LPUNEST for
Ph.D. Programmes
LPUNEST for
Lovely Professional University conducts the National Entrance and Scholarship Test (LPUNEST) for Ph.D. aspirants. Postgraduate research scholars are eligible to apply for LPUNEST (Ph.D.). From the outset of the LPUNEST (Ph.D.), numerous candidates have been appearing in the LPUNEST exam every year. LPUNEST (Ph.D.) provides an excellent opportunity for those who wish to join the Ph.D. programme at LPU and pursue their career in the direction of research. The purpose of the examination is to identify Ph.D. aspirants with the potential to undertake ground-breaking research and inspire future generations. For more details, please refer to the section Important Dates.
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Awarded the Highest NAAC Grade ‘A++’ with a score of 3.68 on a 4-point scale by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)
B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture, M.Sc. Agriculture [Horticulture (Fruit Science)], M.Sc. Agriculture (Agronomy), and M.Sc. Agriculture (Genetics and Plant Breeding) are accredited by the National Agricultural Education Board of ICAR
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University & Deemed University (Self-financed/Private) (Technical)
Entrance Test
LPUNEST (Ph.D.) will provide a gateway to all Ph.D. programmes at LPU and will act as an Entrance test for admission to Ph.D. Programmes at LPU. For details, refer “Eligibility”.
Extensive Scholarship
LPU envisages ushering in an era of accessible and affordable quality higher education for the youth of our country. based on scores in LPUNEST (Ph.D.). For scholarship details, please refer to “Fee and Scholarship”.
NOTE: Individuals who have been awarded a Ph.D. degree in accordance with UGC regulations are exempted from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET for recruitment/ appointment of Assistant Professor or equivalent positions in Universities/Colleges/Institutions.
Eligibility and Selection Criteria
For all Programmes (Except Agriculture)
Eligibility Criteria
Pass with 55% aggregate marks or equivalent grades prescribed by UGC in the Master’s Degree (2 year or 4 semester Master’s Degree after a 3-year Bachelor’s Degree # ) or equivalent in the relevant subject to qualifying LPUNEST and Interview.
# Candidate who has completed 1-year/2-semester Master's Degree programme with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks or equivalent grades prescribed by UGC after a 4-year/8-semester bachelor’s degree is also eligible.
ORA candidate who has completed 4-years/8-semesters Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field with 75% aggregate marks or equivalent grades prescribed by UGC is also eligible.
(A relaxation of 5% marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC or ST or OBC (non-creamy layer) or Differently-Abled, Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the statutory body from time to time.)
For example: If an Institute has conversion factor of 9.5 then CGPA of 7.5 will not result in 75% marks and hence such a candidate will not be eligible
Note:
- Applicants having relevant post graduation degree in Engineering only are allowed to apply for the Ph.D. in engineering disciplines.
For example, applicants with M.Tech./ ME in CSE would apply for Ph.D. (Computer Science and Engineering), and applicants with MCA or M.Sc. (CS/IT) degrees should apply for Ph.D. (Computer Applications). - The applicants with Master❜s Degree in distance education or online mode are not allowed to take admission in the Ph.D. Engineering Programmes.
- An applicant who has completed the Company Secretary(CS) course from ‘The Institute of Company Secretaries of India’ (ICSI) with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks is eligible to apply for admission Ph.D. (Commerce) and Ph.D. (Management). Click here to view Recognition Letter on ICSI Website.
- An applicant who has completed the Chartered Accountancy (CA) course from ‘The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India’ (ICAI) with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks is eligible to apply for admission to Ph.D. (Commerce) and Ph.D. (Management). Click here to view Recognition Letter on ICAI Website.
- An applicant who has completed PGDBM (2 Years), which is equivalent to Master❜s Degree by AIU is eligible to apply for admission to Ph.D. (Management) and For international applicants, admission to a particular discipline will be subject to the availability of seats with the assigned advisor from the University.
Selection Criteria:
Admission to the Ph.D. programme will be made through LPUNEST (Entrance Test) followed by an interview. The Date for the entrance test will be announced on the university website. Scholars qualifying in LPUNEST test will be called for an interview (A detailed schedule of an interview after the result of the written test will be communicated).
