Bihar Eases PhD Admissions for High-Scoring Four-Year Graduates

Brief By Newsbrief / 10:45 AM on 08 Jul 2026

The Bihar government has approved new PhD regulations, allowing students with a four-year Bachelor's degree (Honours) with a research component and a minimum CGPA of 7.5 to seek direct admission into doctoral programmes without completing a Master's degree. The revised rules align with the latest University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines and will come into effect from the current academic session.

Candidates must still qualify through UGC-NET or other prescribed national eligibility tests for admission. Students with a CGPA below 7.5 will continue to require a Master's degree before becoming eligible for PhD enrolment.

The new regulations also define the duration of PhD programmes, research requirements, publication norms, and thesis submission procedures. Officials believe the reforms will strengthen research opportunities, encourage early entry into doctoral studies, and bring Bihar's higher education system in line with national academic standards.

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