SPPU offers a two-year, full-time M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies with 30 seats through SPPU entrance. The course is taught on campus over four semesters, with seminars from the first semester. The institute holds UGC recognised and stands the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies started in 1963. The full fee without hostel is INR 6.15 Lakhs, paid as per university rules, and INR 9.35 Lakhs with hostel and mess. You get a seat through SPPU counselling. The General Open seat closed at rank 30 in the merit list of 2025. The page uses INR 8.5 LPA and 92% as the latest published career figures for the calculator.
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Fees
The full course costs INR 6.15 Lakhs without hostel and INR 9.35 Lakhs with hostel. The tuition fee is INR 6 Lakhs of that. You pay the tuition fee per semester, four times in all. The admission fee is paid once. The caution deposit comes back when you leave. Hostel and mess add INR 3.20 Lakhs over two years.
Fee head
Amount
How it is charged
Tuition fee
INR 6 Lakhs
INR 75,000 a semester, 4 semesters
Admission fee
INR 15,000
One time
Caution deposit
INR 10,000
One time, refundable
Hostel and mess
INR 3.20 Lakhs
INR 80,000 a year, 2 years
Total, no hostel
INR 6.15 Lakhs
Full course
Total with hostel
INR 9.35 Lakhs
Full course
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Admission Dates
The 2026 batch is in class. The 2027 dates below are estimates based on 2026; SPPU entrance registration is expected to open in Jan 2027. Keep the allotment letter and the fee receipt ready for reporting.
Event
Date
Status
SPPU entrance registration, last date to apply
Jan 2027
Tentative
SPPU entrance session 1 exam
Jan 2027
Tentative
SPPU entrance result and rank
Feb 2027
Tentative
SPPU course filling
Jun 2027
Tentative
Merit list and course allotment
Jul 2027
Tentative
Admission fee payment
Jul 2027
Tentative
Department reporting and document check
Aug 2027
Tentative
Classes start
Aug 2027
Tentative
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Eligibility
You need Graduation with Defence Studies, Military Studies or Military Science and 50% marks; 45% for reserved categories. You also need a SPPU entrance rank from any session. There is no upper age limit.
Requirement
What you need
Graduation subjects
Defence Studies, Military Studies or Military Science
Graduation marks
50% for Open, 45% for reserved categories
Exam
SPPU entrance rank from any session
Age
No upper age limit
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Admission Process
SPPU allots the seat on your rank and your courses. You then pay the seat fee within five days. Most students who lose a seat miss that window.
Step
What you do
1. Apply through SPPU entrance
Sit for one or both sessions; your best score counts
2. Fill courses on SPPU
List this course high if it is your first pick
3. Accept the seat
Pay the seat fee within five days of allotment
4. Report
Bring original mark sheets and the allotment letter
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Cutoff
The General seat closed at rank 30 and the OBC-NCL seat at 20 in 2025. These are the SPPU the merit list closing ranks for Open seats. The General closing rank has gone lower for three years, so it got tougher.
Category
Closing rank, Open
Round and year
General
30
Merit list, 2025
OBC-NCL
20
Merit list, 2025
SC
15
Merit list, 2025
ST
10
Merit list, 2025
EWS
16
Merit list, 2025
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Placements
The Class of 2025 placed 92% of its batch at an average of INR 8.5 LPA. The median is INR 8 LPA and the highest offer was INR 22 LPA. Policy research and security study groups hire this course on campus in the seventh semester.
Metric
Value
Average pay
INR 8.5 LPA, Class of 2025
Median pay
INR 8 LPA
Highest offer
INR 22 LPA
Batch placed
92%
Recruiters
Policy research and security study groups, on campus
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Scholarships
Four schemes cut the fee by INR 40,000 to INR 2 Lakhs over the course. The state post-matric scholarship gives the most. The state and central ones need an income paper; the EWS waiver needs the certificate.
Scholarship
Who can get it
Amount or waiver
State post-matric scholarship
SC or ST, family income below INR 2.5 Lakhs a year
INR 2 Lakhs over the course
Central Sector Scheme
Any category, family income up to INR 8 Lakhs a year, top 20 percentile in Graduation
INR 40,000 over the course
EWS tuition waiver
EWS certificate, family income up to INR 8 Lakhs a year
INR 1.50 Lakhs over the course
OBC post-matric scholarship
OBC-NCL, family income below INR 2.5 Lakhs a year
INR 1 Lakh over the course
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Ranking
The college stands #12 in Collegedunia's M.Sc ranking and #54 in NIRF engineering, with UGC recognised. Collegedunia ranks on fees, placements and student reviews. NIRF ranks on data the institute files every year.