LPUNEST with Entrance Test and Interview
- An applicant will be short listed for Interview on the basis of his/ her score in the entrance examination LPUNEST (Ph.D.).
- The final selection for admission in Ph.D. will be based on the performance in Entrance Test (70% weightage) and Interview (30% weightage) subject to scoring minimum marks in the Interview.
- In case of LPUNEST exemption, the weightage of interview shall be 100%.
- The applicants seeking LPUNEST exemption are also required to fill the LPUNEST form and appear for the interview.
Exemption from Entrance Test
The applicants who qualify and have valid award letter of UGC / UGC-CSIR under category 1, Category2, Category3/ NFSC/ NFST/NFOBC/ NFPWD /valid GATE or GPAT score card are exempted from the LPUNEST (Ph.D.) entrance test.
Note:
- LPUNEST(Ph.D.) exam exemption is subject to verification of score card/award letter released by regulatory agency with valid dates. For example, a scholar might have qualified for GATE but the validity of the score is till 2024. So, he can’t use this GATE score for admission in the 2025 session.
- For getting the LPUNEST scholarship, it is mandatory to appear and score good marks in the LPUNEST.
For Agriculture Programmes
Eligibility Criteria
Pass with 65% aggregate marks or equivalent grades in a relevant agriculture discipline in the Master❜s Degree or equivalent in the relevant field subject to qualifying LPUNEST and Interview.
Selection Criteria
- An applicant will be short listed for an interview on the basis of his/ her score in the entrance examination LPUNEST (Ph.D.).
- The final selection for admission to Ph.D. will be based on the performance in Entrance Test (80% weightage) and Interview (20% weightage) subject to scoring minimum marks in the Interview.
NOTE:- Admission to the following PhD programmes is not allowed directly after 4-year UG programme.
(This is an indicative list please refer to the programme wise eligibility criteria)
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics, Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Analysis, Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Ph.D. in Pharmacognosy, Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Ph.D. in Pharmacy Practice, Ph.D. in Agronomy, Ph.D. in Fruit Science, Ph.D. in Vegetable Science, Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Ph.D. in Entomology, Ph.D. in Genetics and Plant Breeding, Ph.D. in Soil Science, Ph.D. in Law, Ph.D. in Clinical Embryology, Ph.D. in Education, Ph.D. in Library Science.
Facilitation to Qualified Chartered Accountants and Company Secretaries for Admission in Ph.D. Management/ Commerce and Allied Programmes at LPU
Recognition Letter on ICAI Website
Recognition Letter on ICSI Website
Conferment of Honoris Causa Degrees
Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin
Vice President of Suriname
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris causa degree upon the Vice President of Suriname, Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin during the 10th Convocation.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee
President of India
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon the President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee during the 8th Convocation.
Dr. (Mrs) Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
President of Mauritius
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon the President of Mauritius, Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim during the 7th Convocation.
Roosevelt Skerrit
Prime Minister of Dominica
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon the Prime Minister of Commonwealth of Dominica, Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit, during the 6th Convocation.
Dr. Pakalitha B. Mosisili
Prime Minister of Lesotho Kingdom
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon the Prime Minister of Lesotho Kingdom, Dr. Pakalitha B. Mosisli during the 5th Convocation.
His Holiness
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon Laureate the Dalai Lama during the 5th Convocation.
Kailash Purryag
President of Mauritius
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon the President of Mauritius, Mr. Kailash Purryag during the 4th Convocation.
Mr. Hamid Karzai
President of Afghanistan
Dr. Ashok Mittal, Hon’ble Chancellor LPU, conferring Honoris Causa degree upon the President of Afghanistan, Mr. Hamid Karzai during the 3rd Convocation at LPU.
Conferment of Ph.D. Degrees
Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin
Vice President of Suriname
The Hon’ble Vice President of Suriname Mr. Michael Ashwin Satyandre Adhin conferring degrees during the 10th Convocation.
Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu
Vice-President of India
The Hon’ble Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu conferring degrees during the 9th Convocation.
Shri Pranab Mukherjee
President of India
The Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee conferring degrees during the 8th Convocation.
Dr. (Mrs) Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
President of Mauritius
Her Excellency, President of the Republic of Mauritius, conferring degrees during the 7th Convocation.
