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Our doctoral programs offer a wide range of research topics and strive for excellence while creating meaningful changes to the digital society. The programs are tailored taking into account the needs of the industry and aim to address real-world problems of today and the future. If you have a passion and curiosity to unravel the mysteries of the changing digital world, we welcome you to join a doctoral program with us with open minds to become change leaders, innovators, scientists and leading thinkers of tomorrow. We offer both full-time, and flexible modes of study that are designed keeping in mind the developmental needs of both experienced as well as young graduates.
Prospective students satisfying the eligibility criteria are encouraged to acquaint themselves with the research areas of our faculty members for a suitable match of interest. DUK offers Ph.D scholarships and fee waivers for the students selected for the full-time regular Ph.D program. DUK offers an attractive option for professionals with experience to carry out their doctoral studies while working in the industry or an academic institution through the industry regular and the part-time regular Ph.D programs respectively.
Schools/DUK recognized research center | Indicative research areas for Ph.D admissions | Number of Vacancies |
School of Computer Science & Engineering | Pattern Recognition, Medical Imaging, Machine Learning | 3 |
Machine/Deep/Federated Learning - Applications Healthcare and Security | 3 | |
Deep/ Reinforcement Learning, Optimization Techniques, Computer Vision | 2 | |
Network and Systems Security | 2 | |
Medical Robotics | 1 | |
School of Electronic Systems & Automation | Ultrasonics, Biosensors, Physical sensors | 1 |
Instrumentation techniques for sensors, Interface circuits, Analog circuits | 2 | |
Biomedical Signal/ Image Processing (Deep Learning), Real-time Underwater Signal Processing, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Imaging | 2 | |
School of Informatics | Sustainability Science: Nature-Based Solutions, Eco-physiology: Phenological Studies, Acoustic Ecology: Acoustic Data Analytics, Landscape Ecology: Geospatial Analytics Vibrational Analysis (of Natural Materials). | 1 |
School of Digital Sciences | Computational Neuroscience | 3 |
Scientific Computing, Applications of Graph Neural Networks | 2 | |
Computational Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Discovery | 3 | |
Computational Nonlinear Dynamics, Neurodynamics, Network of oscillator dynamics, Chaotic dynamics | 2 | |
Computational Chemistry | 2 | |
Geospatial Analytics, Geo-AI, Geostatistics, Spatio-temporal Prediction | 4 | |
Computational Fluid Dynamics, Neural differential equations in medical image analysis | 2 | |
AI Applications in Chemistry | 2 | |
School of Digital Humanities & Liberal Arts | HRM/ Organizational Behaviour | 3 |
Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET), Thrissur | Sensors and Actuators, Graphene and 2D materials, Energy storage technologies | 4 |
ICAR-CTCRI |
Program type | Description |
Full-time Regular Ph.D | The candidate is expected to work full-time in a research laboratory of DUK |
Part-time Regular Ph.D | The candidate is expected to work with a faculty member of DUK remotely while in full-time employment. |
Industry Regular Ph.D | The candidate is expected to work full-time in DUK or an industry research lab. A mentor needs to be identified by the candidate in the interested research domain, preferably from his/her organization. Ph.D qualification is not mandatory for the mentor as they will be only acting as a coordinator. Those with a Ph.D degree may be considered by DUK for research supervisory activities. |
Program type | Coursework component | Research component |
Full-time Regular PhD | Year 1 (Semester 1):10-15 Credits. Year 1 (Semester 2): 0-05 Credits. Year 2 (Semester 1): 0-05 Credits. Year 2 (Semester 2) and further: None Comprehensive exam: 15 credits (to be completed within 2 years) | Research Credits: 150 (maximum research credits per semester is limited to 30) Dissertation: 120 credits |
Industry Regular PhD | Year 1 (Semester 1):10-15 Credits. Year 1 (Semester 2): 0-05 Credits. Year 2 (Semester 1): 0-05 Credits. Year 2 (Semester 2) and further: None Comprehensive exam: 15 credits (to be completed within 2 years) The students are required to undergo an in-campus residential full time research Internship Program of minimum 45 normal working days. | Research Credits: 150 (maximum research credits per semester is limited to 30) Dissertation: 120 credits |
