second year master’s students can write this exam in December every year.
• Pondicherry University – university entrance exam is also conducted in May annually.
• ATREE and NCF (NGOs)
• Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore
• National Institute of Advanced Sciences, Bangalore

This is only a list of major institutes with PhD programs in ecology. A lot of other universities and colleges have labs which conduct ecology research, and a candidate having valid entrance exam scores can apply to these places as well. It’s best to contact the Principal Investigator of a lab prior to deciding which institute/university to join.

 

GATE

2. What does a good GATE rank give you?

With a good GATE rank, you can apply for PhD admission to institutes such as Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IISERs. While the GATE score can also be used to apply to central and state universities, the stipend provided by these universities will be less compared to that of IISc/IISERs (this amount is institute-specific). Also note that having a good GATE rank doesn’t guarantee you admission to an institute – it only makes you eligible to attend PhD interviews.

3. Where can you apply with GATE scores in the EY paper? How does the application process work?

With a valid GATE score you can apply to institutes such as IISc, the IISERs, ATREE, JNCASR, NCBS, besides state, central and other universities. The application process is pretty straightforward and you can apply via the common application portal of all universities. You will be asked to submit your rank and GATE score which is provided in the official GATE scorecard.

 

NET

4. Why would you write the NET exam?

The National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by CSIR and UGC is an exam which gives you the eligibility to pursue a PhD and also to apply for Assistant Professor position in all universities and colleges across India. Both exams are conducted twice a year. Currently, the minimum qualification to apply for a Assistant Professor position is a postgraduate degree and NET qualification. But from 2021, the minimum qualification to apply for a permanent tenure track professorship position will be a PhD degree.

5. What’s the difference between the different NET exams (UGC and CSIR)?

The main difference between the two NET exams is the pattern of paper and subjects. The CSIR-NET is a paper-based exam and those who have done master’s in ecology can write the life sciences paper. The paper has questions from all subjects in biology such as molecular biology, reproductive biology, biochemistry, ecology, microbiology, etc. The first section tests general aptitude while the second and third test subject knowledge. All questions have negative marking.

The UGC-NET is a computer based exam (from December 2018) and ecology graduates can write the environmental sciences paper. The paper has two parts: Part 1 – general and teaching aptitude and part 2 – subject paper. There is no negative marking for incorrect responses.

6. Which NET subject paper do you write?

For graduates in ecology, you are eligible to write UGC – environmental sciences paper or the CSIR – life sciences paper. For those who do not have a background in zoology, it might be better to write the environmental sciences paper – the life sciences paper is more conceptual and will have questions from biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, etc. The minimum eligibility to apply for these exams is an M.Sc or equivalent degree such as integrated BS-MS/BS – 4 years/B.E./B.Tech/B.Pharma/MBBS with at least 55% marks. Candidates who have enrolled for M.Sc or completed 10+2+3 years of the above given qualifying examinations are also eligible to apply under the Result Awaited (RA) category. Such candidates should submit an attested form duly signed by the HoD/institute.

7. Where can you apply with NET scores? How does the application process work?

With a valid NET score, you are eligible to join as Junior Research Fellow (JRF) and apply for a PhD at every institute, university and college in India. The criteria for selection at all colleges might not be the same. It may depend on performance in interviews, number of vacancies and also the amount of funding available for a project.

The application is pretty straightforward. You can apply with your NET score and rank after which you might be called for due procedure as decided by the institute. Once you join as JRF, you have to send the joining report to CSIR/UGC after which you will receive an award letter from them. From then on, you will receive the monthly stipend.

 

Funding

8. Does this mean you have your funding?

Getting into a PhD program doesn’t mean that you will automatically have funding to do your project. The stipend for personal expenses will be paid by UGC/CSIR or the institute itself (for GATE qualified candidates), but you need to have external project funds to do fieldwork. If you’re at an institute like IISc or one of the IISERs, the money for field work is usually provided by the institute. The contingency grant provided for candidates who have qualified NET/GATE can be used for field expenses. But it is always better to have an external grant/funding for equipments and other field expenses. Fieldwork can quickly become expensive!

9. Who pays you in the case of all these fellowships?

Candidates who have gotten admission to an institute/university via GATE receive their monthly fellowship from the institute itself. Those who have qualified UGC-NET receive their fellowship from UGC, and monthly claim bills have to be sent to the UGC in order to avail the money each month. For CSIR-NET holders, 50% of the qualified students get their fellowship from CSIR, while the other 50% get it from UGC. This is decided by CSIR, and the candidate will be informed about this when he/she receives the award letter from them. Accordingly, you will need to send the monthly claim bills to either CSIR or UGC.

