About the Institute:
The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar was initially registered under the Societies’ Registration Act 1860 on 29 July 2009. Subsequently, the Institute has been established by the Act of Parliament namely, the Institutes of Technology Act (Amendment) Act 2012 (No. 34 of 2012). The Institute has shifted to its permanent campus in 2018 and currently operates from its permanent campus. The permanent campus of IIT Ropar is spread across 501 acres of land located at Birla Seed Farms, Rupnagar in the lap of nature at the banks of river Satluj. The Institute has been awarded the 5 Star GRIHA (Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment) rating, one of the highest national ratings for Green Buildings.
July 2025 ADMISSIONS (ACADEMIC YEAR 2025-26)
Applications are called from the candidates for July 2025 admissions (Academic Year 202526) for
admission to the Ph.D. program.
Please visit the link : https://www.iitrpr.ac.in/phdadmissions
Apply – https://www.iitrpr.ac.in/studentportal/phdadmissions-2025-26
| Event | Date / Details |
|---|---|
| Application Portal Opens | April 2, 2025 |
| Last Date to Submit Application | April 20, 2025 |
| Application Fee | General/EWS/OBC Male: ₹200 General/EWS/OBC Female: ₹100 SC/ST/PwD (All Genders): ₹100 |
| Shortlisting Announcement | Via email and department portal (Dates to be announced) |
| Written Test / Interview | To be scheduled by respective departments (Post shortlisting) |
| Semester Begins | July 2025 (Tentative) |
Selection & Admission Process (Quick Summary)
- Candidates meeting eligibility and department-specific criteria may be shortlisted.
- Selection involves an interview, often preceded by a written test.
- Final admission is based on performance in the selection process.
- Meeting eligibility doesn’t guarantee a call — departments may apply additional shortlisting based on academic merit.
Categories of Ph.D. Admission at IIT Ropar
🔹 Regular Full-Time Ph.D.
- Institute Fellowship
Funded by IIT Ropar as per Ministry of Education norms. - Visvesvaraya Ph.D. Scheme
Funded under the MeitY-supported scheme. More info here. - Government Fellowship Awardees
Includes PMRF, CSIR-JRF, UGC-JRF, DST-INSPIRE, DBT, NBHM, QIP, DST-WISE, etc. - Fellowship Through Project (FTP)
For JRFs/SRFs working in institute projects; funding as per project norms. - Self-financed (SF)
No financial support from IIT Ropar. Includes:- Self-funded Indian nationals
- Study leave candidates from government or educational institutions
- DST-INSPIRE provisional fellows (can convert category upon selection)
- Sponsored Candidates (SW)
Sponsored by employer (no institute funding); must be released for full-time research for at least 3 years.
🔹 Part-Time Ph.D.
- External Registration Program (ERP)
For candidates employed in R&D/academia/industry with suitable facilities. Research mainly at parent organization under a local and IIT Ropar guide. - Part-Time
Employed professionals (Govt/MNC/Academic Institutions) conducting research at IIT Ropar while continuing their job. - IIT Ropar Staff
Permanent non-teaching staff eligible under part-time mode with standard Ph.D. regulations applied.
❗ Note: Temporary or outsourced employees, and candidates from startups or private/state universities are not eligible under ERP/Part-time categories.
Minimum Eligibility for Ph.D. Admission – IIT Ropar
🔹 General Requirements (Regular Full-Time Ph.D.)
| Qualifying Degree | Min. Marks (Gen/OBC/EWS) | Min. Marks (SC/ST/PwD) | National Exam Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Tech./M.E./M.D. | 60% or 6.0 CGPA | 55% or 5.5 CGPA | Not Required |
| M.Sc./MBA/M.A./MBBS | 60% or 6.0 CGPA | 55% or 5.5 CGPA | Required (GATE/NET/INSPIRE etc.) |
| B.Tech./B.E. (4-year) | 60% or 6.0 CGPA | 55% or 5.5 CGPA | Required (GATE/NET/INSPIRE etc.) |
Exemption:
GATE/National exam not required for B.Tech./M.Tech./M.Sc. graduates from CFTIs (like IITs, NITs, etc.) with ≥ 7.5 CGPA or 75% marks.
👨🔬 Eligibility for ERP Candidates
- Must fulfill regular Ph.D. academic qualifications.
- No GATE/National exam needed.
- Must have minimum 2 years full-time experience.
- Employer must be at least 5 years old, R&D-focused, and offer research infrastructure.
- Sponsorship certificate (Format-A) required at joining.
🧑💼 Eligibility for Part-Time Candidates
- Must meet regular Ph.D. academic qualifications.
- National exam not needed (except for certain cases).
