DU PhD Admissions 2026: Check Test Pattern and Syllabus

Delhi University releases the PhD entrance test pattern and syllabus for eligible four-year UG degree holders for 2026–27. The two-hour, 100-mark test carries 70% weightage in final selection, with applications closing October 20.

The University of Delhi (DU) has released the entrance examination pattern, syllabus and selection criteria for PhD admissions for the 2026–27 academic session. The guidelines apply to candidates seeking direct admission to doctoral programmes after completing a four-year undergraduate degree with research or entrepreneurship experience.

According to the university's notification issued on October 14, eligible applicants must have completed a four-year or eight-semester undergraduate programme under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF) 2022. Candidates must secure a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 7.5. The minimum requirement is 7 CGPA for applicants belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories. Applicants must also have completed a dissertation, academic project or entrepreneurship work during their fourth year.

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The entrance examination will carry 100 marks and have a duration of two hours. It will comprise two sections, each carrying 50 marks. Research Methodology: This section will contain multiple-choice questions (MCQs) worth 50 marks. Subject-Specific Section: The remaining 50 marks will comprise descriptive questions related to the candidate's research or entrepreneurship work.

The examination includes negative marking for the MCQ section. Candidates will lose 25% of the marks assigned to a question for every incorrect answer.

Candidates must secure at least 50% marks in the entrance test to qualify for the interview. The qualifying threshold for SC, ST and PwBD candidates is 45%.

Shortlisted applicants must submit the dissertation, academic project report or entrepreneurship report used for their fourth-year assessment before appearing for the interview. The final merit list will assign 70% weightage to entrance test performance and 30% to the interview.

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Candidates who have qualified national-level examinations such as UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE or CEED, or an equivalent examination, are not eligible to appear for this specific entrance test. They must apply through the university's PhD admission process using their qualifying examination scores.

DU has extended the application deadline for eligible four-year undergraduate degree holders to October 20, 2026. Applicants can check the common Research Methodology syllabus, detailed guidelines and admission updates through the official university portal. Candidates should visit and review the relevant notification before completing the application process.