Ph.D. Admission Procedure – Asian International University

Asian International University shall publicly announce the number of Ph.D. seats available for the academic year. The announcement will be made well in advance through the official university website and public advertisement, providing full details including:

• Number of seats available (discipline/subject-wise)
• Eligibility criteria
• Admission procedure
• Entrance examination centers (if applicable)
• Important dates and other relevant information

1. Admission through Research Degree Entrance Test (RDET)

Eligible candidates may apply for admission through the Research Degree Entrance Test (RDET), conducted by the University. The process includes a written test followed by an interview.

i. Syllabus of the Entrance Test:

• 50%: Research Methodology
• 50%: Subject-specific content

ii. Structure of the Entrance Test:

• Total Marks: 70
• Duration: 2 hours
• Question Format: 70 multiple-choice/objective questions (1 mark each)
• Negative Marking: None

iii. Minimum Qualifying Marks:

• Candidates must score at least 50% in the written test to be eligible for the interview.
• The number of candidates called for the interview will depend on the availability of Ph.D. seats.

iv. Relaxation of Marks:
A relaxation of 5% (i.e., minimum 45%) in the qualifying marks will be given to candidates belonging to the following categories:

• SC/ST
• OBC (Non-creamy layer)
• Differently Abled
• Economically Weaker Sections (EWS)
• Other categories as per UGC/Commission norms

v. Final Selection Criteria (Merit List):

• 70% weightage to the written exam
• 30% weightage to the interview

vi. Tie-Breaking Rules (in case of equal marks):
In case two or more candidates score the same:

1. Higher marks in Postgraduate degree (in relevant subject)
2. Higher score in entrance test
3. Higher score in interview
4. Older candidate by date of birth will be ranked higher

vii. Application Process:
Candidates must apply via the University Admission Portal, which will remain open for a specified time period announced in the notification

2. Direct Admission (Exemption from RDET)

Certain categories of candidates are exempted from appearing in the RDET, but must attend the interview process. These include:

i. Eligible Exempted Candidates:

• Qualified in UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, NFSC, NFOBC, NFST, GATE, GPAT, or equivalent national tests
• Awarded INSPIRE Fellowship
• Holders of M.Phil. degree
• Permanent faculty of Asian International University fulfilling Ph.D. eligibility criteria
• Group-A Central Civil Services officers who have completed probation and five years of service

ii. Conditions for Exemption:

• Fellowship certificates must be valid at the time of application.
• All exempted candidates must still apply via the admission portal and pay the interview fee.
• There will be no separate merit list for exempted candidates.
• Admission shall be granted based solely on interview performance.

iii. Interview Process:

• A duly constituted interview committee will assess the candidates under this category.
• The admission portal will remain open throughout the year for exempted category candidates.

iv. Option to Appear for RDET:

• Candidates eligible for exemption may still appear for RDET.
• They must mention their fellowship qualification (e.g., UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, etc.) on the RDET application.
• Whichever score is higher—RDET or fellowship—will be considered for merit ranking.

3. Reservation Policy

• The allocation of Ph.D. seats will follow the Sikkim State Reservation Policy in effect during the academic year of admission.
• Only candidates with Sikkim domicile and valid category certificates are eligible for reservation benefits.
• If no eligible candidate is found in a reserved category, the seat shall be offered to a general category applicant.