Ranking body
Year
Rank or grade
Collegedunia M.Sc ranking
2026
#12
NIRF Engineering
2025
#54
NAAC
2024
A+
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Course Structure
Semester 1 is strategy, geopolitics and research methods; electives start in semester 3 and semester 4 ends with the dissertation. One course from day one, with seminars from the first semester. There is no early specialisation before semester 3.
Year
What you study
Semester 1
strategy, international relations and national security
Semester 2
Data structures, digital logic, operating systems
Semester 3
national security, defence economics and research electives
Semester 4
Two electives a semester and the dissertation
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Hostel and Campus
The hostel is on campus and new students are allotted rooms before classes start. The mess fee is part of the hostel fee.
Item
Detail
First-year room
Three to a room, allotted before classes start
Single room
From semester 3, on request
Mess
Included in the hostel fee, three meals a day
Campus
One campus in a university city
Should you pick M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies at SPPU?
This course suits students who want a product-company job and can live in a university city for two years.
Pick it if:
You passed Graduation in this state: half the seats are Open, so a rank that misses the Reserved list can still get in.
You want policy groups, not only service IT: the course-wise placement table lists the same four product recruiters in each of the last three years.
Your family can pay only per semester: you pay the tuition fee in eight parts, and a request to split it further opens every August.
You want the fee back fast: at the average pay the full course fee comes back inside the first working year, as the ROI tile shows.
Skip it if:
You are counting on last year's closing rank: it has got tougher three years in a row, so last year's number is not a safe rank.
You need a single room from the first year: new students get rooms only through university hostel allotment.
You want internships in a big city: this is a university city, so the department notices bring most internships here.
You will wait for another result: the SPPU course window closes fast, so fill your course form before you wait.
Counsellor's advice
Freeze this course if first merit list gives it to you on a Open rank. If you are Reserved and below the first merit list close, float it and keep a safer college above it.
M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Eligibility▾
Graduation marks: 75% in Defence Studies, Military Studies or Military Science. 65% for SC, ST and PwD.
Board rank alternative: Being in the top 20 percentile of your board also counts.
Exam needed: A SPPU entrance rank. CRL (your main rank) decides the Reserved seats.
Open quota: Half the seats go to students who passed Graduation in this state.
M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Admission Process▾
Apply through SPPU entrance: Two sessions, January and April. Your best score counts.
Register on SPPU: SPPU (the central counselling body) allots every seat here.
Fill courses: List this college and course high. Freeze keeps the seat, float keeps looking.
Pay the seat fee: Pay within five days of allotment or you lose the seat.
Report on campus: Bring originals for document check on the reporting date.
M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Admission Dates 2027
▾
The 2027 calendar is not out yet. These dates are estimates based on 2026. A date marked Confirmed is official.
Tentative
Jan 2027
SPPU entrance registration
Expected to open in the same month as this year; the last date to apply is usually two weeks before the exam.
Tentative
Jan 2027
SPPU entrance session 1 exam
Expected in the same month as this year.
Tentative
Feb 2027
SPPU entrance result and rank
Expected about two weeks after the exam.
Tentative
Jun 2027
SPPU course filling
Expected to stay open for about a week.
Tentative
Jul 2027
Merit list and course allotment
Six merit lists are expected again.
Tentative
Jul 2027
Admission fee payment
Expected five days after each round.
Tentative
Aug 2027
Department reporting and document check
Expected soon after the last round.
Tentative
Aug 2027
Classes start
Expected in the first week after reporting.
Source: SPPU campus admission portal and DDSS notice. Confirm on the official site before you act.
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Fees 2027
▾
This is the full 2-year cost, not one year. Turn on the toggle to add hostel and mess.
