What programmes are offered at ISI Delhi Centre and how is admission done?

ISI Delhi Centre primarily offers BSDS (Bachelor of Statistical Data Science, 4 years, 25 seats) through JEE Main or CUET-UG scores, and M.Stat and MSQE (PG) through the ISI Admission Test conducted on May 10, 2026. ISI Delhi also admits PhD and JRF scholars through separate research fellowship entrance processes.

How many BSDS seats are available at ISI Delhi Centre?

ISI Delhi Centre admits exactly 25 students per year to the BSDS programme, inclusive of all reserved category seats and supernumerary seats. The same 25-seat intake applies to each of the three BSDS campuses: Kolkata, Delhi, and Bengaluru.

What JEE Main percentile is needed for BSDS at ISI Delhi?

For general and EWS candidates, the Mathematics percentile (Q) in JEE Main or CUET-UG must be greater than 85. For OBC-NCL, Q must be greater than 80. For SC, ST, and PwBD candidates, Q must be greater than 75. Additionally, the qualifying 10+2 aggregate must be at least 75% (65% for SC, ST, PwBD).

Is the ISI Admission Test required for BSDS at ISI Delhi?

No. BSDS admission at ISI Delhi uses JEE Main or CUET-UG Mathematics percentile scores only. The ISI Admission Test (held May 10, 2026) is required for B.Stat, B.Math (at Kolkata), M.Stat, M.Math, MSQE, and other ISI programmes, but not for BSDS.

What is the application fee for ISI Delhi 2026 admissions?

The application fee is INR 1,500 for male candidates and INR 1,000 for female candidates per programme application. Candidates applying for multiple ISI programmes must pay separately for each programme. SC, ST, and PwBD fee concessions may apply; check admission.isical.ac.in for category-wise fee details.

Do ISI Delhi students receive a stipend?

Yes. M.Stat, M.Math, and MS programme students at ISI Delhi receive a monthly stipend of INR 8,000 throughout the programme. PhD and JRF scholars receive INR 37,000 per month (rising to INR 42,000 after 2 years). B.Stat and B.Math students (at ISI Kolkata) receive INR 5,000 per month.

What is the BSDS programme fee at ISI Delhi?

The BSDS tuition fee at ISI Delhi is INR 1,00,000 per semester. The total 4-year programme has 8 semesters, making the total tuition cost INR 8 lakh. Additionally, hostel and other charges apply separately. Contact ISI Delhi at isid.ac.in for the full fee schedule.

What is the difference between BSDS at ISI Delhi and B.Stat at ISI Kolkata?

BSDS (Bachelor of Statistical Data Science) is offered at Kolkata, Delhi, and Bengaluru campuses and is admitted through JEE Main or CUET scores. B.Stat (Bachelor of Statistics) is offered exclusively at ISI Kolkata and requires the ISI Admission Test plus an interview. B.Stat carries a monthly stipend of INR 5,000. BSDS does not automatically come with a stipend. Both are 4-year programmes under ISI.

ISI New Delhi Ph.D Quantitative Economics: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Q: Does ISI conducts separate exam for Delhi and Kolkata campus for MSQE course?

One of my friends graduated from ISI, Delhi Campus. So I might be able to give you some information about it. For the Kolkata and Delhi campuses, I don’t believe there are separate MSQE exams. When filling out the application, you must choose between Kolkata and Delhi. If nothing has changed since 2009, which I assume it has, you will only have to take one exam and select your campus on the application form. However, in Delhi and Kolkata, interviews are performed at the relevant locations. That is, students who are chosen in a Delhi interview are admitted to ISI Delhi, and vice versa.

Collegedunia Team

Content Curator | Updated 3+ months ago

The Ph.D. in Quantitative Economics at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Delhi Centre is one of India's most prestigious doctoral programs in Economics, offered through the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) route. The program is research-intensive, covering advanced microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, game theory, mechanism design, and mathematical economics. The duration of the program is up to 6 years as JRF plus 1 year as SRF (total up to 7 years), with the PhD degree awarded by ISI itself. There is no tuition fee for selected candidates; instead, students receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 37,000 (JRF) and Rs. 42,000 (SRF), along with HRA and a contingency grant. The program is offered at ISI Delhi, Kolkata, and Tezpur centres, with 8 seats available through the ISI Test Channel and 1 seat through the ISI Master Students Channel. Admission is through the ISI Admission Test held annually in May, followed by an interview.

Admissions for the 2026-27 session are currently open. The online application portal opened on February 12, 2026, and the last date to apply is March 26, 2026. The ISI Admission Test is scheduled for May 10, 2026. Admit cards will be available from April 17, 2026. Candidates who qualify the written test will be called for an interview, after which final selections will be made.

