BHU Ph.D Genetics & Plant Breeding: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

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The Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi is a full-time, on-campus doctoral research programme offered under the Faculty of Agriculture (Institute of Agricultural Sciences). The programme has a minimum duration of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, with research focused on crop improvement, molecular breeding, quantitative genetics, biotechnology-assisted breeding, cytogenetics, and genomics. BHU is one of India's premier Central Universities (NIRF Rank 3 among universities) with well-equipped genetics and plant breeding laboratories, experimental farms, and access to diverse crop germplasm for field and laboratory research. The programme is highly sought after by agriculture graduates aiming for careers in crop science research, seed industry, and academia. Admission is through the NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test or the RET-Exempted mode for candidates holding national fellowships such as ICAR-JRF or UGC-NET.

Admissions for the 2026-27 session have been completed. The online registration window was open from December 3 to December 16, 2026, with document verification and interviews held from January 10 to January 16, 2027, and results/offer letters published between January 24 and February 5, 2027. A second admission cycle is expected to begin from February 12, 2027. For the 2027-28 session, tentative registration is expected to open around November-December 2027 based on the current year's pattern.

Key Points

Offered under the Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, BHU.
Admission is through NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test (for non-NET candidates) or RET-Exempted mode (for ICAR-JRF/UGC-NET/CSIR-NET holders).
50% of seats are filled through the RET-Exempted (NET/JRF) mode and the remaining 50% through NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test.
Research areas include molecular breeding, quantitative genetics, cytogenetics, genomics, biotechnology-assisted crop improvement, and germplasm evaluation.
BHU's experimental farm and crop germplasm collections provide excellent resources for field and laboratory-based plant breeding research.
Candidates with valid JRF/SRF fellowships are eligible for monthly stipends of Rs. 37,000 (JRF) and Rs. 42,000 (SRF) as per revised ICAR/UGC norms.

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FAQs

BHU Ph.D. Genetics & Plant Breeding Fees

The Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) at BHU falls under the Faculty of Agriculture (Agricultural Sciences category). The annual fees are extremely affordable, making BHU one of the most cost-effective institutions for doctoral research in India. The first-year fees include one-time charges such as admission fee, enrollment fee, and caution money, while subsequent years attract only recurring charges.

Fee Structure

Fee Component	1st Year (Rs.)	2nd Year Onwards (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	2,000	2,000
Library Fee	500	500
Campus Utility Fee	410	410
Development Fund	2,400	2,400
Student Health Welfare Scheme	350	350
Student Welfare Fund	300	300
Extra Curricular Activities Fund	210	210
Academic Assessment Fee	100	-
Registration Fee	20	-
Enrollment Fee	100	-
Admission Fee	150	-
I-Card and Passbook Fee	50	-
College Caution Money (Refundable)	1,000	-
Degree Charges	100	-
Total Fees	7,690	6,170

College Caution Money of Rs. 1,000 is refundable at the time of leaving the university.
Hostel fees are separate and optional. BHU has 72 hostels on campus; hostel charges typically range from Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 8,000 per year depending on the hostel type, plus mess charges.
Application processing fee: Rs. 600 for General/OBC/EWS candidates and Rs. 300 for SC/ST/PwBD candidates.
No EMI facility is applicable given the very low fee structure.

BHU Ph.D. Genetics & Plant Breeding Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) at BHU are conducted annually through a two-cycle process. Candidates can apply either through the NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test mode or the RET-Exempted mode if they hold a valid national fellowship such as ICAR-JRF or UGC-NET. The 2026-27 admission cycle has been completed; the second cycle is expected to begin from February 12, 2027. For the upcoming 2027-28 session, applications are tentatively expected to open in November-December 2027.

Important Dates

Event	Date
Online Registration Opens	December 3, 2026
Online Registration Closes	December 16, 2026
Correction Window	December 17, 2026
Call Letter Issuance	December 20-24, 2026
Document Verification & Interview	January 10-16, 2027
Result / Offer Letter Publication	January 24 - February 5, 2027
Second Cycle Admission Begins	February 12, 2027

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Registration Period	Exam Date	Remarks
UGC-NET (Phase 1)	October 7 - November 7, 2026	December 31, 2026 - January 7, 2027	Qualifying for RET-Exempted admission
UGC-NET (Phase 2)	April 1, 2027 (Tentative)	June 2027 (Tentative)	Qualifying for RET-Exempted admission
CSIR-NET	May 1 - May 21, 2027 (Tentative)	July 25-27, 2027 (Tentative)	Applicable for Life Sciences
NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test	As per NTA schedule	As per NTA schedule	Primary entrance for non-NET candidates

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold an M.Sc. (Ag.) or M.Sc. in Genetics and Plant Breeding, or M.Sc./M.Sc. (Ag.) in Genetics/Plant Breeding/Plant Breeding & Genetics from a recognized university, with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate (50% for SC/ST/PwBD candidates).
The undergraduate degree must be B.Sc. (Ag.) or B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture, a 4-year credit-based programme under ICAR guidelines.
Candidates with valid ICAR-JRF, UGC-NET/JRF, or CSIR-NET are eligible for direct admission under the RET-Exempted category without appearing in the NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test.