Dr. Pakalitha B. Mosisili
Prime Minister of Lesotho Kingdo
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of Kingdom of Lesotho, conferring Degrees during the 5th Convocation.
Ph.D. Degrees Awarded
| Session | No. of Ph.D. Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 301 |
| 2022-23 | 287 |
| 2021-22 | 129 |
| 2020-21 | 111 |
| 2019-20 | 89 |
| 2018-19 | 90 |
| 2017-18 | 02 |
| 2016-17 | 22 |
| 2015-16 | 03 |
| 2014-15 | 06 |
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The eight storey Uni-Mall with a network of banks, food courts, branded shops and many more.
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Ph.D. FAQ’s
Select Category
- Admission
- Scholarships/Fellowship
- Entrance Test
- General Queries
- Course Work
- Supervisor/Co-Supervisor
- Hostel/Accommodation
How Can I apply for the Ph.D. programme?
The candidate can apply online for the Ph.D. Programme through https://nest.lpu.in/phd/how-to-apply.php. Alternatively, the candidate may also visit the University campus in Block 30, “Division of Admissions” on all working days (as per the admission application schedule)
What is the eligibility criteria to apply for the Ph.D. programme?
The eligibility criteria to apply for the Ph.D. programme is as under:-
| Master’s Degree with 55% Marks* | 2 Years / 4 Semester/Term after 3 Year Bachelor’s Degree |
|---|---|
| 1 Year/ 2 Semester/Term after 4-year Bachelor’s Degree | |
| Bachelor’s Degree with 75% Marks* | 4 Year/8 Semester/Term Bachelor Degree with minimum 75% marks. (*For Selected discipline Only) |
*For further details kindly visit: https://nest.lpu.in/phd/
I’m a qualified Chartered Accountant/ Company Secretary. Can I apply for Ph.D. at LPU?
The candidate who have passed the Chartered Accountants (CA) examination with a minimum 55% marks or equivalent grade from “The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India” (ICAI) is eligible to apply for Ph.D. Programme in commerce and allied disciplines.
The candidate who have passed the Company Secretary (CS) examination with a minimum 55% marks or equivalent grade conducted by the Institutes of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is eligible to apply for Ph.D. Programme in management / commerce and allied disciplines.
What is the admission procedure for Ph.D. programme at LPU?
- The admission for national applicant is as follows:
- Apply online through the link www.lpu.in or visit the LPU Campus (Block-30, Division of Admission) or visit the “LPU Out-Campus Office” in the respective cities mentioned in the link: https://www.lpu.in/admission/lpu-in-your-town.php#lpu-town.
- Appear for LPUNEST. For important dates, visit our websites https://www.lpu.in/nest/phd/important-dates.php.
- Upon qualifying LPUNEST, complete the admission process by visiting the https://admission.lpu.in/ or visit LPU Campus.
- Report for in-campus original document verification and Ph.D. Freshmen Induction.
- For assistance, contact the admission helpline at +91-1824-517000.
I am an international student, what is the process of admission in Ph.D. Programme?
The admission process for international applicant is as follows:
- Step 1: Register on the link https://intadmit.lpu.in/
- Step 2: Go to Log in and fill in the requisite form
- Step 3: Upload the required documents along with the Research Proposal
- Step 4: Appear for the interview through online mode.
Can I pay my Ph.D. programme fee online?
Yes, the candidate can pay the applicable fee online. Please click on the link below: https://www.lpu.in/frmloginaccounts.aspx
What are the academic milestones in a Ph.D. Programme?
The academic milestones in a Ph.D. programmes are:
Coursework: It consists of mandatory courses prescribed by the regulatory body (UGC/CSIR/BCI/PCI/COA/ICAR). Ideally coursework must be completed within first academic term but not later than one year from the date of admission.
State of the Art Seminar (SAS): Finalization of research objectives by scholar for the Ph.D. programme is to be done in the SAS.
End-Term Presentation (ETP): In an ETP, the scholar’s research work progress is evaluated by the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) once in every academic term.
Pre-submission/Final Submission: The Ph.D. thesis is evaluated subject to fulfillment of research objectives, research publications, conference presentation, and the recommendations of the Research Advisory Committee. Ideally, thesis Pre-submission must be submitted after 2.5 years from the date of admission.
