Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 31, 2026

The Ph.D. (Chemistry) programme at Assam University, Silchar is a full-time, campus-based doctoral research programme offered by the Department of Chemistry, established in 1996. The programme spans a minimum of 3 years and can extend up to 5 years, comprising one semester of mandatory course work followed by original research and thesis submission. With 29 seats (General) and 4 additional seats (Core Faculty of Education) available for the 2026-27 session, the Department of Chemistry is one of the largest PhD-offering departments at Assam University. The department covers a wide spectrum of research areas including Materials Chemistry, Liquid Crystals, Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, Nanomaterials, Electrochemistry, Computational Chemistry, and Synthetic Organic Chemistry. It has been supported by prestigious national programmes such as DST-FIST and UGC-SAP, and has undertaken research projects funded by UGC, DST, DRDO, DBT, DAE, NRB, and BARC.

Admissions for the 2026-27 session were conducted in November 2026, with course work commencing on 25th November 2026. The next admission cycle (2027-28) is expected to open around September-October 2027, based on the previous year's schedule. As of March 2027, the 2026-27 batch is currently undergoing course work. Candidates interested in the upcoming cycle should monitor the official website (www.aus.ac.in) and the examination portal (ausexamination.ac.in) for notifications.

Key Points

The Department of Chemistry has been supported by DST-FIST and UGC-SAP programmes, reflecting its strong research standing at the national level.
Research projects funded by UGC, DST, DRDO, DBT, DAE, NRB, and BARC have been undertaken by faculty, providing scholars with exposure to funded research.
The department houses a Centre for Studies in Soft Matter (established 2009), focusing on design, synthesis, characterisation, and device applications of soft materials.
The department is equipped with major instruments including UV-Visible Spectrometer, Fluorimeter, FTIR, TGA, DSC, Polarizing Optical Microscope, Impedance Analyser, Cyclic Voltammeter, CHN Analyser, Tensiometer, HPCC, PCR, and XRD.
Candidates who have qualified UGC-NET/JRF or CSIR-NET/JRF are exempted from the written entrance test but must appear for the personal interview.
With 29 general seats, the Chemistry department has one of the highest PhD intakes at Assam University, offering good research opportunities across multiple specialisations.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

AU Ph.D. Chemistry Fees

The Ph.D. (Chemistry) programme at Assam University is highly affordable, being a Central University with nominal fee components. The total fee for the entire programme (approximately 3 years) is estimated at around Rs. 18,000 to Rs. 22,000, covering admission, tuition, registration, and annual charges. The fees are payable at the time of admission and annually thereafter. Refundable caution deposits (laboratory and library) are collected at the time of admission and returned upon completion of the programme.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Admission Fee	500
Tuition Fee (Course Work, per month x 12 months)	2,400
Identity Card	50
Laboratory Fee (Annual)	1,500
University Registration Fee	250
University Development Fund (Annual)	600
Library Fee (Annual)	400
Sports Fee (Annual)	100
Basic Primary Health Service	100
Students Co-curricular Fund (Annual)	200
Students Aid Fund (Annual)	100
Magazine Fee (Annual)	100
Title Registration Fee	200
Examination Fee - Course Work	1,000
Examination Fee - Thesis Evaluation	3,000
Laboratory Caution Money (Refundable)	1,000
Library Caution Money (Refundable)	2,000
Total Fees (Approx., excluding refundable deposits)	~10,500 (1st year) + Annual charges thereafter

Laboratory Caution Money (Rs. 1,000) and Library Caution Money (Rs. 2,000) are refundable upon completion/exit.
Annual charges (Laboratory Fee, University Development Fund, Library Fee, Sports Fee, Health Service, Co-curricular Fund, Aid Fund, Magazine Fee) are payable each year.
Examination fees for Course Work and Thesis Evaluation are payable before the respective examinations.
Application fee (separate from course fee): Rs. 1,000 for General/OBC (Creamy Layer); Rs. 900 for OBC (NCL)/EWS; Rs. 800 for SC/ST/PWD.
Fee structure is based on the university's historical prospectus; candidates should verify the latest fee schedule from the official admission portal at the time of admission.
Hostel fee: approximately Rs. 25,000 per year (optional, subject to availability).