- Work Experience (Post Qualification):
| Qualification | Required Experience |
|---|---|
| M.E./M.Tech./M.S.(R)/M.D. | 0 Years |
| B.Tech./B.E. with valid GATE | 0 Years |
| Degree from CFTIs/Central Universities | 1 Year |
| Degree from Other Institutions | 2 Years |
- No Objection Certificate (Format-B) from current employer is mandatory.
🏫 Eligibility for IIT Ropar Staff
- Must fulfill regular Ph.D. academic criteria.
- GATE/National exam is waived.
- Must get prior No Objection Certificate (NOC) from competent authority.
- Work at the Institute must not suffer due to Ph.D. enrolment.
- No Institute Fellowship provided.
- Minimum duration: 4 years (Part-Time).
Steps for Applying Online
- Please read the detailed Information Brochure before you start filling out the Application Form.
- Please follow the link for detailed Information:
- PhD Admissions: Click Here
- M.Tech Admissions: Click Here
- Candidate can apply for the Admission ONLINE only through the official website.
- Candidates must apply separately for different departments.
- Help Desk/Contact Us: For any type of queries, contact us only via email:
- PhD Admissions: phdadmissions@iitrpr.ac.in
- M.Tech Admissions: coapcell@iitrpr.ac.in
- No other means of contact should be entertained.
Caution: More than 3 incorrect password attempts will block your account. If you forget your password, use the “Reset your password” link.
Application Procedure: Steps to Apply Online
Step 1: Registration
- Click on “Create new account” on the home page.
- Enter a valid username and email address (all communication will be through this email).
- Verify your email by clicking the link sent by IIT Ropar. If not received, check your spam folder.
- Each candidate registers only once for all posts.
Step 2: Login to the Application Form
- Login with your username and password.
- Click on the “Summer Internship 2024” tab and select the corresponding department to apply.
Step 3: Complete the Application Form
- Fill out all sections and click on Final Submission.
Step 4: Confirmation Email
- You will receive a confirmation email after successful submission.
Instructions to Edit the Application Form
Only one application per post is allowed. To edit a submitted form, go to the edit section, make changes, and click Final Submission again.
Uploading Scanned Images and Documents
- Photograph and signature must be in JPG format.
- Photograph size: 10 KB – 200 KB.
- Signature size: 10 KB – 30 KB.
- Images should be clear.
- Rename files as
yourname_some_unique_number, using only underscores (_) as special characters.
Resetting Your Password
- Click “Request new password” on the homepage.
- Enter your registered username or email address.
- You’ll receive a password reset link via email. Click it to set a new password.
PhD areas in respective Departments
1. Biomedical Engineering
Biomaterials for drug delivery, Physics, Optics & Biophotonics in Healthcare and Agriculture, AI/ML, BioImaging and Image analysis, Electrochemical Biosensors for cancer & diabetes, Biomechanics.
2. Chemical Engineering
Transport Phenomena and Thermodynamics (Soft Matter and microfluidics, Molecular simulations, CFD, Multiscale Modelling, Characterization of materials, Granular Materials, Complex Fluids & Polymer physics, Crystallization, Active particle & Active gel dynamics, Colloid & Interfacial Engineering, Interfacial flows), Catalysis & Chemical Reaction Engineering (Heterogeneous Catalysis, Energy & Environment, Novel materials synthesis – nanoparticles, nanofibers, Polymer synthesis, Crystallization, Wastewater Treatment, Energy conversion & storage devices, Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, Computational Catalysis: Multiscale modelling), Process Systems Engineering & Data Analytics (Process Control & Optimization, Machine Learning for Process Engineering, Process Design, Analysis, Integration & Operation, Fault Detection & Diagnosis, State Estimation, Process Modeling & Simulation, Techno‑economic & Sustainability Analysis), Biochemical & Bioprocess Engineering (Biomedical Engineering, Systems Biology, Computational Biology, Active particle & Active gel dynamics, Wastewater Treatment).
3. Chemistry
Thematic Areas: Energy, Healthcare, Sensors. Major Research Areas: Aqueous batteries (Na‑ion/S, Zn‑S, Fe‑S, Zn‑air), Electrocatalysis (H₂ production, CO₂→value‑added products, N₂→ammonia), Catalysis & materials synthesis, Renewable chemicals & fuels, Photocatalysis, NMR theory & experiments, Computational biophysical chemistry (statistical mechanics, MD & Monte Carlo), Hydrogen storage, Ultracold chemistry, Quantum dynamics & ML, Inorganic & organometallic chemistry, Framework materials, Polymer chemistry, Supramolecular synthesis & sensors, Environmental chemistry, Biomaterials & peptide chemistry, Organic synthesis & homogeneous catalysis, Transition‑metal & metal‑free catalysis, Organoboron chemistry, Photoredox chemistry, Lewis‑acid catalysis, Organocatalysis, π‑conjugated molecular materials, Aromaticity/anti‑aromaticity, Electro‑organic & asymmetric synthesis, Medicinal chemistry.
