The NTA PhD Entrance Exam is held for Ph.D. admissions at universities such as DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU. For the latest updates, refer to the official portals: nta.ac.in and phd-entrance.samarth.ac.in.
As of now, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has not issued an official notification for the 2025 PhD entrance exam.
Meanwhile, the NTA conducts exams like ICAR AICE JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) for agricultural research. Other common PhD entry tests in India include UGC NET, CSIR NET, GATE, GPAT, BET, JEST and several university- or institute-level examinations.
The 2023 exam was held on October 26, 27, 30 and 31. In 2022, 50,971 candidates were registered and 35,896 appeared for the test.
PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. The National Testing Agency (NTA) administers the PhD entrance exam for admissions to universities such as DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU. For full details, candidates should consult the NTA website.
Contents overview
Key dates for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025 are listed in the table below:
Registration for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025 will open on the official website.
Follow the steps below to complete the NTA PhD 2025 application.
Prospective applicants should review the eligibility requirements for the 2025 PhD entrance exam.
Mode of examination: The 2025 PhD entrance test for DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU will be conducted exclusively in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode.
Medium: Except for language-specific papers, question papers for DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU will be provided in English.
Exam structure: The 2025 PhD test will consist of two sections:
Section 1: Research Methodology
Section 2: Subject-specific
Number of questions: Each paper contains 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), generally in English except for language tests. All questions are compulsory.
Duration: The examination will last 3 hours (180 minutes).
Number of courses: Candidates may opt for up to three courses, with only one course scheduled per time slot according to the timetable.
Subjects and sections: Subjects are grouped into combinations sharing a common Research Methodology (Section I), while Section II focuses on the specific discipline.
Marking scheme: Candidates will receive 4 marks for each correct answer and incur a 1-mark penalty for each incorrect response.
The NTA PhD syllabus for 2025 covers a wide variety of disciplines and topics to assess candidates' subject knowledge and research aptitude. Subjects include Adult Continuing Education & Extension, African Studies, Ancient Indian History, Culture, Archaeology, Anthropology, Arabic, Bio-Physics and many others.
You can access the full PhD syllabus using the links provided below:
Admit card: The NTA will issue PhD admit cards on phd-entrance.samarth.ac.in. Candidates can download their admit card by following the instructions provided on the website.
If you are unable to download your admit card, contact the NTA help desk at 011-40759000 between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM.
The NTA plans to hold the PhD entrance test for DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU in October 2025 at multiple CBT centres across India. Candidates must use their application number and password to access and download the city intimation slip.
To download your city intimation slip, follow the steps below:
Use the direct link below to download the city intimation slip: Direct Link to check City Intimation Slip
Reservations: Seats are allocated for different categories according to government norms. The reservation percentages are indicated below:
Preparation tips: Here are recommended strategies to prepare for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025.
Following these strategies will help you prepare effectively and approach the exam with confidence.
Paper analysis: A detailed analysis for the 2025 paper will be published after the exam. The test is online (CBT) and comprises two parts: Part A evaluates general aptitude (English comprehension, logical reasoning and quantitative ability), while Part B contains questions from the chosen subject area.
Answer key: The NTA will publish the final answer key on its official website, nta.ac.in. Candidates can view the final key via the link below:
Results are prepared using the final answer key. After declaration of results and NTA scores for the PhD Entrance Test for DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU - 2025, no challenges to the answer keys will be accepted.
NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025 — FAQs
Q. What is the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025?
A. The NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025 is a national-level test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to Ph.D. programs at institutions such as DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU.
Q. Who is eligible to apply for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam?
A. Candidates who have completed a postgraduate degree or those appearing in 2025 are eligible to apply. NTA does not specify an age limit, though individual universities may have their own criteria.
Q. What is the application process for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam?
A. Eligible candidates must apply online via the official portal, complete their personal and educational details, select exam papers and upload the required documents.
Q. What is the exam mode and language of the NTA PhD Entrance Exam?
A. The exam is conducted in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode. For DU, JNU, BHU and BBAU, the papers are held in English except for language-specific tests.
Q. What is the syllabus for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam?
A. The syllabus is extensive and subject-specific. Candidates should consult the official syllabus PDFs for detailed topic lists.
Q. What is the exam structure and duration?
A. The test has two sections — Research Methodology and a subject-specific section. There are 100 MCQs and the duration is 3 hours (180 minutes).
Q. How can I prepare for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam?
A. Download the syllabus, gather recommended reference books, study consistently, practice past question papers, and take mock tests to build speed and accuracy.
Q. What are the application fees for the NTA PhD Entrance Exam?
A. Application fees vary by category and the number of test papers applied for. Please refer to the fee table above for exact amounts.
