PhD Program
At the School of DS&AI, we believe that PhD Scholars flourish in a flexible environment that values their unique backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to offering courses that expand their knowledge, fuel their curiosity, and empower them to ask thought-provoking "why" and "why not" questions. Moreover, we actively encourage interdisciplinary exploration, recognizing the immense value it brings to their research journey.
While a PhD Scholar pursue their course work, they will be matched with an advisor based primarily on mutual research interests. We also believe that it's vital for advisors and students to work as peers, and if desired, a student can work with more than one faculty member during their time in IIT Guwahati.
The PhD Scholars have the option to receive financial support as stipend from the Ministry of Education, India or Project Funding from their Advisors or different PhD Fellowships awarded by the Institute, while in good academic standing. Further, we also have sponsored, part-time, external and self-financed options for pursuing a PhD. You can find more information here.
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Unlike Bachelors and Masters degrees, duration of a PhD Program is variable. We encourage students to graduate within a time window of five years, and how sooner it happens is dependent on the progress and completion of the research. Candidates with BTech or MTech or MSc degrees are encouraged to apply to the program. To check the details about PhD admissions click here.
Program Structure*
*For detailed structure we encourage you to refer the PhD Ordinance available here. A rough outline is provided below.| Stage of PhD | About | Tentative Timeslot | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Course Work | First 12 months | You complete x mandatory credits by opting for courses which expand your intellectual foundation and get you set for pursuing research in a desired topic. |
| B | Comprehensive Examination | After Stage-A, within a 6 months window | It is a viva-voce-cum-written examination. You will get maximum two attempts to clear it. |
| C | State-of-the-Art Literature Review Seminar | After Stage-B, within a 6 months window | |
| D | Annual Progress Seminar | After Stage-C, every 12 months | |
| E | Thesis Synopsis Presentation | After Stage-D, on completion of PhD research | |
| F | Thesis Submission | After Stage-E, within a 3 months window after synposis presentation | Thesis sent for Review to internal and external examiners (usually, 2-4 months) |
| G | Thesis Defense | Within few weeks after succesful completion of Thesis Review by internal and extrenal examiners |
Course Work as part of PhD
A PhD scholar selects coursework from the extensive pool of courses offered at the institute. They can choose courses that strengthen their foundational knowledge in their research area or opt for courses that help them acquire new skills at the frontiers of knowledge. Our school offers a selection of courses (click here) that PhD scholars can choose from. Additionally, after consulting with their advisors, they may also select courses from other departments within the institute.