Key Points

ISI is one of the few institutions in India empowered by an Act of Parliament to award PhD degrees in Quantitative Economics
The program is fully funded: no tuition fee, monthly stipend of Rs. 37,000 (JRF) and Rs. 42,000 (SRF), plus HRA and contingency grant
Research areas include game theory, mechanism design, social choice, econometrics, development economics, environmental economics, and mathematical economics
ISI Delhi PhD (Economics) alumni have secured academic positions at top global institutions including LSE, University of Warwick, Hebrew University, CORE (Belgium), and leading Indian institutions like JNU, IGIDR, and ISI itself
The program is conducted at ISI Delhi Centre; candidates may also be assigned to Kolkata or Tezpur
Clearing UGC JRF (Economics) is neither necessary nor sufficient for admission; ISI conducts its own selection process

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Placements
FAQs

ISI PhD (QE) Fees

The Ph.D. (Quantitative Economics) program at ISI Delhi is fully funded for all selected candidates. There is no tuition fee charged to non-sponsored students. Instead, students receive a generous monthly stipend throughout the duration of the fellowship. The only fees applicable are nominal academic and hostel charges. Hostel accommodation is available at ISI Delhi at nominal rent, with students paying food charges separately.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	Nil (No tuition fee for non-sponsored students)
Other Academic Fees	Nominal (as applicable)
Hostel Rent	Nominal (students pay food charges separately)
Application Fee (General Male)	1,500 (one-time, at application stage)
Total Fees (Tuition)	Nil

Full tuition waiver is available for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.
Income-based fee remission: 100% for family income below Rs. 1 lakh/year; 66.67% for income between Rs. 1-5 lakh/year.
JRF Stipend: Rs. 37,000 per month + HRA + Rs. 20,000 contingency per year.
SRF Stipend (after 2 years of satisfactory progress): Rs. 42,000 per month + HRA + Rs. 20,000 contingency per year.
Application fee: Rs. 1,500 (General male), Rs. 1,000 (General female), Rs. 750 (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/GEN-EWS/PwBD).

ISI PhD (QE) Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Quantitative Economics) program at ISI Delhi are conducted annually through the ISI Admission Test. The selection process involves a written test (two papers: REI testing mathematical maturity, and REII testing economics and logical ability) followed by an interview. The 2026-27 application window is currently open, with the admission test scheduled for May 10, 2026. Candidates are shortlisted based on written test performance and then called for interviews at their preferred centre.

ISI Admission Key Dates

Event	Date
Online Application Opens (Except BSDS)	February 12, 2026
Online Application Closes (Except BSDS)	March 26, 2026
Admit Card Release	April 17, 2026
ISI Admission Test	May 10, 2026 (Sunday)
Interview (Tentative)	June 2026 (to be announced)
Result / Selection (Tentative)	June-July 2026
Programme Commencement (Tentative)	July-August 2026

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Date	Remarks
ISI Admission Test 2026	May 10, 2026	Mandatory for JRF (QE) admission; conducted by ISI

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

A good academic record with M.S. (QE), M.Stat., M.A./M.Sc., or equivalent degree in Economics/Mathematics/Statistics/Econometrics
Candidates with outstanding mathematical maturity holding a B.A./B.Sc. degree with Economics as the main subject may also be considered
A Master's degree in any subject with Mathematics/Statistics at least at B.A./B.Sc. (Pass) level may also be considered
No minimum cut-off percentage is required for appearing in the examination; however, a strong academic record is expected

Admission Process:

Apply online at https://admission.isical.ac.in/ before March 26, 2026
Pay the application fee online (Rs. 1,500 for General male; Rs. 750 for SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwBD)
Download admit card from April 17, 2026 onwards
Appear for the ISI Admission Test on May 10, 2026 (two sessions: REI in forenoon, REII in afternoon)
Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview at their preferred centre (Delhi/Kolkata/Tezpur)
Final selection is based on written test performance, interview, and academic record
Selected candidates will be assigned to a centre (may differ from preference)

ISI PhD (QE) Scholarships 2026

All selected JRF candidates in the Ph.D. (Quantitative Economics) program receive a fully funded fellowship from ISI. There is no separate scholarship application required; the fellowship is automatically awarded to all admitted students. Additional fee waivers are available based on category and family income.

Fellowship Details

Fellowship / Scholarship	Amount	Eligibility
JRF Stipend	Rs. 37,000/month + HRA + Rs. 20,000 contingency/year	All admitted JRF students
SRF Stipend	Rs. 42,000/month + HRA + Rs. 20,000 contingency/year	After 2 years of satisfactory JRF progress
Tuition Fee Waiver	Full waiver	SC/ST/PwBD students
Income-based Fee Remission	100% (income < Rs. 1 lakh/year); 66.67% (Rs. 1-5 lakh/year)	Based on family income

The fellowship is subject to satisfactory academic progress and conduct as assessed periodically.
HRA is provided as per ISI rules applicable at the respective centre.
Contingency grant of Rs. 20,000 per year is provided for books, travel, and research expenses.
No separate scholarship application is needed; all admitted students automatically receive the fellowship.