Tuition fee
Per semester × 4, INR 1.50 Lakhs a semester
INR 6 Lakhs
Admission fee
One time, in semester 1
INR 15,000
Caution deposit Refundable
One time, returned when you leave
INR 10,000
Add hostel + mess
Hostel and mess
Per year × 2, INR 1.60 Lakhs a year
INR 3.20 Lakhs
Total course fee
INR 6.15 Lakhs
2 years · tuition + admission fee, hostel not added
Total course fee
INR 9.35 Lakhs
2 years · tuition + admission fee + hostel and mess
Education loan EMI
INR 10,369
7 yr · 10.5% per year
ROI
138%
average first-year pay INR 8.5 LPA vs the full fee
Education loan EMI
INR 15,765
7 yr · 10.5% per year
ROI
91%
average first-year pay INR 8.5 LPA vs the full fee
Source: DDSS admission notice and SPPU fee rules. Confirm on the official site before you act.
Will your rank get you this course at SPPU?
Pick your category and quota. The cutoff ranges are this course's published SPPU closing ranks.
Category
Quota
General · Open
20 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
21 to 30: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 30: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
General · Reserved
18 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
19 to 26: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 26: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
OBC-NCL · Open
12 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
13 to 20: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 20: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
OBC-NCL · Reserved
10 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
11 to 18: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 18: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
SC · Open
8 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
9 to 15: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 15: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
SC · Reserved
7 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
8 to 12: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 12: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
ST · Open
5 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
6 to 10: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 10: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
ST · Reserved
4 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
5 to 8: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 700: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
EWS · Open
9 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
10 to 16: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 16: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
EWS · Reserved
6 or better: yes, you are in. Keep this course high on your form.
7 to 12: almost there. Later merit lists can move by a few ranks.
Worse than 12: not this year. Try the next merit list or a different quota.
EDITOR'S NOTE
The first merit list is the safe number. Later merit lists help only if you keep the course on your form.
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies Scholarship Calculator
Answer two questions to see what you can claim. Confirm the final amount with the college.
Category
Annual family income
Scholarships you missedYou do not qualify on your answers. Tap to see why.▾
Each chip below says which answer blocked the scheme.
State post-matric scholarship
INR 2 Lakhs
State social welfare department
Paid every year for the full course if you keep passing.
Who qualifies: SC or ST, family income below INR 2.5 Lakhs a yearApply by Oct 2026
Not eligible on your answers
Central Sector Scheme
INR 40,000
Ministry of Education, through NSP
Paid every year for the full course if you keep passing.
Who qualifies: any category, family income up to INR 8 Lakhs a year, top 20 percentile in GraduationApply by Oct 2026
Not eligible on your answers
EWS tuition waiver
INR 1.50 Lakhs
SPPU
Paid every year for the full course if you keep passing.
Who qualifies: EWS certificate, family income up to INR 8 Lakhs a yearApply by Sep 2026
Not eligible on your answers
OBC post-matric scholarship
INR 1 Lakh
State backward classes welfare department
Paid every year for the full course if you keep passing.
Who qualifies: OBC-NCL, family income below INR 2.5 Lakhs a yearApply by Nov 2026
Not eligible on your answers
No scheme matches these answers. Ask the college about paying in parts and about education loans.
Estimated total waiver
INR 40,000
Your net course fee: INR 5.75 Lakhs
Estimated total waiver
INR 0
Your net course fee: INR 6.15 Lakhs
Estimated total waiver
INR 1.40 Lakhs
Your net course fee: INR 4.75 Lakhs
Estimated total waiver
INR 2.40 Lakhs
Your net course fee: INR 3.75 Lakhs
Estimated total waiver
INR 1.90 Lakhs
Your net course fee: INR 4.25 Lakhs
SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies vs similar colleges
Tap a college to see it next to SPPU. The cream box marks the better number in each row: lower fees, higher pay, an easier cutoff.
