The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has commenced the online registration process for admission to its Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programmes for the July 2026 academic session. Eligible candidates looking to pursue research across 36 diverse disciplines can now submit their applications through the official IGNOU Samarth portal. 

According to the university’s official notification, the online application window opened on June 10, 2026, and will remain active until July 1, 2026, on ignou-phd.samarth.edu.in.

Key Highlights of IGNOU PhD Admission 2026

• Application Mode: Online only via the IGNOU Samarth PhD portal.

• Registration Deadline: July 1, 2026.

• Application Fee: INR 1,050 (Non-refundable for general category candidates).

• Course Duration: Minimum 3 years and maximum 6 years. Women and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) candidates are eligible for an additional relaxation of two years.

Revised Eligibility Criteria

In compliance with the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations 2022, IGNOU has outlined strict eligibility parameters for applicants:

• Postgraduate Degree Holders: Candidates must possess a 1-year/2-semester master's degree after a 4-year bachelor's degree, or a 2-year/4-semester master’s degree after a 3-year bachelor’s degree, with at least 55% aggregate marks (or an equivalent grade).

• Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Holders: Candidates seeking direct admission after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree must have secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate.

• Relaxation: A relaxation of 5% marks (from 55% to 50%, and from 75% to 70%) is permissible for candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC (Non-Creamy Layer), EWS, and Differently-Abled categories.

Admission Categories and Selection Process

IGNOU has classified applicants into four distinct categories based on their qualification in national-level exams:

1. Category-I (UGC-NET with JRF): Candidates with a valid Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) are fully exempted from the university entrance test. Selection will be based 100% on their interview performance.

2. Category-II & III (UGC-NET Qualified): Candidates who qualified for Assistant Professor or PhD admission via UGC-NET are also exempted from the entrance test. Weightage will be split into 70% for the NET score and 30% for the interview.

3. Category-IV (Non-NET/Non-JRF): Candidates without national fellowships must clear the university-level IGNOU PhD Entrance Test by scoring at least 50%. Final merit will be based on 70% of the entrance exam score and 30% of the interview score.

Mandatory Regular Coursework

While IGNOU is widely recognised as a distance learning hub, the university emphasised that its PhD programme is offered in regular, offline mode (Full-Time/Part-Time).

Selected research scholars must physically attend six months of mandatory coursework classes held at the IGNOU Main Campus in New Delhi. A minimum of 80% attendance is compulsory to complete the coursework phase. Furthermore, employed professionals opting for part-time research must furnish a 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from their employers during the interview stage.