Kasaragod: The Central University of Kerala (CUK) has invited applications from eligible candidates for admission to its PhD programmes in full-time and part-time modes for the academic year 2026-27.

Interested candidates can apply online through the university's official website, www.cukerala.ac.in, on or before October 26, 2026.

The application fee is Rs. 1,000 for candidates belonging to the Unreserved (UR), Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) categories, and Rs. 500 for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must possess at least one of the following qualifications:

  • A two-year/four-semester Master's degree following a three-year bachelor's programme, with at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade.

  • A one-year/two-semester Master's degree following a four-year bachelor's programme, with at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade.

  • A four-year bachelor's degree with a minimum of 75% marks or an equivalent grade.

  • An MPhil degree with at least 55% marks or an equivalent grade.

  • An equivalent qualification from an accredited foreign institution.

A relaxation of 5% marks or the equivalent grade will be provided to candidates belonging to the SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer) and EWS categories, persons with disabilities, and other eligible categories, as per UGC norms.

Qualifying examinations

Candidates must also meet at least one of the following requirements:

  • Qualify for a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) through UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET, GATE, CEED or a similar national-level examination.

  • Qualify through UGC-NET under either of the following categories:

    • Admission to PhD programmes without JRF, along with eligibility for appointment as an Assistant Professor.

    • Admission to PhD programmes only, without eligibility for the award of JRF or appointment as an Assistant Professor.

Subject-wise vacancies

The university has announced vacancies across 26 subjects. The number of seats available in each discipline is as follows:

SubjectVacancies
English6
Economics7
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology10
Zoology5
Genomic Science10
Physics19
Computer Science13
Hindi8
Mathematics12
Plant Science13
Chemistry28
Environmental Science19
International Relations3
Linguistics13
Social Work8
Education14
Law2
Malayalam4
Public Health Sciences15
Public Administration and Policy Studies15
Geology5
Yoga Studies2
Management Studies7
Commerce and International Business6
Tourism Studies11
Kannada5

Chemistry has the highest number of vacancies, with 28 seats, followed by Physics and Environmental Science, with 19 seats each. Law and Yoga Studies have the fewest vacancies, with two seats each.

Eligible candidates are advised to visit the university's official website for further details regarding the application process and admission requirements.