Here you will find everything about the PhD Entrance examination syllabus for various universities in India.
The Doctrine of Philosophy (or PhD, for short, and 'Doctrine' in more social occasions) courses are considered to be the highest grade of courses made available in India. They're offered in various fields and disciplines, which includes all three streams of science, commerce, arts. The nature of obtaining a PhD requires you to be highly research-oriented since the work itself is similar. Candidates have to submit their final thesis on the subject they chose to pursue. This thesis, in return, must be based on the research done in that particular field and provide a satisfying, logical conclusion.
- List of Top PhD Streams and Courses
- Top PhD Courses Wise Syllabus
- PhD Entrance Exam Eligibility
- DU PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus
- JNU PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus
- MLSU PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus
List of Top PhD Streams and Courses
PhD courses are offered in various streams and with multiple courses for some of them. The entire list of PhD streams and the popular courses are mentioned in the table below:
| Streams | PhD Courses |
| Arts | PhD in English |
| Education | PhD in
|
| Mass communications | PhD in
|
| Science |
PhD in:
|
| Commerce | PhD in
|
| Engineering | PhD in
|
| Medical | PhD in Pathology |
| Veterinary Sciences |
PhD in
|
| Paramedical | PhD in Nursing |
| Dental | PhD in
|
| Pharmacy | PhD in Pharmacy |
| Management | PhD in
|
| Agriculture | PhD in
|
| Hotel management | PhD in Hospitality |
| Architecture | PhD in Architecture |
| Law | PhD in
|
| Design | PhD in
|
| Computer Applications | PhD in Computer Applications |
Top PhD Courses Wise Syllabus
PhD syllabus varies for each course, there is a wide range of scope for each candidate. However, the entire list of PhD syllabus along with their streams are tabulated in the table below:
| Streams | PhD Courses wise Syllabus |
| PhD in English | Semester I
|
Semester II
|
|
Semester III
|
|
Semester IV
|
|
Semester V
|
|
Semester VI
|
|
| PhD in Mass communications | Core subjects
|
Elective subjects
|
|
Other subjects
|
|
| PhD in Science | Semester I
|
Semester II
|
|
Semester III
|
|
Semester IV
|
|
Semester V
|
|
Semester VI
|
|
| PhD in Commerce | Semester I
|
Semester II
|
|
Semester III
|
|
| PhD in Engineering & Technology |
|
| PhD in Management | Semester I
|
Semester II
|
|
Semester III
|
|
Semester IV
|
|
| PhD in Law | Semester I
|
Semester II
|
|
Semester III
|
|
Semester IV
|
PhD Entrance Exam Eligibility
Obtaining a PhD showcases the candidate's excellence on the field of their choice. The research projects and theses they submit are testament to what new practices and conventions they can bring to the field. Alternatively, they can project the knowledge they have to the younger generation through their positions as academic professors or lecturers in the best colleges offering PhD courses.
Since a PhD means you're the best in the field, you'll obviously be placed in higher positions in any organisation that does work under that particular field. Fellowship programmes can be headed by you. Lectures and you will also be offered professor post in many of the universities, and a lot of fellowship programs also make the candidates complete their fellowships by giving lectures to the university students of the courses that the candidate is doing the fellowship in.
The eligibility for this course involves a postgraduate degree with a minimum score set by the university you're interested in. The core subjects of the postgraduate degree will be considered as the eligible fields in which the candidate can pursue their PhD programme. Even though some of the colleges offer admissions based on merit in their postgraduate degrees, most universities conduct their own entrance exams as a gateway to their PhD courses.
The syllabus for the exams is generalised for all candidates, and is largely aptitude-based. Depending on the course and the feasibility, some universities conduct the appropriate exam. With that out of the way, here's a look at the syllabus of the most famous entrance exams for PhD admissions.
DU PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus
Delhi University is one of the top universities of the country; it has 700+ college-based affiliations, centres across the most popular states, the largest student population in Asia, and is one of the largest universities in the world. Delhi University offers admission to various PhD programs based on the score, which the candidate achieved in the entrance exam. Some colleges under Delhi University offer admissions to PhD courses based on the merit you've obtained in any postgraduate course. Here's how the PhD entrance exam syllabus and the exam pattern works, after which we'll also take a look at the courses:
- Quantitative Methods For Research: There will be 60 questions in this section.
- Accounting Finance and Tax: There will be 35 questions in this section.
- International Business and Marketing: There will be 35 questions in this section.
- HRM and Law: There will be 35 questions in this section.