Part-time Regular PhD | Year 1 (Semester 1):10-15 Credits. Year 1 (Semester 2): 0-05 Credits. Year 2 (Semester 1): 0-05 Credits. Year 2 (Semester 2) and further: None Comprehensive exam: 15 credits (to be completed within 2 years) The students are required to undergo an in-campus residential full time research Internship Program of minimum 45 normal working days. Every year the student completes a mandatory 15 continuous working days of full time residential program. | Research Credits: 150 (maximum research credits per semester is limited to 30) Dissertation: 120 credits |
| School | Ph.D degree in | Required qualification |
| School of Computer Science & Engineering | Engineering | A minimum of 6 years of study (4-year Bachelor’s + 2 years Master’s.) M.Tech in an area related to computer science, computer engineering, information technology or electronics. |
| Technology | MCA or M.Sc/M.Tech in an area related to computer science, computer engineering, information technology or electronics | |
| School of Digital Sciences | Technology | M.Tech/M.Sc/MCA in any discipline |
| Science | M.Sc in any discipline | |
| School of Electronics Systems and Automation | Engineering | A minimum of 6 years of study (4-year Bachelor’s + 2 years Master’s.) M.Tech in an area related to electronics. |
| Technology | M.Tech/M.Sc in an area related to electronics. | |
| School of Informatics | Science | M.Sc in Natural/Physical Sciences or Applied disciplines |
| School of Digital Humanities and Liberal Arts | Management | M.Tech/M.Sc/MCA/MBA in any discipline |
Interested candidates need to apply online through DUK’s Ph.D application portal and upload all the required documents. If a candidate wishes to apply to more than one school or type of Ph.D program, he/she has to register separately and apply separately for each. The fee per application is Rs. 1500/-. There is no application fee for SC/ST and differently-abled candidates.
DRAT has two parts: DRAT-Common (DRAT-C) that is common to all the applicants and DRAT–Subject (DRAT-S) that will be school/research area specific.
DRAT will be conducted as an online AI and human proctored test. The candidates can take the test from their homes. The candidates need not travel to any specific test centers to take the test. DRAT-C shall contain questions on English comprehension, quantitative aptitude, research aptitude and analytical aptitude.
The candidates will be tested for their knowledge in the subjects and the research areas of interest of the individual schools in the DRAT-S part. Candidates will be shortlisted for an interview/viva-voce based on their JRF qualification or the DRAT score. To be considered for the interview, candidates need to obtain at least 50% marks(35 out of total 70 marks) in DRAT (45% or 31.5 marks for SC/ST/OBC(NCL)/Differently-abled). The shortlisted candidates are required to send one letter of recommendation and a Statement of Purpose (SOP). During the interview/viva-voce, the candidates are required to give a presentation that includes
(a) A brief self-introduction.
(b) A discussion of their research interests and proposed area of research. Alternatively they can present a research proposal.
(c) A presentation of a recent journal or conference paper (published in 2018 or later).The paper has to be selected from a journal/conference contained in the list provided by the schools to their shortlisted candidates. The schools will not share any research paper with the candidates.
The interview/viva-voce shall assess whether
(a) The candidate possesses the competence to work in the proposed research area.
(b) The research work can be suitably undertaken at DUK.
(c) The proposed area of research can contribute to new/additional knowledge.
The list of selected candidates will be published in the DUK website, and they will also be notified by email.
Program type | DUK scholarship | Tuition fee |
Full-time Regular Ph.D | Rs 20,000/month for the 1st year. Rs 25,000/month for the 2nd year. Rs 30,000/month for the 3rd year. No scholarship from 4th year. | No tuition fee in Years 1-5. 50% fee concession in Year 6. Re-registration with full fee from Year 7. |
Part-time Regular Ph.D | No scholarship | Rs. 50,000/year* |
Industry Regular Ph.D | No scholarship | Rs. 50,000/year* |
*Part Time and Industry regular participants also will have a special fee of Rs 50,000 from year 2 onwards.