Entrance Test and Personal Interview Information

  1. Entrance Test will be conducted ONLINE and Personal Interview will be conducted OFFLINE.

  2. Following categories of candidates, if found valid, are exempted from appearing the Entrance Test, but need to appear Personal Interview.

    • Valid JRF scorecard/certificate of UGC NET/ CSIR UGC NET Exam.

    • Valid GATE/ GPAT scorecard/certificate.

    • M.Phil. degree certificate.

  3. After scrutiny, candidates found eligible for entrance test exemption will be informed the details of OFFLINE Personal Interview through their email ID from the university mail ID phdregistration@soa.ac.in. Other candidates will be informed the details of ONLINE Entrance Test and OFFLINE Personal Interview through their email ID from phdregistration@soa.ac.in.

  4. Candidates appearing Entrance Test need to secure at least 50% marks in the entrance test to be eligible for Personal Interview. Final selection will be based on total marks secured, calculated by taking sum of 70% weightage of mark secured in Entrance Test and 30% weightage of mark secured in Personal Interview.

  5. Final selection of entrance test exempted candidates will be based on the marks secured in the Personal Interview only.

  6. Details of Entrance Test is as under.

    • Duration of Entrance Test is two hours.

    • Questions for Entrance Test are multiple choice type.

    • Entrance Test will have 50 questions from Research Methodology and 50 questions from relevant branch. Each question carries 1 mark.

  7.  Details of Personal Interview is as under.

    • Candidates are required to submit a research proposal write up in about 500 words on any topic of research. Research proposal need not be same as the candidate’s intended area of research. This proposal will be used for evaluation purpose only.

    • Duration of Personal Interview is 20 to 25 minutes.

    • It will have 40 marks for the interview, 20 marks for research publications, 20 marks for career and 20 marks for the research proposal.

  8. Certificates in original to be produced for verification and one xerox copy of each to be submitted at Personal Interview are as under.

  • Date Birth (SSC/ Matriculation or Equivalent certificate).

  • All certificates and mark sheets from 10th standard onwards.

  • Valid JRF scorecard of UGC NET/CSIR UGC NET Exam, if any.

  • Valid GATE/ GPAT scorecard/ certificate, if any.

  • M.Phil. degree certificate, if any.

  • “No Objection Certificate” from present employer for in-service candidates.