Compare with
This page
SPPU
Pune
Compared with
Panjab University
Chandigarh
Compared with
University of Lucknow
Lucknow
Compared with
University of Madras
Chennai
Compared with
Rashtriya Raksha University
Gandhinagar
Compared with
DY Patil VPSM
Navi Mumbai
Total fees2 years, no hostel
INR 6.15 Lakhs
tuition + admission
INR 5.60 Lakhs
INR 55,000 less
INR 6.90 Lakhs
INR 75,000 more
INR 6.15 Lakhs
Same fee
INR 6.40 Lakhs
INR 25,000 more
INR 5.85 Lakhs
INR 30,000 less
Average paylatest batch
INR 8.5 LPA
Class of 2025
INR 9.5 LPA
INR 1 LPA more
INR 8.1 LPA
INR 0.4 LPA less
INR 7.4 LPA
INR 1.1 LPA less, Class of 2024
INR 8.2 LPA
INR 0.3 LPA less
INR 7.8 LPA
INR 0.7 LPA less
Placement rateshare of the batch placed
92%
Class of 2025
88%
4 points lower
95%
3 points higher
84%
8 points lower, Class of 2024
90%
2 points lower
89%
3 points lower
Closing rankSPPU entrance merit rank, General
30
Merit list, 2025
25
5 places tougher
35
5 places easier
30
Same rank
40
10 places easier
45
15 places easier
Seatsthis course
30
SPPU entrance
20
10 fewer
25
5 fewer
30
Same seats
40
10 more
60
30 more
ROIaverage pay vs the full fee
138%
on INR 8.5 LPA
170%
32 points higher
117%
21 points lower
120%
18 points lower
128%
10 points lower
133%
5 points lower
In short
Chandigarh costs less and pays more on average, but its closing rank is about 3,000 places tougher. If your rank clears both, take Chandigarh; if it clears only SPPU, take this seat and do not wait for the spot admission.
In short
Lucknow places more of its batch but charges INR 75,000 more over two years and pays a little less. If its easier closing rank is what you need, keep it one place below SPPU in your course list as the safer seat.
In short
University of Madras charges the same fee but pays about INR 1 LPA less on average and has half the seats. If SPPU gives you a seat in any round, take it; Harbour belongs below it in your list, not above it.
In short
Gandhinagar costs a little more and pays about the same, but it has more seats and an easier closing rank. If your rank misses SPPU in the early merit lists, list Gandhinagar right below it and take whichever comes first.
In short
DY Patil VPSM is the cheapest seat here and the easiest to get, but its average pay sits below this page's. If SPPU allots you a seat in any round, take it and keep Summit only as your backup.
Fees and pay can change. Check each college site before you decide.
FAQs on SPPU M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies
Straight answers to what students ask before they decide.
Is M.Sc Defence and Strategic Studies at SPPU worth the fee?▾
Yes, for most students who get placed. The full fee without hostel is INR 6.15 Lakhs and the last batch averaged INR 8.5 LPA, so the fee comes back within the first working year. If a loan will pay the fee, read the EMI line in the fee block above before you decide.
Should I take this seat if my rank is just above the closing rank?▾
Not on last year's number alone. The General Open seat closed at rank 30 in the merit list and it got tougher three years in a row, so a rank that just cleared last year may miss this year. Keep this college in your list with a safer college above it, and use the rank checker above for your own category.
What job can this course lead to?▾
Most students get research, policy and security analysis roles with policy research and security study groups that hire on campus in the seventh semester. The Class of 2025 averaged INR 8.5 LPA, the median was INR 8 LPA and 92% of the batch was placed. If you want a technical defence role instead, this course is not the right pick.
Who should not take this course here?▾
Skip it if you need a single room from the first year, or if you want internships in a big city. New students share shared rooms and hostel rooms depend on university hostel allotment. The campus is in a university city, so the department notices bring most internships and few come on their own. If either of these matters more than the placement figures, pick a city college.
Is this course good for higher studies or research?▾
Yes, if you plan for it from semester 2. The course has no early specialisation before semester 3, but the electives in semester 3 and 4 cover geopolitics and national security, and the dissertation can lead to a research paper. Talk to the department in semester 2 about a project with a faculty member, because that is what a good master's application needs.
Should I wait a year and try for a better rank?▾
Only if you can raise your rank by a lot, not a little. The General closing rank got tougher three years in a row, so a small gain may still miss the seat next year. If you already clear this year's cutoff, take the seat now and try a course change after semester 1 if you want a another paper set.
Will I get placed if I am in the bottom half of the batch?▾
Most likely yes, but later and at a lower package. 92% of the last batch was placed, and the median of INR 8 LPA is lower than the average of INR 8.5 LPA because the last students take the smaller offers. Keep your attendance and marks above the department rule, and join the research seminars the department holds.
