St Aloysius (Deemed To Be University) Mangalore Ph.D Hindi: Fees 2026, Course Duration, Dates, Eligibility

Ans. The Department of Hindi at St Aloysius was established in 1942 and has been a pioneer in promoting Hindi in the non-Hindi speaking coastal Karnataka region. The PhD programme benefits from faculty who are active researchers with UGC and STRIDE-funded projects. Dr Sandhya U Sirsikar has ongoing research on Bhutaradhane (a socio-cultural study of Tulunadu) and has published a translated book from Hindi to Kannada. Dr Mukund Prabhu has a UGC-funded project on nationalism in Hindi novels. This active research culture, combined with the university's Jesuit tradition of academic rigour, makes the programme distinctive.

Ans. The PhD in Hindi at St Aloysius is guided by Dr Sandhya U Sirsikar, who specialises in Hindi Literature, Language, Translation Studies, Folklore, and Comparative Studies. Dr Mukund Prabhu (under Dakshina Bharatiya Hindi Prachar Sabha) focuses on Hindi Literature, particularly nationalism and contemporary Hindi novels. Scholars can pursue research in areas such as modern and contemporary Hindi fiction, translation theory and practice, folklore studies, socio-cultural studies through Hindi literature, and comparative literature involving Hindi and other Indian languages.

Ans. UGC-NET is not mandatory for applying to the PhD programme. However, candidates with a valid UGC-NET / CSIR-NET / NET-PhD / GATE score are exempted from the university's written entrance test and need to appear only for the interview. Additionally, qualifying UGC-NET with JRF entitles candidates to a monthly fellowship of Rs. 37,000 (Years 1-2) and Rs. 42,000 (Years 3-5) directly from UGC. Given that only 2 seats are available per intake, having UGC-NET qualification significantly strengthens a candidate's application and reduces the financial burden of the PhD.

Ans. Yes, candidates from any state or linguistic background are eligible to apply, provided they meet the academic eligibility criteria (Master's degree in Hindi or a related subject with minimum 55% marks). The department has a stated mission of promoting Hindi in non-Hindi speaking regions, and the university welcomes students from diverse backgrounds. International students are also eligible, subject to Association of Indian Universities stipulations. Candidates from non-Hindi speaking backgrounds who have studied Hindi at the postgraduate level are well-suited for the programme.

Ans. St Aloysius (Deemed to be University) now awards its own PhD degrees under its own regulations (UGC PhD Regulations 2022). Dr Sandhya U Sirsikar is the PhD guide under the university's own programme. Dr Mukund Prabhu is listed as a guide under Dakshina Bharatiya Hindi Prachar Sabha, which is a separate statutory body that awards its own Hindi language qualifications and research degrees. Candidates applying through phdadmissions.staloysius.edu.in will be enrolled under the university's own PhD programme, guided by Dr Sandhya U Sirsikar.

Ans. The January 2026 intake has been completed. Based on the university's annual cycle, the next intake is expected to be notified around November 2026 for a January 2027 intake. Candidates should regularly monitor phdadmissions.staloysius.edu.in for the next notification. To prepare: (1) qualify UGC-NET in Hindi to get exemption from the written test and access the JRF fellowship; (2) identify a research topic aligned with Dr Sandhya U Sirsikar's specialisations in Hindi Literature, Translation Studies, or Folklore; (3) draft a detailed research proposal; and (4) contact the department at sandhya_sirsikar@staloysius.edu.in to discuss research fit and guide availability before applying.