- Economics: There will be 35 questions in this section.
DU PhD Courses Offered
| Stream | Subjects |
|---|---|
| Arts | Foreign and Domestic Linguistics (Arabic, English, Punjabi, Sanskrit, etc), Buddhist Studies, Germanic and Romance Studies, Library and Information Science, Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies, Philosophy & Psychology |
| Applied Social Sciences and Humanities | Business Economics, Slavonic & Finno-Ugrian Studies |
| Commerce and Business Studies | Commerce, Financial Studies |
| Education | - |
| Interdisciplinary and Applied Sciences | Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Genetics, Microbiology, Plant Molecular Biology, Botany & Zoology, Electronics, Physical Education and Sports Sciences |
| Social Sciences | Adult Continuing Education and Extension, Political Science, History, Economics, Sociology, Geography, Social Work, East Asian Studies, and African Studies |
| Mathematical Sciences | Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics, and Computer Science |
| Science | Anthropology, Botany, Physics & Astrophysics, Chemistry, Geology, Zoology, Environmental Studies, and Home Science |
JNU PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus
Jawaharlal Nehru University is located in New Delhi, and is also considered to be one of the largest universities of the country. Its influence spreads across 3 states: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana. This is thanks to the innumerable affiliations to other colleges and universities. The university offers more than 200 courses under UG, PG, and PhD Courses, and annually conducts entrance exams as a way to obtain admissions to various PhD programmes and courses.
Their PhD entrance exams are largely MCQ-heavy, with questions on PG-level mathematics, statistics, computer science and general aptitude. Here is the appropriate JNU PhD entrance exam syllabus:
| Stream | Subjects |
|---|---|
| Technology | Basic Engineering and Technology (UG), Physics/Chemistry/Mathematics (UG), Fundamental Life Sciences and Informatics (10+2) |
| Life Science | Life Sciences (PG), Physics/Chemistry (UG), Mathematics & Computer Science & Information Science (10+2) |
| Mathematics | Real Series Analysis, Trigonometry, Calculus, Analytical Geometry, Differential Equations, Statistics, Probability, Modern Algebra, Matrix Theory, Theory of Equation, Numerical Analysis |
| General Aptitude | Current Affairs, General Science, History of India |
| Computer Science | Representation of Characters, Binany and Hexadecimal Representations, Organisation of a Computer, Floating-Point Representation of Numbers, Data Structures, Fundamentals of a Computer, Integers and Fractions, Boolean Algebra, Input/Output Devices, Venn Diagrams, Computer Memory, Computer Organisation, Central Processing Unit, Binary Arithmetic, C Programming Language, Truth Tables, Structures of Instructions in a CPU |
MLSU PhD Entrance Exam Syllabus
Mohanlal Sukhadia University (MLSU) is considered to be one of the best universities in Udaipur, Rajasthan. It's is a state-governed university established to cater to the educational needs of candidates living in Udaipur and its surrounding areas. The university offers more than 200 courses to all the aspiring candidates across the nation.
It offers admissions to various courses that extend to its affiliated colleges via annual entrance exams. Admissions are offered based on the score of the candidate in these exams. But that's easier said than done because due to its reputation, you'll face strong competition in the exams. Here's their syllabus:
- The examination is known as the Research Entrance Test (RET) and is conducted in 2 papers.
- The 1st paper consists of general topics.
- The 2nd paper consists of questions based on the specialisation you chose.
- Both papers have 100 as its total score.
- General topics consist of PG-level aptitude and general awareness questions, presented in an MCQ format. You have to choose between 4 options in the questions provided.
- The core paper consists of PG-level questions in the subjects you chose.
- You're also required to cover both the MCQ and descriptive questions on the paper.
- Some of those questions are research-oriented so as to test your research skills. It also gives you an idea of how the course works, and what you could expect from it.
PhD Entrance Exam Pattern
As we already know, PhD is pursued by candidates who want to excel in their field of specialization. The entrance exam is expected to be tougher than any other exam. Commonly, the questions are based on the paper of specialization. The traditional PhD exam patterns are as follows:
- The exam is conducted both online and offline, depending on the particular conducting authority.
- The questions are mainly in MCQ patterns.
- Usually, Part A consists of research questions in numerical ability, language proficiency and logical reasoning.
- Part B consists of technical questions related to the specific discipline.
- For each incorrect answer, marks will be deducted.
- The duration and the number of questions vary for each PhD entrance exam.
- Additionally, the exam pattern may vary depending on the conducting authority.
