Ph.D. Program at NCCS: Admissions for March 2026 Session

The National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS) is inviting applications for its Ph.D. program for the March 2026 session. The institute is seeking dedicated Indian citizens with a strong academic background in the life sciences who are interested in pursuing research in modern biology.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, candidates must meet the following requirements:

Educational Qualification: Hold a postgraduate degree in any branch of science with a minimum of 60% marks or an equivalent GPA. There is a 5% relaxation in marks for SC/ST/OBC/PwD candidates.
Fellowship/Exam: Applicants must have a valid Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) from a recognized body such as CSIR, UGC, DBT (Category I), ICMR, or BINC. Alternatively, candidates who have qualified for the JGEEBILS examination conducted by NCBS/TIFR in December 2024 are also eligible to apply.
Age Limit: The upper age limit for JRF is 28 years as of March 1, 2026, with age relaxation as per Government of India guidelines for women and reserved categories.

Note: Candidates who have only qualified for Lectureship (LS) in CSIR-UGC (NET) or DBT (Category II) are not eligible.

Application and Interview Schedule

The entire application process is conducted online. Here are the key dates to remember:

Last Date for Online Application: December 9, 2025
Shortlisted Candidates List: December 19, 2025
First Round of Interview (Online): January 5-7, 2026
Final Round of Interview (Online): January 8-9, 2026
Final Result Declaration: January 19, 2026
Finalization of Guide (In-Person): February 9-13, 2026 (Accommodation will be provided by NCCS.)
Last Date for Joining: March 2, 2026

Important Notes

The Ph.D. program is a full-time commitment, and selected candidates may be required to live on campus.
Submitting an application does not guarantee an interview or final selection.
All communication regarding the admissions process will be made on the NCCS website. For technical inquiries, you can contact academicsnccs@gmail.com with “Ph.D. Admission Query” in the subject line.