4. Civil Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering (Soil mechanics & foundations, Geomaterial stabilization, Geoenvironmental engineering, Geosynthetics & reinforced soil walls, Slope stability, Soil dynamics & seismic geotechnics, Seismic hazard analysis & microzonation, Landslides, Rock mechanics & dynamics, Microcrack detection & wave propagation, Ground improvement, Unsaturated soil mechanics, Finite element & limit analysis, Soft computing), Environmental Engineering (Source apportionment, AERMOD & WRF‑Chem, Urban & indoor air quality, Aerosol characterization, Climate & health impact, Environmental systems modeling & optimization, EIA & risk assessment, Waste management & wastewater treatment, Emerging contaminants, Membrane biological treatment, GIS & remote sensing), Structural Engineering (Structural dynamics, Seismic design & vulnerability assessment, Performance‑based design, Nonlinear modeling, ML in earthquake engineering, Retrofitting, Structural health monitoring, Smart materials & composites, Low‑carbon concrete & sustainability, BIM & NDT), Transportation Engineering (Transport planning & policy, Safety & work‑zone management, Traffic modeling, Mass & non‑motorized transport, Pedestrian behavior, Pavement design & management, Logistics & optimization), Water Resources Engineering (Hydrological modeling & extremes, Climate impacts, Groundwater flow & recharge, ML in water resources, Geothermal modeling, Irrigation & unsaturated flow, Drought mitigation), Geomatics Engineering (Remote sensing & GIS for resource mapping, Agricultural, cryosphere, disaster & urban applications, Planetary RS, GNSS & city planning).
5. Computer Science & Engineering
Machine Learning/AI, Approximation Algorithms, IoT, Systems for AI/ML, Computer Networks, Game Theory, Operating Systems, Distributed Computing, Wireless Sensor Networks, Blockchain Technology, Databases, Complexity Theory, Computer Architecture & Memory Management, Multimedia Systems, Network Security, Reinforcement Learning, Cloud Computing, Social Networks, Computer Vision, Medical Image Processing, Image Forensics, Software Engineering, Quantum Computing, Intrusion Detection Systems, Malware Analysis & Cyber‑Security, Natural Language Processing, Large Language Models, Educational Technology.
6. Electrical Engineering
Microelectronics & VLSI Design (Analog/digital/mixed‑signal/RF IC design, High‑speed interconnects, Packaging, 2D‑materials electronics, Multigate & GAA MOSFETs, Memristors, Ferroelectric & spintronic devices, Topological materials), Signal Processing & Communications (Image/video processing, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Distributed/quantum ML, IoT, AI‑native 6G/UAV/vehicular networks, Radar & mmWave systems, RF energy harvesting, Smart antennas, Underwater wireless charging), Power Engineering (Renewable integration, HV systems, Nano‑dielectrics, Smart/micro‑grids, Power electronics, Electric machines & drives, EV technologies, System dynamics & optimization).
7. Humanities & Social Sciences
Psychology (Experimental, Positive, Counselling, Cognitive), English Literature (Speculative Fiction, Ecocriticism, Urban & Folk Studies, Gothic), Interdisciplinary (Marketing & Consumer Behavior in Yogic Systems), Management (Operations & Supply Chain, Decision Sciences, Renewable Energy & Sustainability, Business Analytics), Economics (Macroeconomics, Financial & International Economics, Applied & Spatial Econometrics, Climate Economics, Urban Economics), Philosophy (Technology & Ethics), Linguistics (Experimental, Comprehension, Phonology, Evolutionary).
8. Mathematics
Mathematical Finance, Statistical Inference, Complex Analysis (Harmonic Mappings, Function Spaces), Homogenization & Optimal Control of PDEs, Distributed Algorithms, Theoretical Computer Science, Inverse Problems & PDEs.
9. Mechanical Engineering
Mechanics & Design (Vibrations, Condition Monitoring, Biomechanics, Computational Materials Science, Hydrogen Embrittlement, Biomedical Devices, Polymers for Energy/Biomedical, Computational Biomechanics, Experimental Mechanics, Fracture & Damage Mechanics, Variational Principles, Impact Mechanics, Composites, FGMs, Metamaterials, Nonlinear Vibration, Aero‑engine Vibration, EVs, Additive Manufacturing & ML for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Stacks, Robotics), Manufacturing (Sustainable & Additive Manufacturing, Surface Engineering, Micro/Macro Forming, Product Design & Biomimicry, Agricultural Automation, Constitutive Modeling, Laser Processing & Coatings), Thermal & Fluids (Thermodynamics, CFD, Heat & Mass Transfer, Energy Systems, Phase‑change & Microfluidics, Electronics Thermal Management, Combustion & Soot Modeling).