AU Ph.D. Chemistry Admission 2026

Admissions to the Ph.D. (Chemistry) programme at Assam University are conducted annually, typically in the October-November period. The selection process involves an online application, a Research Entrance Test (RET)/Viva Voce for shortlisted candidates, and preparation of a merit list. For 2026-27, 29 seats (General) were available in the Department of Chemistry (UR: 12, SC: 4, ST: 2, OBC: 8, EWS: 3, PWD: 2), plus 4 additional seats under Core Faculty of Education. The next cycle (2027-28) is expected to follow a similar timeline.

Admission Schedule

Event	2026-27 Dates
Opening of Admission Portal	26 September 2026
Last Date of Online Application	29 October 2026
Verification by Departments	Up to 31 October 2026
Entrance Test and Viva Voce	7 November 2026
Publication of First Merit List	12 November 2026
Admission from 1st Merit List	12-14 November 2026
Admission from 2nd Merit List (if any)	19-24 November 2026
Commencement of Course Work	25 November 2026

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Registration Period	Exam Date	Result
UGC-NET (Phase 1, 2026-27)	Oct 7 - Nov 7, 2026	Dec 31, 2026 - Jan 7, 2027	Feb 4, 2027
UGC-NET (Phase 2, 2027, Tentative)	Apr 1 - May 1, 2027	June 2027 (Tentative)	July 2027 (Tentative)
CSIR-NET (Chemical Sciences)	May 1 - May 21, 2027 (Tentative)	July 25-27, 2027 (Tentative)	September 2027 (Tentative)
GATE 2027 (Chemistry - CY)	Aug 28 - Oct 13, 2026	Feb 7-8, 14-15, 2027	March 19, 2027

Note: UGC-NET/JRF and CSIR-NET/JRF (Chemical Sciences) qualified candidates are exempted from the written entrance test at Assam University. GATE score is not directly used for PhD admission at Assam University but is relevant for fellowship eligibility.

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates must hold a Master's degree (M.Sc. in Chemistry or equivalent) with a minimum of 55% marks in aggregate from a recognised university.
A relaxation of 5% marks is applicable for SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)/PWD/EWS candidates (i.e., 50% minimum).
Candidates with an M.Phil. degree in the same or allied subject with at least 55% marks in course work may apply for direct PhD registration without fresh course work, subject to selection.

Admission Process:

Apply online at ausexamination.ac.in within the notified application window.
Pay the application fee online (Rs. 1,000 for General/OBC; Rs. 800 for SC/ST/PWD).
Shortlisted candidates appear for the Research Entrance Test (RET) and Viva Voce at the university campus.
UGC-NET/JRF or CSIR-NET/JRF qualified candidates are directly called for personal interview (no written test).
Merit list is prepared based on composite score (qualifying exam marks + entrance test + interview).
Selected candidates complete fee payment and enrol for the one-semester course work.
After clearing course work with minimum 55% marks, candidates are provisionally registered for the Ph.D. programme.

AU Ph.D. Chemistry Scholarships 2026

PhD scholars at Assam University can avail multiple fellowship and scholarship options. The university actively disburses Non-NET Fellowship to full-time PhD scholars who do not hold any other fellowship. Scholars who qualify CSIR-NET/JRF (Chemical Sciences) or UGC-NET/JRF receive substantially higher fellowships directly from CSIR/UGC. The scholarship ecosystem at Assam University is well-established, with regular disbursements tracked and notified on the official website.