Admission Process

Step 1: Apply online through the BHU Admission Portal (admission.bhu.ac.in) within the notified registration window.
Step 2: Pay the application processing fee online (Rs. 600 for General/OBC/EWS; Rs. 300 for SC/ST/PwBD).
Step 3: Appear in NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test (if not RET-Exempted); RET-Exempted candidates proceed directly to document verification.
Step 4: Attend document verification and interview at the Faculty of Agriculture as per the notified schedule.
Step 5: Merit list is prepared based on NTA/NET score and interview performance.
Step 6: Selected candidates receive offer letters and must pay fees within the stipulated deadline to confirm admission.
Step 7: Allotment of research supervisor by the Departmental Research Committee (DRC).

BHU Ph.D. Genetics & Plant Breeding Scholarships 2026

BHU Ph.D. scholars in Genetics & Plant Breeding can avail of several fellowship and scholarship options, primarily through national-level competitive examinations. ICAR-JRF is the most relevant fellowship for agriculture students, while UGC-NET/JRF and CSIR-NET are also accepted. BHU also provides a non-NET fellowship for scholars who do not hold any national fellowship, ensuring financial support throughout the doctoral tenure.

Fellowship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Amount	Eligibility
ICAR-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	Rs. 37,000/month (first 2 years)	ICAR-NET qualified with JRF
ICAR-SRF (Senior Research Fellowship)	Rs. 42,000/month (after 2 years, on assessment)	Upgrade from ICAR-JRF
UGC-JRF	Rs. 37,000/month (first 2 years)	UGC-NET qualified with JRF
UGC-SRF	Rs. 42,000/month (after 2 years, on assessment)	Upgrade from UGC-JRF
CSIR-JRF	Rs. 37,000/month (first 2 years)	CSIR-NET qualified with JRF
CSIR-SRF	Rs. 42,000/month (after 2 years)	Upgrade from CSIR-JRF
BHU Non-NET Fellowship	Rs. 8,000/month	PhD scholars enrolled at BHU without any national fellowship
DBT-JRF	Rs. 37,000/month	DBT-JRF qualified candidates

JRF/SRF fellowship amounts are as per revised ICAR/UGC/CSIR norms effective from January 1, 2023.
HRA (House Rent Allowance) is admissible to JRF/SRF holders as per institutional norms.
BHU Non-NET Fellowship of Rs. 8,000/month is provided to scholars who do not hold any external fellowship, subject to satisfactory research progress.
Scholars are also eligible to apply for project-based fellowships from DST, DBT, ICAR, and other funding agencies through their supervisors.
SC/ST/PwBD scholars may also be eligible for additional government scholarships such as the National Fellowship for SC/ST students.

BHU Ph.D. Genetics & Plant Breeding FAQs

Ques. What career opportunities are available after Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding from BHU?

Ans. Graduates can pursue careers as plant breeders and scientists at ICAR institutes (e.g., IARI, NBPGR, ICRISAT), as faculty in agricultural universities, as research scientists in seed companies (e.g., Mahyco, Pioneer, Syngenta), and in government departments of agriculture. The growing demand for climate-resilient and high-yielding crop varieties makes this a highly relevant field.

Ques. Is there a difference between Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding and Ph.D. in Biotechnology at BHU?

Ans. Yes. Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding focuses on conventional and molecular breeding approaches for crop improvement, including hybridization, selection, and marker-assisted selection. Ph.D. in Biotechnology is broader and covers genetic engineering, tissue culture, and molecular biology beyond crop improvement. Both programmes are available at BHU under different faculties.

Ques. What is the allied discipline provision for Ph.D. Genetics & Plant Breeding at BHU?

Ans. As per the BHU Ph.D. Information Bulletin, candidates with M.Sc./M.Sc. (Ag.) in Genetics/Plant Breeding/Plant Breeding & Genetics are eligible as allied discipline candidates. Candidates from closely related disciplines may also be considered subject to the allied discipline provisions notified each year in the official bulletin.

Ques. How many seats are available for Ph.D. Genetics & Plant Breeding at BHU?

Ans. As per the 2023-24 Ph.D. Information Bulletin, 18 seats are available for Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding under the Faculty of Agriculture, making it one of the larger departments in terms of PhD intake. Of these, 50% are filled through the RET-Exempted (NET/JRF) mode and the remaining 50% through the NTA Ph.D. Entrance Test.

Ques. Can I work on molecular breeding or genomics topics for my Ph.D. at BHU?

Ans. Yes. The Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding at BHU has research groups working on molecular markers, QTL mapping, marker-assisted selection, and genomics-assisted breeding. Scholars can work on these cutting-edge topics depending on the research interests of available supervisors and ongoing funded projects.

Ques. What is the minimum duration to complete Ph.D. in Genetics & Plant Breeding at BHU?

Ans. The minimum duration is 3 years from the date of registration. However, most scholars complete their Ph.D. in 4 to 5 years depending on the complexity of the research topic, availability of experimental material, and publication requirements. The maximum permissible duration is 6 years, with extensions possible under special circumstances with university approval.

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BHU LLB Course is better than most Indian Colleges. Some of its salient features are:

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