Is this course right if I want security research?▾
Pick this course if you want a research or security analysis role and ECE if you want a technical defence role. this course places a bigger share of its batch with policy groups, and its closing rank is the tougher of the two. If you get ECE now and want this course, the course change after semester 1 needs a top CGPA, so do not count on it.
How do I get admission to this course?▾
Apply through SPPU entrance and fill this course on the SPPU admission portal. A seat comes in the merit list your rank clears, and you must accept it and pay the seat fee within the days SPPU gives. Then report with your documents on the date in the admission dates block above, or you lose the seat.
What is the full fee for the course?▾
The full 2-year fee is INR 6.15 Lakhs without hostel. With hostel and mess it comes to INR 9.35 Lakhs. Both totals sit in the fee block above, and the toggle there shows what the hostel adds each year.
Can I pay the fee in parts?▾
Yes. You pay the tuition fee semester by semester, so the money is never due all at once. If you need smaller parts than that, write to the fee office before the semester starts; the request opens every August.
Do I get the fee back if I drop the seat?▾
It depends on when you leave. If you leave before the counselling body's exit date, most of the fee comes back. If you leave after it, the college keeps a part, so read the refund table in the fee block before you pay.
Placements at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) are primarily focused on the MBA and Science departments, offering better opportunities for students in these fields. In contrast, other departments at the university have fewer placement options, making it challenging for students in those areas to secure employment through campus recruitment. This disparity highlights the university's need to enhance placement services and opportunities across all departments to ensure equitable employment chances for all students.
...Read More
By Collegedunia’s Personal AI
SPPU: 3 Answered Questions
Can I get admission in bed med integrated course in sppu University....
Aditi DeshpandeLives in Pune,Maharashtra
The B.Ed+M.Ed program is a full-time program with a duration of 3 years offered by the Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune. To be eligible for this,
A candidate must have passed a Bachelor degree of 3 years duration (or equivalent) under 10+2+3 pattern from any recognized university.
Which is better for doing an MBA, Christ University, Bangalore, or Pune University (PUMBA)?
Aditi BanerjeeLives in Bangalore
Christ Deemed-to-be University offers PG MBA programs and MBA integrated courses in collaboration with overseas universities. The highest offer was INR 21.46 LPA in the 2022 placement report.
Christ University's International Student Exchange program gives students global exposure. It offers this option for students to learn from peers abroad.
Pune University Department of Management Sciences offers a two-year MBA in Marketing, Finance, Systems, HR, and Operations. This department's flagship six-trimester program enrolls 180 students. The highest offer was INR 18 LPA in the 2022 placement report.
The top reasons to choose PUMBA are
ROI: MBA returns in India are decent. PUMBA is excellent. Its two-year tuition is Rs. 135,000. Last year's PUMBA average salary was Rs 5.5 lakh. The top 50% of packages exceed 6.5 lakhs. In Mumbai and Delhi, where staying and touring for two years exceeds tuition fees, other universities offer this ROI.
An Underdog: 6 of 9 students thought the college would contribute nothing to my experience and qualifications. But now I know my maximum value will be here. My friends who joined before and after us are the same.
Faculty support: PUMBA grads have earned finance certifications while attending the classes. B-school's busy timetable makes such time luxury challenging. PUMBA promote such certificates and allows you to study for them during lectures. One faculty member explained additional certificates in different domains during induction.
City institute name: Pune's schools and institutions are prominent in India. Its management school reputation is low. However, the city has several company offices. PUMBA is practically every company's first choice for Pune-based management recruitment.
Which math M1 M2 or M3 is hard in the engineering course in Pune University?
Riya BanerjeeB.E Computer Science & Computer Programming,Savitribai Phule Pune University (2016)
Ony of my sisters is a part of Pune University and as per what she mentions, it is best that you practice the fundamental mathematical problems. Additionally, the best advice is not to get drained anytime at all while studying the subject.
Now, when shifting focus to your question,
M1 incorporates basic algebra and is deemed pretty simpler than usual.
On the other hand, M2 might still be difficult, yet it can however be aced if you practice the basics of integration and derivation.
In the case of M3, the course entirely depends upon the fundamentals you have earlier prepared for M2.
After a brief elaboration, it is best that you rather choose preparing for M2, because it can contribute to making the subject quite easier.
The study standpoint is curated as per the syllabus, and is best if you follow the pattern in accordance with it.
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