NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027: Not Held, PhD Admission via UGC/CSIR NET

The NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027 will not be held. The National Testing Agency ran this common Ph.D. test for DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU only once, in October 2023. Since 2024-25, PhD admission uses UGC NET or Joint CSIR-UGC NET scores plus an interview, and NTA’s December 2026 NET forms are open now.

NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027

This page explains why there is no NTA PhD Entrance Exam now and how PhD admission at DU, JNU, BHU, BBAU and other universities works through UGC NET and CSIR NET.

Is the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027 being held?

No. NTA held the common Ph.D. Entrance Test for the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (BBAU) only once, as a computer-based test on 26, 27, 30 and 31 October 2023. It has not been conducted since, and no 2027 test has been announced.

The reason is a UGC decision. Its public notice of 27 March 2024 allowed universities to use the National Eligibility Test (NET) in place of their own Ph.D. entrance tests from the 2024-25 session. So if you want a PhD at these universities in 2027, the test you need is UGC NET or Joint CSIR-UGC NET, not a separate NTA PhD test.

How do UGC NET categories decide PhD admission?

Your NET result puts you in one of three categories, and all three make you eligible for PhD admission. The UGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin sets them out as below.

For Categories 2 and 3, your NET marks count for PhD admission for one year from the date the NET result is declared. NTA declares the result as a percentile along with your marks, normalised marks if your subject ran in more than one shift.

NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027 Important Dates

There are no NTA PhD Entrance Test dates, so the table shows the NET December 2026 schedule, whose scores feed the 2027 PhD rounds, and the DU and JNU PhD 2026-27 rounds running now. The 2027 rows are expected months based on the 2026 pattern.

How to Apply for PhD Admission 2027 Through NET

You first qualify NET on NTA’s website, then apply to each university separately when it opens its PhD admissions. Pick UGC NET for humanities, social sciences, commerce, languages, computer science and similar subjects, and Joint CSIR-UGC NET for Chemical, Earth, Life, Mathematical or Physical Sciences.

1. Apply for UGC NET December 2026 on the UGC NET website by 28 October 2026 (late fee window 29 to 31 October), or for CSIR NET by 5 November 2026.
2. Register through the online form; NTA also lets you sign in through Meri Pehchan and advises Aadhaar verification.
3. Pay the fee online by card, net banking or UPI, and correct any mistakes in the correction window (2 to 4 November 2026 for UGC NET).
4. Download your admit card when NTA releases it and take the exam in December 2026.
5. Download your NET scorecard after the result, and watch the PhD notices of DU, JNU, BHU, BBAU or any other university you want.
6. Apply on the university’s PhD portal with your scorecard, and attend the interview or viva-voce in person if shortlisted.

Universities charge their own PhD registration fee on top. For example, DU’s 2026-27 fee was Rs 750 per programme (Rs 300 for SC, ST and PwBD).

Who can apply for PhD admission through NET?

You need a master’s degree, or to be in its final year, with the marks NTA sets for NET. These are the UGC NET December 2026 rules.

• Master’s degree or equivalent with at least 55% marks (General, General-EWS), or 50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD, PwBD and Third gender candidates, without rounding off.
• Final-year master’s students and candidates awaiting results can apply provisionally. If you qualify for ‘PhD only’, you must complete your master’s with the required marks within one year of the NET result.
• There is no upper age limit for PhD admission or Assistant Professor. JRF has a limit of 30 years as on 1 December 2026, with relaxations for reserved categories, women and some others.
• You should take NET in your post-graduation subject, or a related subject if yours is not on the NET list.

Each university then applies its own PhD eligibility, such as the allied subjects a department accepts and whether a research proposal is needed. Read its bulletin before you apply.

What is the UGC NET exam pattern now used for PhD admission?

UGC NET is a single computer-based sitting with two papers, and it has no negative marking. The December 2026 Information Bulletin gives this pattern.

Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026 is also a 180-minute CBT in English and Hindi, held in two shifts (9 AM to 12 noon and 3 to 6 PM) for five science subjects. You can practise the UGC NET format with the free UGC NET mock test.

How do DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU admit PhD students now?

Each of the four universities runs its own PhD admission on its own portal, and the rules differ slightly. Here is what their latest notices say.

For the full JNU process, see our JNU admission page, and for Banaras Hindu University, see BHU admission. Some universities still hold their own PhD entrance test, such as the PU Ph.D. Entrance Test, and agricultural PhD seats go through ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (PhD).

Are NTA PhD Entrance Exam question papers available?

We do not have a verified copy of the 2023 NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test papers, and no new paper will be set because the test is not held. Prepare with UGC NET or CSIR NET previous year papers in your subject instead, since NET is now the test that decides your PhD shortlist.

NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027 Official Notices and Downloads

NTA has issued no PhD Entrance Test notice since 2023. The latest NET notices, the UGC rule and the current university PhD bulletins are below.

• PDFCorrigendum to UGC-NET December 2026 Information Bulletin (exam 14-18 and 21 Dec) (16 October 2026)Official site · cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.inOpen
• PDFUGC NET December 2026: last date extended to 31 October (no late fee) (27 October 2026)Official site · cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.inOpen
• PDFUGC NET December 2026 Information Bulletin (latest) (8 October 2026)Official site · cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.inOpen
• PDFJoint CSIR-UGC NET December 2026: public notice inviting online applications (latest) (7 October 2026)Official site · cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.inOpen
• PDFUGC public notice: NET as the entrance test for admission to Ph.D. (27 March 2024)Official site · ugc.gov.inOpen
• PDFUniversity of Delhi Ph.D. Bulletin of Information 2026-27 (6 October 2026)Official site · du.ac.inOpen
• PDFJNU e-Prospectus Ph.D. 2026-27 (admission through NET, JRF and GATE)Official site · jnu.ac.inOpen
• LINKNTA official websiteOfficial site · nta.ac.inOpen

NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2027 FAQs