Q. When will the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025 be conducted?
A. Exact exam dates are yet to be announced. Candidates should monitor the official website for updates.
Q. How do I stay updated about the NTA PhD Entrance Exam 2025?
A. Regularly check the official websites phd-entrance.samarth.ac.in and nta.ac.in for notifications, updates and important announcements.
| Table of Contents |
| Detail | Date |
|---|---|
| Application start date | September 2025 |
| Application last date | September 2025 |
| Last date to pay application fee | September 2025 |
| Correction window opens | September 2025 |
| Correction window closes | September 2025 |
| Admit card release | October 2025 |
| Exam date | October 2025 |
| Result declaration | November, 2025 |
| Official website | phd-entrance.samarth.ac.in. |
| Application Fee | Fee (for one Test Paper) | Fee for Additional Test Paper (Per Test Paper) |
|---|---|---|
| General | Rs. 1200 | Rs. 800 |
| OBC-NCL/Gen-EWS | Rs. 1100 | Rs. 700 |
| SC/ST/Third Gender | Rs. 1000 | Rs. 700 |
| PwBD | Rs. 1000 | Rs. 700 |
| Subject | Download PDF |
|---|---|
| Adult Continuing Education & Ext. | Download PDF |
| African Studies | Download PDF |
| Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archeology | Download PDF |
| Anthropology | Download PDF |
| Arabic | Download PDF |
| Bio-Physics | Download PDF |
| Biochemistry | Download PDF |
| Biomedical Research | Download PDF |
| Biotechnology | Download PDF |
| Botany | Download PDF |
| Buddhist Studies | Download PDF |
| Chemistry/Chemical Science | Download PDF |
| Chinese | Download PDF |
| Chinese Studies | Download PDF |
| Cinema Studies | Download PDF |
| Commerce/Management/Financial Studies | Download PDF |
| Comparative Politics & Political Theory | Download PDF |
| Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Track - 1 (TROH) | Download PDF |
| Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Track - 2 (TRTH) | Download PDF |
| Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Track - 3 (TRDH) | Download PDF |
| Computer Science and Engineering | Download PDF |
| Computer Science/ Informatics | Download PDF |
| East Asian Studies | Download PDF |
| Economics Studies & Planning | Download PDF |
| Economics/ Regional development Economics/Business Economics | Download PDF |
| Education | Download PDF |
| Electronics and Communication Engineering / Electronic Science | Download PDF |
| Energy Studies | Download PDF |
| English | Download PDF |
| Environmental Studies/Environmental Sciences Research Area III & IV | Download PDF |
| European Studies | Download PDF |
| Fine Arts | Download PDF |
| French | Download PDF |
| Genetics | Download PDF |
| Geology | Download PDF |
| Geography/Political Geography/Regional Development Geography | Download PDF |
| Germany | Download PDF |
| Hindi | Download PDF |
| Hindi Translation | Download PDF |
| Hindustani Music | Download PDF |
| Hispanic/ Spanish | Download PDF |
| History of Arts | Download PDF |
| History/Historical Studies [Ancient/Medieval/ Modern] | Download PDF |
| Home Science | Download PDF |
| Horticulture | Download PDF |
| Human Rights | Download PDF |
| Informal Sector & Labour Studies | Download PDF |
| Inner Asia Studies | Download PDF |
| International Trade & Development | Download PDF |
| Italian | Download PDF |
| Japanese | Download PDF |
| Japanese Studies | Download PDF |
| Karnataka/Carnatic Music | Download PDF |
| Korean | Download PDF |
| Korean Studies | Download PDF |
| Law | Download PDF |
| Library & Information Science | Download PDF |
| Life Science/ Life Sciences Group – I-V | Download PDF |
| Linguistics | Download PDF |
| Mass Communication and Journalism/ Media Studies | Download PDF |
| Mathematics | Download PDF |
| Mechanical Egineering | Download PDF |
| Micro Systems | Download PDF |
| Microbiology | Download PDF |
| Modern Indian Language & Literary Studies | Download PDF |
| Molecular Medicine | Download PDF |
| Nano Sciences | Download PDF |
| National Security Studies | Download PDF |
| Operational Research | Download PDF |
| Percussion Music | Download PDF |
| Persian | Download PDF |
| Pharmaceutical Sciences/ Pharmacy | Download PDF |
| Philosophy | Download PDF |
| Physical Education & Sport Science | Download PDF |
| Physics/Physical Sciences | Download PDF |
| Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology | Download PDF |
| Political Science/Political Studies/Public Administration | Download PDF |
| Portuguese | Download PDF |
| Psychology | Download PDF |
| Public Health | Download PDF |
| Punjabi | Download PDF |
| Russian | Download PDF |
| Russian & Central Asian Studies | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit | Download PDF |
| Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy | Download PDF |
| Social Sciences in Health | Download PDF |
| Social System | Download PDF |
| Social Work | Download PDF |
| Sociology | Download PDF |
| South Asian Studies | Download PDF |
| Statistics | Download PDF |
| Studies in Science Policy | Download PDF |
| Theatre and Performance Studies | Download PDF |
| Urdu | Download PDF |
| Visual Studies | Download PDF |
| West Asian Studies | Download PDF |
| Women Studies | Download PDF |
| Zoology | Download PDF |
| NTA Ph.D Entrance Exam Admit Card Download Link (to be updated) |
| Category | Reservation of Seats |
|---|---|
| GEN-EWS | 10% |
| OBC-NCL | 27% |
| SC | 15% |
| ST | 7.5% |
| PwD | 5% |
| NTA Ph.D 2023 Final Answer Key – Released |
