KU Nainital PhD Admission 2026 - Important Dates, Syllabus and Admission Process

Kumaun University, a private cum-affiliating college, appeared in the year 1973 with the merger of two Government Colleges, D.S.B. Government P.G.College, Nainital and Almora Government P.G. School, Almora. These Constituent Colleges were later raised to the status of University Campuses by Government request No. E-1861/GS dated 14/15 March 1994. The University Grants Commission, New Delhi allowed acknowledgment to the University under area 12-B of the UGC Act, 1956 and its name shows up at sequential No. 177. From that point forward the Kumaun University is accepting focal help from the UGC. The scholarly wing of the University is spread over in three grounds with a zone of 5,31,373 sq.mt. (160 sections of land), the absolute developed region is 3,00,000 sq. mt. 47 Government schools under the authoritative control of the State Government, 50 Private foundations, and 01 Government Aided College, spread over in six locales of Kumaun area are partnered with the University. It is the greatest State University of the state (Uttarakhand) which cooks the need of around 1,50,000 understudies by giving a top-notch instructive involvement with different learning conditions and advancing the qualities and establishments of majority rules system that get ready understudies to lead lives of individual uprightness and community obligation and administration to in a worldwide society. 

The University is acclaimed for building and advancing a framework, which is open to individuals of broadened religions, races, ideologies, and societies and is endeavoring hard for greatness in the creation and spread of information, advancing the all-encompassing improvement of understudies and setting them up to lead lives of individual honesty, urban duty, and administration to the general public. Endeavors to stir the scholastic enthusiasm and inventive senses of the adolescent originating from socially and financially in reverse regions, to reinforce the interface of the scholarly world with the administration and industry and set up the consistently attempted. The University is resolved to increase the scholarly expectation of everything being equal. three grounds, viz., DSB Campus, Nainital, SSJ Campus, Almora, and Sir JC Bose Technical Campus, Bhimtal, and 100 subsidiary universities and establishments. Throughout the previous three years, the University has put forth untiring attempts to build up some all-around perceived branches of scientific and social exploration and these have been drawing in employees and understudies from various pieces of the nation.


Application Fee

  • RDET Examination Fee: Rs 2,000-00 
  • Portal Charges: Rs 50-00 
  • Total Fee (Excluding Bank Charges If Any): Rs 2,050-00
  • Candidate must read all instructions before the submission of the online application form for RDET-2020. Fee once deposited shall not be refunded in any case.


Steps to apply online

  • Apply Online
  • Pay Examination Fee (Online using Debit/Credit Card/Netbanking)
  • Download Final Application


Subjects offered

  • Ph.D. in Hindi
  • Ph.D. in Sanskrit
  • Ph.D. in English
  • Ph.D. in Political Science
  • Ph.D. in Geography
  • Ph.D. in History
  • Ph.D. in Economics
  • Ph.D. in Sociology
  • Ph.D. in Drawing & Painting
  • Ph.D. in Psychology
  • Ph.D. in Home Science
  • Ph.D. in Music
  • Ph.D. in Physics
  • Ph.D. in Chemistry
  • Ph.D. in Mathematics
  • Ph.D. in Botany
  • Ph.D. in Zoology
  • Ph.D. in Biotechnology
  • Ph.D. in Geology
  • Ph.D. in Forestry & Environmental Science
  • Ph.D. in Statistics
  • Ph.D. in Computer Science
  • Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Science
  • Ph.D. in Commerce
  • Ph.D. in Management Studies
  • Ph.D. in Tourism
  • Ph.D. in Education
  • Ph.D. in Law


Eligibility Criteria for Ph.D. Entrance Test

  • A candidate who wants to apply for Research Degree Entrance Test (RDET) at Kumaun University must have a Master's degree in Kumaun University or of any other University recognized by the UGC. Candidates should have 55% marks OR a grade point average equivalent to 55% marks in PG Degree. The minimum marks shall be 50% for Other Backward Classes (OBC) belonging to non-creamy layer/Physically Handicapped (PH)/SC/ST/Visually Handicapped (VH).


