PhD in IIT

Among the top Engineering institutions in India, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are nationally recognized for their quality programs in Science and Technology. There are 23 IITs in India out of which IIT Kharagpur is the oldest one. For a research-oriented degree like PhD, IITs can be an ideal choice as they can provide you with the suitable exposure and opportunities required. Pursuing your doctorate under globally recognised faculties in IITs can also equip you with the right guidance and mentorship for your research thesis. Through this blog, we will look at the key details of studying a PhD in IIT, the eligibility criteria, and the institutes you can choose from.

Why Pursue PhD from IITs?

Owing to a large number of science students planning to pursue their PhD from an IIT, the eligibility criteria and admission procedure of the institutes is quite rigid and complex. In order to apply for your PhD in IIT, the prerequisites can differ from one institute to another along with the admission procedure. However, GATE is an essential exam that you need to qualify in order to apply for any of the 23 Indian Institutes of Technology. Moreover, the specializations offered might also vary thus it is advised that students go through the website of their chosen institute thoroughly before sending their application for their doctorate degree.

Also Read: All About PhD After Btech

Best Options for PhD in IITs

Below we have elaborated some of the top IITs and their prospective PhD courses that you can choose from:

Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

Established in the year 1959, Indian Institute of Madras always grabs its notable mention for its renowned engineering degrees. IIT Madras is not only famous for its PhD program but also for its bachelor’s and master’s programs. The institute also offers interdisciplinary PhD degrees and the central eligibility requirement for doctoral degrees is that candidates require a bachelor’s degree in a related field of their doctoral program as well as an MSc degree. The application procedure for PhD in IIT Madras is completely online and after the submission of the application, the admission committee calls up shortlisted candidates for a written test and/or interview. Further, provides a wide scope through which students can carry out the research. The main departments for doctoral and MS (Research) degree are:

Chemical Engineering	Biotechnology	Applied Mechanics	Chemistry
Aerospace Engineering	Civil Engineering	Mechanical Engineering	Engineering Design
Computer Science & Engineering	Humanities & Social Sciences	Metallurgical & Materials Engineering	Physics
Management Studies	Electrical Engineering	Ocean Engineering	Mathematics

Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

Founded with the vision of attaining “a global level of excellence in education and to create a sustainable and equitable society through innovative research in science”, the university aims to provide students with a balanced exposure into the world of scientific knowledge through its research-oriented degrees. Especially to the ones wanting to pursue a PhD in IIT, it can be a sure shot option as the institute provides world-class research facilities with its remarkable faculty. To enrol into a program you first need to have attained any of the CSIR/UGC/DST fellowships along with a masters degree in a related field with a minimum of 60%. Further, PhD degrees at IIT Roorkee are offered in the following disciplines:

Mathematics	Architecture & Planning	Biotechnology	Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Alternate Hydro-Energy Centre	Civil Engineering	Hydrology	Electronics & Communication Eng.
Chemical Engineering	Chemistry	Computer Science & Engineering	Electrical Eng.
Earthquake Engineering	Earth Sciences	Humanities & Social Sciences	Management Studies
Transportation Systems	Disaster Mitigation	Applied Science & Engineering(Saharanpur Campus)	Polymer and Process Engineering(Saharanpur Campus)
Water Resources Development & Management	Physics	Nanotechnology	Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
Paper Technology(Saharanpur Campus)

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Being one of the most prestigious IITs, the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay was founded in the year 1959 and offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in the varied specializations of Humanities & Social Sciences, Engineering and Sciences. The Institution offers par excellence opportunities for doctorate scholars. Extensive research methodologies are taught to the candidates enrolled under the research programs and they are guided by a nationally renowned faculty at every step of their doctoral thesis. To get enrolled under PhD in IIT Bombay, students must have a masters degree in Engineering or Technology with minimum 60% marks. Here is a list of departments in IIT Bombay that offer PhD degrees:

Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science	Industrial Design Centre	Physics	Mathematics
Aerospace Engineering	Mechanical Engineering	Civil Engineering	Electrical Engineering
Earth Sciences	Biosciences & Bio Engineering	Humanities and Social Sciences	Computer Science & Engineering
Chemical Engineering	Energy Science & Engineering	Chemistry	Climate Studies
Centre for Environmental Science & Engineering	Centre of Studies in Resources Engineering	Industrial Engineering & Operation research