Scholarship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Eligibility	Amount	Remarks
UGC-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	UGC-NET qualified with JRF	Rs. 37,000/month (JRF); Rs. 42,000/month (SRF)	Contingency: Rs. 12,000/year (Sciences)
CSIR-JRF (Chemical Sciences)	CSIR-NET qualified with JRF	Rs. 37,000/month (JRF); Rs. 42,000/month (SRF)	Most relevant for Chemistry PhD scholars
Non-NET Fellowship (AUS)	Full-time PhD scholars not receiving any other fellowship	Rs. 8,000/month	Subject to availability of UGC funds; disbursed by Assam University
INSPIRE Fellowship (DST)	Top 1% in qualifying exam or KVPY/Olympiad awardees	Rs. 31,000/month + Rs. 20,000/year contingency	Highly relevant for Chemistry scholars
National Fellowship for SC/ST (NFSC/NFST)	SC/ST candidates enrolled in PhD	As per UGC norms	Applied through National Scholarship Portal (NSP)
Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (RGNF)	SC candidates	Rs. 31,000/month (JRF level)	Applied through UGC

Non-NET Fellowship is disbursed bi-monthly/quarterly by Assam University and is subject to availability of funds from UGC.
Scholars receiving JRF/SRF or any other fellowship are not eligible for Non-NET Fellowship simultaneously.
Applications for government scholarships (NFSC, NFST, RGNF, etc.) are submitted through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP); the university verifies and forwards applications.
Contingency grants are available for JRF/SRF holders for research-related expenses.

AU Ph.D. Chemistry FAQs

Ques. What are the main research areas available for PhD in Chemistry at Assam University?

Ans. The Department of Chemistry offers research in Synthetic and Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Synthetic Organic Chemistry, Electroanalytical Chemistry, Electrocatalysis, Photoelectrocatalysis, Liquid Crystals, Medicinal Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Surface Chemistry, Carbohydrate and Glycochemistry, Computational Chemistry, Nanomaterials, and OrganoCatalysis. The specific area depends on the availability of a supervisor and their ongoing funded research projects.

Ques. Is the Chemistry department at Assam University well-funded for research?

Ans. Yes. The department has been supported by DST-FIST and UGC-SAP programmes, and faculty members have undertaken research projects funded by UGC, DST, DRDO, DBT, DAE, NRB, and BARC. This means PhD scholars often get the opportunity to work on externally funded projects, which can also provide project-based fellowships in addition to or instead of the Non-NET fellowship.

Ques. What instruments are available for research in the Chemistry department?

Ans. The department is equipped with UV-Visible Spectrometer, Fluorimeter, FTIR, TGA (Thermogravimetric Analyser), DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimeter), Polarizing Optical Microscope, Impedance Analyser, Cyclic Voltammeter, CHN Analyser, Tensiometer, High Performance Cluster Computing (HPCC), PCR, and XRD. These instruments support a wide range of research in materials, organic, inorganic, and computational chemistry.

Ques. What is the Centre for Studies in Soft Matter at Assam University Chemistry department?

Ans. The Centre for Studies in Soft Matter was established in 2009 under the aegis of the Department of Chemistry with UGC 11th Plan grant. It focuses on the design, synthesis, characterisation, physical properties, and device applications of soft materials such as liquid crystals and polymers. PhD scholars interested in materials science and soft matter research can work under this centre.

Ques. How many seats are available for PhD Chemistry at Assam University, and what is the category-wise distribution?

Ans. For the 2026-27 session, 29 seats (General) were available: UR (12), SC (4), ST (2), OBC (8), EWS (3), PWD (2). Additionally, 4 seats were available under Core Faculty of Education: UR (2), SC (1), OBC (1). The actual number of seats may vary each year depending on faculty vacancies.

Ques. Can I apply for PhD Chemistry at Assam University if I have a background in Biochemistry or related fields?

Ans. Candidates with M.Sc. in Chemistry or closely allied subjects (such as Biochemistry, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering) may be considered, subject to the department's assessment of their suitability for the available research areas. It is advisable to contact the Head of Department (hodchemau@gmail.com) before applying to confirm whether your background qualifies for the specific research area you are interested in.