ISI PhD (QE) Placement 2026

The Ph.D. (Quantitative Economics) program at ISI Delhi has an outstanding track record of academic placements. Doctoral graduates have secured positions at top universities and research institutions in India and abroad. The program is widely regarded as one of the best economics PhD programs in India, with alumni regularly placed at globally ranked institutions.

Placement Destinations

Placement Destination	Examples
International Academic Positions	LSE (UK), University of Warwick (UK), Hebrew University (Israel), CORE (Belgium), Concordia University (Canada), University of York (UK), University of Essex (UK), Sabanci University (Turkey)
Indian Academic/Research Institutions	ISI Kolkata, JNU (New Delhi), IGIDR (Mumbai), TERI, MDI Gurgaon
Corporate/Industry	American Express (AMEX)

Placement data is based on historical records from ISI Delhi's official FAQ page.
Current year-specific placement statistics for the PhD program are not separately published; the above reflects the overall placement trend for PhD (Economics) graduates.

ISI PhD (QE) FAQs

Ques. Is clearing UGC JRF (Economics) necessary for admission to the PhD (QE) program at ISI Delhi?

Ans. No. Clearing the UGC JRF (Economics) examination is neither necessary nor sufficient for admission to the Ph.D. program in Economics at ISI. ISI conducts its own admission test (REI and REII) and interview. Your performance in ISI's own selection process is what matters for admission.

Ques. What is the difference between JRF (QE) and the MS (QE) program at ISI Delhi?

Ans. The MS (QE) is a 2-year Master's degree program in Quantitative Economics, while the JRF (QE) is the entry route to the Ph.D. program. After completing MS (QE) from ISI with a strong academic record, students may be eligible for direct admission to the JRF (PhD) program through the ISI Master Students Channel, bypassing the written test (interview only, subject to qualifying a national exam like CSIR-UGC NET/NBHM).

Ques. Can candidates from non-economics backgrounds apply for the PhD (QE) at ISI Delhi?

Ans. Yes. Candidates with a Master's degree in Mathematics, Statistics, or Econometrics, or even those with outstanding mathematical maturity and a Bachelor's degree with Economics as the main subject, are eligible. A Master's degree in any subject with Mathematics/Statistics at B.A./B.Sc. (Pass) level may also be considered. The written test (especially REI) heavily tests mathematical maturity.

Ques. What is the stipend amount for PhD students at ISI Delhi, and is it sufficient to cover living expenses in Delhi?

Ans. JRF students receive Rs. 37,000 per month plus HRA (House Rent Allowance) as per ISI rules. After 2 years, this increases to Rs. 42,000 per month (SRF) plus HRA. ISI Delhi also provides hostel accommodation at nominal rent. Given the stipend plus HRA and subsidized hostel, most students find it adequate for living expenses in Delhi.

Ques. How competitive is the ISI Admission Test for JRF (QE)? How many seats are available?

Ans. The ISI Admission Test for JRF (QE) is highly competitive. There are only 8 seats through the ISI Test Channel (plus 1 seat through the ISI Master Students Channel) across all centres (Delhi, Kolkata, Tezpur). The test requires strong mathematical ability and economics knowledge at the postgraduate level. The written test has two parts: REI (mathematical maturity) and REII (economics and logical ability), each of 2 hours.

Ques. What research areas are available for PhD students in Quantitative Economics at ISI Delhi?

Ans. ISI Delhi's Economics faculty work on a wide range of research areas including game theory, mechanism design, social choice theory, mathematical economics, development economics, environmental economics, econometrics, and industrial organization. Students are expected to identify a supervisor whose research interests align with their own. The faculty page at https://www.isid.ac.in/ provides details of individual faculty research interests.

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ISI New Delhi: 1 Answered Question

Does ISI conducts separate exam for Delhi and Kolkata campus for MSQE course?

Rahul GuptaMSQE from Indian Statistical Institute (2019)

One of my friends graduated from ISI, Delhi Campus. So I might be able to give you some information about it.

For the Kolkata and Delhi campuses, I don’t believe there are separate MSQE exams.
When filling out the application, you must choose between Kolkata and Delhi.
If nothing has changed since 2009, which I assume it has, you will only have to take one exam and select your campus on the application form.

However, in Delhi and Kolkata, interviews are performed at the relevant locations. That is, students who are chosen in a Delhi interview are admitted to ISI Delhi, and vice versa.

View All Questions and Answers