IGNOU PhD Admission 2026: Applications open for 36 disciplines; apply by July 1

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has started the application process for admission to its Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes for the July 2026 session. Eligible candidates can submit their IGNOU PhD applications online through the university's admission portal, ignou.ac.in, by July 1, 2026.

According to the PhD admission brochure, IGNOU is offering PhD admissions in 36 disciplines across different schools. These include psychology, political science, life sciences, education, management, environmental science, journalism and mass communication, computer science, social work, home science, and development studies.

IGNOU will offer the PhD programme in both full-time and part-time modes. However, all selected candidates must attend coursework classes at the university headquarters in New Delhi during the first six months of admission. Students must have at least 80% attendance in the coursework.

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To complete the IGNOU PhD registration process, candidates will have to pay a non-refundable application fee of Rs 2,000 online.

IGNOU PhD Admission 2026: Eligibility

Candidates who have completed a master's degree with at least 55% aggregate marks (50% for reserved categories), or an equivalent qualification as per UGC rules, can apply for the IGNOU PhD programme. Those with a four-year bachelor's degree must have secured at least 75% marks to be eligible for PhD admission.

IGNOU said that the minimum duration of the PhD programme is 3 years, while the maximum duration is 6 years. Women candidates and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) with 40% or more benchmark disability will be allowed an additional two years to complete the programme.

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IGNOU PhD Admission 2026: Selection process

The admission process will be conducted under the following four groups:

• UGC-NET candidates with Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)
• UGC-NET candidates eligible for both Assistant Professor and PhD admission
• UGC-NET candidates eligible for PhD admission only
• Candidates applying through the university-level entrance test (IGNOU PhD Entrance Test)

According to the IGNOU PhD admission brochure, candidates applying under the UGC-NET with JRF category will be selected only based on their interview performance. For UGC-NET qualified candidates, 70% weightage will be given to their NET scores and 30% to their interview performance. Candidates applying through the university entrance test will be assessed with 70% weightage for the entrance exam and 30% for the interview.

The university said that admission preference will be given first to candidates with UGC-NET JRF. This will be followed by UGC-NET candidates eligible for Assistant Professor and PhD, then candidates eligible for PhD only through UGC-NET , and finally candidates selected through the university-level entrance test.

The university said that interviews will be held only at its headquarters in Maidan Garhi, New Delhi. No travel allowance (TA) or daily allowance (DA) will be given to candidates attending the interview. Selected candidates will be informed through the official website, and no separate notification will be sent to them.