What are the scholarship opportunities available at LPU for Ph.D. programmes?
The research scholar at LPU can avail scholarship benefits based on:
| Criteria | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| LPUNEST | As per the LPUNEST Cutoff | https://nest.lpu.in/phd/fee-and-scholarship.php |
| National Level Test | UGC/CSIR NET Qualified | |
| Valid GATE Scorecard | ||
| Valid GPAT Scorecard | ||
| Research Publication | Scopus Indexed Publications | |
| Patents | Granted Patents Only | |
| Junior Research Fellow | Within Validity Period | |
| LPU Alumni | Previous qualification from Lovely Professional University (Regular/ Distance/ Online mode). The scholarship can be availed in case no other scholarships is applicable. | |
| Female Candidate | This scholarship can be availed in case no other scholarship is applicable, | |
| Faculty Fee Waiver (For staff/faculty of LPU) |
As per the existing policy | https://nest.lpu.in/phd/financial-assistance.php |
*For further details kindly visit: https://nest.lpu.in/phd/
As a Ph.D. scholar, will I get any chance of teaching at LPU to support myself financially?
Yes, a research scholar can apply for Teaching Fellowship after the successful completion of coursework. The teaching fellowship awardee will be paid an honorarium of Rs. 21,600/ per month (consolidated) subject to qualifying the eligibility criteria. The selected scholar for teaching assistant position will be required to take a teaching load of a minimum of six credits and up to 10 contact hours/week.
I am getting a “Government Fellowship”, am I eligible for “LPU Research Fellowship”?
No, scholar can avail only one fellowship at any point during the Ph.D. tenure.
Can I seek an exemption from the LPUNEST Exam?
Yes, exemption from the LPUNEST may be allowed only if the candidate will be able to provide a valid score card/award letter under any one of the following criteria:
- UGC/UGC-CSIR category1, category2, category3 (As per the notification No.F.4-1(UGC-NET Review Committee)/2024(NET)/140648)
- NFSC/ NFST/ NFOBC/ NFPWD
- GATE Qualified
- GPAT Qualified
Note:
- Exemption is applicable subject to the document verification
- For Ph.D. programmes (except Agriculture): The weightage of LPUNEST exam is 70% and Interview is 30%
- For Ph.D. programmes (Agriculture): The weightage of LPUNEST exam is 80% and Interview is 20%.
- In case of LPUNEST exemption, weightage of Interview shall be 100%
What is the pattern of the Ph.D. Entrance Test?
The Pattern for Ph.D. Entrance Test is under:
| Test Pattern | Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 Hours |
| Questions Paper - I # | 50 Questions |
| Questions Paper - II (Subject - Specific Discipline) | 50 Questions |
| Syllabus | Click Here For Detailed Information |
- Note:
- Each question shall be 1 mark with “No Negative Marking”
- #The Candidate seeking admission to
Agriculture Discipline - Paper-I shall be based on “Basic Agriculture”
For all Other Disciplines - Paper-I shall be based on “Research Methodology”
After clearing LPUNEST for Ph.D. Programme, is it mandatory to appear for the interview?
Yes, after clearing LPUNEST, the candidate is required to choose for an interview slot. The interview panel consists of discipline experts who will evaluate the candidate on parameters related to the research aptitude, innovativeness, feasibility of the research area, concept clarity, and overall competency to conduct research. The candidate shall prepare a well-defined research proposal/presentation for the interview.
I have qualified for LPUNEST and cleared an interview for the Ph.D. programme, how do I proceed further for admission?
The candidate may proceed as under:
- Complete the admission process through the admission portal and proceed for provisional admission.
- Upload documents using “Post-Admission Services” in the admission portal or visit “University Campus”
- Original Document Verification to be done in campus Ph.D. Freshman Induction.
- For assistance, contact admission helpline at +91-1824-517000
What is the minimum and maximum duration of the Ph.D. programme?
The minimum duration of the Ph.D. Programme is 3 years and a maximum of 6 years from the date of registration for all research scholars including M.Phil. degree holder candidates.
Can I upload/write a research proposal/coursework exams/thesis in a language other than English?
All the milestone for Ph.D. programmes such as research proposal, coursework exams, End Term Presentations(ETP), thesis shall be in English language only.