10. Metallurgical & Materials Engineering
Computational Modelling & Informatics (Thermodynamics, DFT, MD, Monte Carlo, Phase Field, FEM/FVM, Materials Informatics), Extraction & Recycling (Steelmaking, Battery & Alloy Recycling, Sustainability, Process Optimization, Corrosion & Degradation), Materials Chemistry & Corrosion (Surface Chemistry, Catalysis, Thin Films, Nanochemistry, High‑T Corrosion), Mechanical Behavior (Dislocation Theory, Fracture & Fatigue, Creep, Superplasticity, Nanoindentation, DMA), Nano/Functional/Energy Materials (Nanofabrication, Shape Memory Alloys, Battery/Fuel Cell Materials, Electroactive Polymers, Energy Devices), Processing & Manufacturing (Additive, Powder Metallurgy, Welding, Heat‑treatment, SPD, Ceramics, Thin Films, Magnetic Materials).
11. Physics
Condensed Matter & Materials (Spintronics, Quantum Materials & Devices, Photodetectors, Hydrogen Storage, High‑pressure Physics, 2D Materials, Superconductors, Ultralow‑T Gases, Nanostructuring), Gravity & Strings (Black Hole QFT, String Theory Limits, CFT, Holography & Chaos), Light‑Matter & Quantum Information (Quantum Computing & Thermodynamics, Cavity Optomechanics, Nanophotonics, QED, Single‑Photon Sources, Quantum Sensing, Orbital Angular Momentum, Nonlinear Spectroscopy, Bio‑photonics, Neuromorphic Laser Computing), Experimental Nuclear Physics (Sub‑barrier Fusion, Low‑E Nuclear Reactions, Rare‑decay Instrumentation, Cyber‑physical Quantum Sensing, Environmental Radioactivity).
12. School of Artificial Intelligence & Data Engineering (AIDE)
Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Big Data Analytics, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Data Mining & Engineering, Ethics in AI, Cloud & Edge AI, IoT, Reinforcement Learning, Robotics, Multi‑agent Systems, Neuromorphic AI Hardware, Quantum Machine Learning (QML), AI in Healthcare, AI‑enabled Systems & Packaging.
13. Center of Research for Energy Efficiency & Decarbonization (CREED)
Materials for Batteries & Hydrogen, Renewable H₂ Production, Energy Efficiency & Decarbonization, Energy Systems Optimization, Thermal Management, CO₂ Sequestration & Utilization, Biomass‑to‑Biofuel Conversion.
14. Center for Applied Research in Data Science (CARDS)
Theoretical Foundations of ML, Algorithmic Advances (Supervised, Unsupervised, Deep, Reinforcement, Semi‑supervised & Active Learning), Statistical Methods (Inference, Bayesian, Resampling), High‑Dimensional & Sparse Models, Probabilistic Graphical Models, Regularization, Big Data & Scalable Algorithms, Optimization (SGD, Parallel Computing), Deep Learning Frameworks & Efficiency.
Respective department website link as below:
Registration for the Ph.D. Degree
Selected candidates who have submitted the institute fee will be provided with their Entry Number and institute email ID after verification of all their testimonials. At the time of admission, candidates joining Ph.D. programmes are required to produce original mark sheets/grade sheets along with provisional certificates.
Original Documents to be submitted for verification at the time of interview/admission:
- Printed copy of the application form obtained after online registration.
- Mark sheets/Grade cards of all semesters, along with course completion certificate / provisional certificate / degree certificate beginning from the first degree as proof of qualification.
- Copy of GATE score card or UGC-JRF/NET/CSIR-JRF/DAE-JEST or other fellowship award letter.
- SC/ST/OBC-NCL community certificate for candidates belonging to these categories, issued by the respective State Government. OBC-NCL candidates must produce the latest valid OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate in the prescribed format, obtained after 31/03/2024.
- Candidates claiming EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) reservation must submit a valid Income & Assets certificate in the prescribed format, obtained after 31/03/2024.
- Authorized Doctor’s Certificate with disability description for Persons with Disability (PwD) candidates.
- For part-time candidates, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the present employer must be submitted in the prescribed format.
Location and Accessibility
The Institute is located at Ropar, the headquarters of Rupnagar district, Punjab. This institute, with its
establishment, joins a string of premier educational institutions in Punjab. The town of Ropar, the district
headquarters, is 42 kms from Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab. Rupnagar is well connected by both road
(National highway NH21 / NH205) and railways (the DelhiAmbalaUna railway line passes through
Rupnagar)