IGNOU PhD Admission Applications Started for 36 Courses, Apply till 1st July

The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has started the admissions for the PhD programmes, and candidates who want to enroll for the Ph.D. programme for the July 2026 Session can fill out the application forms from the official website. The last date for submission of the online Ph.D. Admission Form for the July 2026 Session is 01 July 2026. 

IGNOU is providing PhD admissions to the candidates across 36 subjects like Psychology, Anthropology, Political Science, Public Administration, Biochemistry, Chemistry and several other disciplines. IGNOU will offer the PhD programmes in full-time and part-time mode, and applicants who get selected need to attend the coursework, which will be at the university headquarters in New Delhi, during the first six months of admission. The candidates must have 80% of attendance in the coursework. 

To complete the registration process, it is mandatory for the applicants to pay a registration fee of INR 2,000, which is non-refundable. Interested candidates can check for more updates regarding the Ph.D. Admissions 2026 from below. 

IGNOU PhD Admission 2026: Eligibility Criteria

The admission process for the PhD programme across 36 subjects at IGNOU is currently ongoing, and the last date for submission of the online Ph.D. Admission Form for the July 2026 Session is 01 July 2026. Candidates who want to enroll in this programme need to complete the eligibility requirements before filling out the application forms. The eligibility criteria for IGNOU PhD 2026 Admissions are as follows. 

• Candidates must have a Master’s degree with at least 55% marks (or equivalent grade) completed from a UGC-Approved university. Candidates from SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), Differently-Abled, and EWS categories may get a 5% relaxation in marks as per university rules.
• Candidates having a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 75% marks (or equivalent grade) are also eligible to apply. Candidates from the reserved category can get 5% relaxation in marks.
• Candidates with equivalent qualifications from recognized foreign institutions are also eligible to apply.
• Women candidates and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) with 40% or more benchmark disability will be allowed an additional two years to complete the programme.

IGNOU PhD Admission 2026: Selection Process

Admission to the IGNOU PhD programme will be as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2022, and applicants can apply through four categories: UGC-NET with Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), UGC-NET candidates eligible for Assistant Professor and PhD admission, UGC-NET candidates eligible for PhD admission only, and through the University Level Entrance Exam. Apart from this, applicants need to appear for the interview conducted by the authorities as part of the selection process. 

IGNOU PhD Admission 2026: Steps to Apply

Interested candidates are advised to follow the instructions given below to apply for the PhD programme at IGNOU. The application process is easy and accessible, which is as follows. 

Step 1: Visit the admission portal of IGNOU, which is https://ignou-phd.samarth.edu.in./. 

Step 2: Now, click on “New registration” and enter all the details in the required format. 

Step 3: Log in using the credentials and fill out the application form. 

Step 4: Pay the application fee of INR 2,000 via Credit card, debit card and other modes of payment.