IIT vs Central University , which is best for PhD admission in India 2024?

If you want to pursue a PhD in India, you may be wondering which institution is best for your PhD admission. The answer may vary depending upon the individual. You have to consider various factors like reputation of the institution, faculty, funding, outreach and placement opportunities. We will compare two of the most popular choices for phD admission in India: Central University and Indian Institute of Technology(IIT)

Phd admission in central university:

Central University is a generic term for any university established by an Act of Parliament and funded by the central government. Currently there are 54 central universities in India at different locations. The research details of top 7 central universities is given below: 

Name

State

NIRF Ranking

Banaras Hindu University

Uttar Pradesh

16

University of Delhi

Delhi

17

Jawaharlal Nehru University

Delhi

18

Jamia Millia Islamia

Delhi

20

Aligarh Muslim University

Uttar Pradesh

23

University of Hyderabad

Telangana

28

Panjab University

Punjab

33

PhD admission in IIT:

IITs are also funded by the central government and established by Act of Parliament. IITs are a group of 23 autonomous public technical institutes. They are divided into 3 generations according to their date of establishment. Research in IITs are technology and science oriented .Research Details of first generation IITs is given below:

Name

State

NIRF Ranking

Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Tamil Nadu

2

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi

Delhi

3

Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Maharashtra

4

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

West Bengal

5

Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

Uttar Pradesh

6

Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee

Uttarakhand

7

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

Assam

9

Both central universities and IITs have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s look at the various aspects which will help you to decide which is best for you.

Eligibility and Admission Procedure:

At Least 55% marks in master degree is required. For applying in IITs for PhD admission you have to qualify either NET-JRF or GATE  examinations. NET examination is conducted by UGC/ UGC- CSIR . Where the GATE examination is conducted by IITs .

For applying to a central university you will need to qualify the NET-JRF examination. GATE  is not valid for central university admission. Sometimes these universities conduct their own examination for admission.

Fellowship and Funding:

Both offer various scholarships and fellowships to PhD candidates, such as UGC NET JRF, CSIR-NET JRF, DST-INSPIRE fellowships. Monthly stipend is 37000 with HRA for 2 years and 42000 with HRA for 3 years. 

PMRF: PMRF is a special fellowship which is a Prime minister research fellowship, given to the most enthusiastic students of all premiere institutes. The amount is 80000 per month. It is becoming most wanted fellowship for PhD admission in india.Not all the institutes are eligible for this. List of all eligible institutes given bellow:

  1. IITs and IIsers 

  2. IISc Bangalore 

  3. Jawaharlal Nehru University 

  4. Jamia Millia Islamic

  5. Aligarh Muslim University 

  6. University of Hyderabad

Reputation:

In the academic community , both enjoy a solid national and worldwide reputation , however the standings could change based on the discipline and the particular organization. According to the NIRF ranking some central universities surpassed many IITs in terms of academic research. We have to also consider the fact that all IITs are not equal . The new IITs lag behind many universities. The reputation also depends on the subject. For instance, JNU is recognised as one of the top institutes in the humanities and social sciences, whereas IITs are well known for their research in engineering and technology. As a result , before applying, you should research the ranking of the particular department and institution that interests you.

Faculty:

Both have highly qualified and experienced faculty with international collaborations who are experts in their field. According to all India Survey in Higher Education 2019-2020, the average faculty-student ratio for central universities was 1:24 while for IITs it was 1:15. This means you may get more individual attention and guidance from your supervisor at an IIT.

Placements:

Both Central University and IIT offer good placement opportunities to PhD graduates in various sectors such as academia, industry, government, NGOs, etc. However, the placement rate and salary may vary depending on the discipline, the institution, and the market demand. For example, some Central Universities may have better placement prospects for humanities and social sciences graduates than some IITs, while some IITs may have better placement prospects for engineering and technology graduates than some Central Universities.
Therefore, you should check the placement records and alumni network of the specific institution and department that you are interested in before applying.

Conclusion:

Both Central university and IIT are top-tier for PhD in India , but they have different strengths and weaknesses on the basis of discipline, individual institution ranking , and the department. You should also consider your own interests, goals, and preferences, as they are the most important factors for a successful and satisfying PhD journey.

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