Procedure for Admission

The candidates will be selected for the Ph.D. program in these ways

  • Through Research Entrance Test (RDET) and Interview
  • OR
  • Direct Admission (RDET Exempted i.e. without appearing in RDET) But Interview Compulsory.

Through Research Entrance Test (RDET) and Interview

  • A written examination of 100 marks shall be conducted by the University to test the research aptitude of the candidate in a related subject.
  • The total duration of this examination shall be of 02 hrs.
  • The total number of questions for the exam will be 100 objectives/multiple-choice type questions with no negative marking and each question shall carry one mark.
  • After RDET an interview/ Presentation of 100 marks will be conducted at the respective department by HOD & Conveners of the respective department.
  • Final selection will be made on 30% of the marks obtained in the interview/ Presentation and 70% of the marks obtained in the written entrance exam.
  • In the written Entrance Examination Qualifying Percentage of Marks: General-50%, OBC-45%, and SC/ST/VH/PH - 40%.
  • Against the available seats, admission to the Ph.D. program in the University campuses and affiliated colleges. 
  • Any confirmation or admission will not be claimed after qualifying the final RDET and merit list in each subject shall be made according to final RDET


Direct Admission (RDET- Exempted i.e. without appearing in RDET)

  • A candidate shall be considered for direct admission to the Ph.D. program who has qualified UGC-CSIR-JRF or equivalent national test. He has to apply by filling the online form of Ph.D. entrance examination but can get admission without appearing in the Research Degree Entrance Test (RDET.
  • NET (JRF) marks are considered in place of marks in written RDET tests and candidates have to appear in the interview/ presentation.
  • The final merit will be prepared from 30% of the marks obtained in the interview and 70% of the marks obtained in the NET (JRF) exam


General Instructions 

  • The applicants must peruse the states of qualification as given at thing No. A cautiously and must fulfill themselves in regard to their qualification for the Ph.D. Passage Test before filling the application structure. 
  • Applicants will be given the Admission Card with Roll Number and Examination Center online by the Kumaun University simply after the date of accommodation of utilization structure is finished. applicants should take note that their candidature is carefully temporary. The minor certainty that Admission Card has been given to any competitor will not suggest that the Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy Cell has, at last, acknowledged his/her candidature. 
  • The university may change the center (s) or date of assessment without allotting any explanation. 
  • Application Form must be finished in all regards according to the Notification. Deficient Application Forms will be dismissed. 
  • Applications submitted on some other arrangement/mode won't be acknowledged. 
  • Applications got after the last date for example twentieth March 2020 won't be engaged. Thusly, it is mentioned to pay assessment expense emphatically by twentieth March 2020. 
  • The utilization of adding machines or Log Tables isn't allowed. Cell phones, pagers, and electronic gadgets, and so forth are not permitted in the Examination Hall/Room. 
  • Competitors ought to guarantee that the marks affixed and properly marked photo transferred/stuck by them in all the spots, viz. in their Application Form and OMR sheet, be indistinguishable and there ought to be no variety of any sort. 
  • It is obligatory for applicants to have normal work in different states and focal government institutions and private associations to deliver No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their particular business during the hour of guiding. 
  • Ph. D. is a customary degree course in this way it is the obligation of the possibility to guarantee that they are not seeking after two synchronous degree courses simultaneously. the university claims all authority to drop admission to such applicants with no earlier notification. 
  • Every single lawful debate relating to this Test will fall inside the purview of Hon'ble High Court of Uttarakhand, Nainital as it were. 
  • Candidates are encouraged to visit the university site www.kunainital.ac.in with connected connection Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy Cell (SRICC) routinely for any further declaration and takes note. Spread of such data at the individual level or by means of papers won't be conceivable. 
  • For additional subtleties mercifully counsel Kumaun University Research Ordinances given in the university's authentic site www.kunainital.ac.in with appended connect Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy Cell routinely 
  • The selection of the university will be last in all issues. 
  • The university claims authority to increment or lessening the number of seats at the hour of Counseling.

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