10. Does the stipend come on time?

As of now (March 2019), most students are getting their stipends only once every 3-4 months. According to a list published by CSIR a couple of months back, only about half the number of total research scholars are getting their stipends on time.

The Government of India introduced Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) last year to make sure fellowship amounts are disbursed on time. So far, it has not been effective enough. Receiving the stipends on time also depends on the institute and the type of fellowship the student is getting. If you’re enrolled at a research institute like IISc or an IISER, etc., you’re more likely to receive your money on time. CSIR and UGC fellowships are delayed compared to GATE, which more or less comes on time (although over the past few months GATE fellowships also seem to have been delayed).

11. What is the current stipend for NET/GATE qualified students?

The current stipend for Junior Research Fellow (JRF) is Rs. 31,000 + HRA, and for Senior Research Fellow (SRF) it is Rs. 35,000 + HRA. In addition, students alo receive a contingency grant of Rs. 20,000 per year. The fellowship was increased on 30th January 2019 and the revised fellowship is applicable with effect from 1st January 2019. Generally, during the first two years of your PhD, you are considered a JRF and later on, after the approval of a committee headed by your faculty guide and an external Associate Professor (subject expert), it can be converted into SRF. This mostly depends on your Principal Investigator and the research progress made.

12. What is the HRA? Is there a different allowance with the type of examination you enter with?

House Rent Allowance (HRA) is given to students who reside outside the campus hostels. In accordance with the 7th pay commission, effective from 1st January 2019, the HRA rates for Tier 1,2 & 3 cities is 24%, 16% and 8% respectively. Please note that those who reside within the campus hostels are not entitled to receive HRA. The percentage of HRA is the same for NET/GATE.

 

Misc.

13. What is JRF and SRF? Does one need to be enrolled in a PhD program to work in this role?

Junior Research Fellow (JRF) is a research position which you can take up after a master’s degree. It is a project-based position, and institutions or professors call for the positions when they receive funds for a project from DST, CSIR, etc. NET or GATE qualification is mostly needed to apply for the position, but this is not mandatory for all projects (please note you don’t have to have a PhD to join as a JRF). The minimum period for a JRF position is 1 year, and this can be extended to a maximum of 3 years based on your performance. It might be a good idea for those who want to register for a PhD position (during the JRF tenure) to enroll with the university/institute within 2-3 years of joining, since the fellowship runs out in 3 years.

Senior Research Fellow (SRF) is a research position which you can take up after having 2 years of experience working as JRF in a research project (basically like a promotion from JRF). In order to be an SRF, you have to be registered for a PhD and have at least one publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The maximum tenure as SRF is 3 years, after which the fellowship will be terminated. It is advisable to finish the PhD within this period of time i.e., 2 years as JRF and 3 years as SRF.

14. What is the difference between Research/Project Assistant and Research Associate?

Research/Project Assistant is a research position, often on a temporary contract offered by a university or research institute for the purpose of assisting an academic research project. These positions are open for postgraduates and the stipend is usually equivalent to that of a JRF (some projects demand NET/GATE qualification for you to receive the full stipend). The usual time period of contract is between six months to a year.

Research Associateship is a position which you can apply for after finishing PhD. This is also a temporary position of at least a year, and can be extended upto three years based on performance (exceptions in some projects). The candidate applying for the position should have at least one publication in a standard peer-reviewed journal. The stipend for this position is Rs. 47,000 per month, plus a yearly contingency grant of Rs. 20,000 provided by the university/institute.

15. What are some government positions available for people in this field?

There are several government positions available in the field of ecology, the most common being tenure track professorship positions. These positions are available in both central and state universities which have ecology/environmental sciences courses. (Look at question 16 for the requirements and eligibility criteria for these positions).

Those who have sufficient research experience can also apply for scientist posts with government organisations such as MoEFCC, DST, etc. These positions are very competitive and require many years of research experience after PhD and postdoctoral research.

16. Are tenure tracks open in Indian institutions?

Tenure track positions are available in research institutions, central universities, state universities and colleges affiliated with universities across India. Right now, the minimum eligibility to apply for a tenure track position is a master’s degree in the relevant subject and NET qualification. The criteria for selection depends upon the institute and may involve multiple rounds of interviews and/or pedagogical talks.

From 2021, the minimum eligibility to apply for a tenure track position will be a PhD degree. Those who only have a master’s degree will not be considered for permanent positions. A few institutes/universities with tenure track openings in ecology are:

• All IISERs across India
• Centre for Ecological Sciences (IISc)
• Pondicherry University
• National Centre for Biological Sciences (TIFR)
• ATREE and NCF (NGOs)
• Amity University
• Transdisciplinary University
• Azim Premji University
• JNCASR, Bangalore
• NIAS

Updated in March 2019.