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

IIT Kharagpur offers a unique integrated PhD program, i.e. joint master’s and PhD in which students can study their postgraduate and doctorate degree together. After 1st year of Mtech/MCP, students can enrol themselves into PhD in IIT Kharagpur. The necessary requirement for this program is that candidates must possess a Btech degree.  Further, you would also have to clear the GATE exam to apply for PhD at the completion of your master’s degree. Here is a list of departments that offer these Joint Master’s and PhD courses at IIT Kharagpur:

Physics	Ranbir & Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design & Management	Subir Chowdhury School of Quality and Reliability	School of Energy Science & Engineering	School of Medical Science and Technology
Biotechnology	Aerospace Engineering	Rubber Technology Centre	School of Water Resource	Cryogenic Engineering Centre
Agriculture & Food Engineering	Advanced Technology Development Centre	Centre for Oceans, Rivers, Atmosphere and Land Sciences	G S Sanyal School of Telecommunications	Materials Science Centre
Architecture & Regional Planning	Mining Engineering	Centre for Education Technology	Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture	Mechanical Engineering
Mathematics	Metallurgical and Materials Engineering	Chemical Engineering	Computer Science and Engineering	Industrial and Systems Engineering
Civil Engineering	Electrical Engineering	Electronics and Electrical Communication Engg	Geology and Geophysics

Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar

IIT Gandhinagar has introduced a special doctorate program called Start Early PhD Fellowship after comprehending the significance of creating more opportunities for emerging young learners to venture into the vast domain of scientific research. This full-time fellowship is curated to provide budding engineers with the opportunity to pursue PhD in IIT Gandhinagar. For general PhD degrees, the departments of IIT Gandhinagar are listed in the following table:

Cognitive Science	Electrical Engineering	Chemistry	Mathematics	Physics
Computer Science & Engineering	Civil Engineering	Earth Sciences	Mechanical Engineering	Materials Science & Engineering
Biological Engineering	Chemical Engineering	Humanities & Social Sciences

IIT Dharwad

IIT Dharwad offers admissions for PhD courses in various disciplines. The aim of the university is to provide students with the correct exposure to the world of scientific knowledge through its degrees. For students wanting to pursue a PhD in IIT, it is definitely one of the best options as the institute provides world-class research facilities with its excellent faculty. To enrol into a program you first need to have attained a master’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 60%. Further, PhD degrees at IIT Dharwad are offered in the following disciplines:

Biosciences and Bioengineering	Chemistry
Computer Science	Humanities and Social Sciences
Electrical Engineering	Mathematics
Physics	Mechanical Engineering

IIT Guwahati

IIT Guwahati is another great option for students planning to pursue PhD in IIT. PhD courses at IIT Guwahati are offered in the following modes -regular, sponsored, part-time, and self-financed modes. The candidates are shortlisted on the basis of their applications and scores followed by interview rounds. To enrol into a program you first need to have attained a master’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 60%. Further, PhD degrees at IIT Guwahati are offered in the following disciplines:

Biosciences and Bioengineering	Chemistry
Computer Science	Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering	Design
Electronics & Electrical Engineering	Mathematics
Physics	Mechanical Engineering

IIT Bhilai

IIT Bhilai offers admission to candidates after completion of an undergraduate (UG) or Post-Graduate program subject to fulfilling the other eligibility criteria defined by the Institute. Further, the PhD program is offered under two different modes with the nominal duration mentioned as below. 1. Full-time 2. Part-time. To enrol into a program you first need to have attained a master’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 60%. Further, PhD degrees at IIT Bhilai are offered in the following disciplines:

Liberal Arts	Chemistry
Computer Science Engineering	Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering	Physics
Electrical Engineering

FAQs

We hope that this blog has provided you with the major features of PhD in IITs. If you are exploring doctorate degrees and are looking for the varied specializations offered across the globe, take the help of Leverage Edu’s AI tool to browse through a wide range of PhD programs as well as universities and find suitable combinations that align with your interests and aspirations.