Note: Scholar pursuing Ph.D. in disciplines such as Punjabi or Hindi can upload/write research proposal/coursework exams/thesis in their respective language. However, the coursework class will be delivered in English only.
What are the details of course work?
a) For all Ph.D. programmes except agriculture:
The coursework will consist of four courses with 14 credits. All research scholars admitted to the Ph.D. programme will be required to complete the mandatory coursework and maintain minimum attendance of 75% in each course to be eligible for end term examination.
b) For Ph.D. Programmes in Agriculture Disciplines:
The course work will be in accordance with ICAR guidelines for more details visit the link: https://nest.lpu.in/phd/course_work.php. Further, a minimum of 75% attendance is required in each course to be eligible in end term examination.
What are the passing criteria for Ph.D. coursework?
a) For all Ph.D. programmes except agriculture:
A Ph.D. scholar need to secure a minimum of 55% marks in each course of coursework, along with at least 40% marks in end term examination of that course.
b) For Ph.D. Programmes in Agriculture Disciplines:
A Ph.D. scholar has to obtain a minimum “Overall Grade Point Average” OGPA of 6.5 with a minimum grade of 6.0 in individual courses.
What is the schedule of coursework classes for all Ph.D. programme?
a) For all Ph.D. programmes except agriculture:
We offer flexible coursework in three different options and the tentative schedule is mentioned below:
| Duration | Spring Term | Autumn Term | Class Timings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option I | Every Weekend | January - April | August - December | Saturdays 02:00 P.M.- 05:00 P.M. Sundays 09:00 A.M.- 05:00 P.M. |
| Option II | 4 days | January - April | August - December | 09:00 A.M.- 07:00 P.M. 3rd Week of every month (Thu, Fri, Sa, Su) |
| Option III | 15 days | May / June | November / December | 09:00 A.M. - 07:00 P.M. (daily) |
- Preferably every Third week of month (Thursday – Sunday).
- Option III will be in hybrid mode and available for Ph.D. (Part-Time) scholars only. Hybrid mode combines online classes with mandatory 15 days in-person classes followed by End Term Examinations.
b) For Ph.D. programmes in agriculture disciplines:
The following options with tentative schedules are available for Ph.D. Agriculture Programmes
| Duration | Spring Term | Autumn Term | Class Timings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two Academic Terms | January - May | August - December | As per the Weekday timetable |
Is there any difference in the syllabus or total credits in any of the options for coursework?
No, there is no difference in any of the coursework options. The syllabus, credits, and total contact hours are the same across all the coursework options.
Is there any additional fee for the coursework?
No, there is no additional fee for the coursework other than the stipulated tuition fees and examination fees.
Up till what point is the scholar required to pay the Term (Semester) Fee?
The term (semester) fee is applicable to each scholar till the completion of the final thesis submission.
What is the process of selecting the Ph.D. supervisor?
The supervisor allocation can be done through the online "Supervisor Selection Module" on UMS interface. All eligible supervisors’ profiles will be visible during the Coursework. The research scholars can book the slot with the supervisor for discussion on research area.
I am an M. Phil. qualified and exempted from the coursework. When I will be given a supervisor and can start my research work?
For M. Phil. candidates, supervisors will be allocated during their first academic term only and such research scholars can start their research work from the first term itself.
How many Ph.D. supervisors can be allocated to a Ph.D. scholar?
The Scholar must opt for one main supervisor from Lovely Professional University in the respective department/school. Additionally, co-supervisor can be opted from within the University or from another Institution/University/Industry provided he/she meets the eligibility requirement as per University norms.
What is the procedure to opt for Co-supervisor?
To support interdisciplinary/trans-disciplinary research, scholar can choose co-supervisor with proven research record. The research scholar will be allowed to take co-supervisor after the successful completion of his/her coursework. He/she is required to get consent from their co-supervisor in the prescribed form (available at CRDP) and submit it to the Center of Research Degree Programmes (CRDP). Upon approval, the research scholars and the co-supervisor will be notified by CRDP.
Does the University provide any hostel facility to a Ph.D. scholar?
Yes. Hostel facility is provided to research scholars subject to availability. Ph.D. scholars can also avail hostel facility by submitting their request online through UMS after completion of admission formalities.
