Content Curator | Updated on - Mar 30, 2026

Sikkim University's Ph.D. (Economics) is a full-time research programme offered under the School of Social Sciences, focusing on a wide range of economic disciplines including development economics, agricultural economics, labour economics, and resource economics with a special emphasis on the Eastern Himalayan and Northeast Indian context. The programme has a minimum duration of 3 years and a maximum of 6 years, with an annual seat intake of 10 seats (UR-4, OBC-3, SC-1, EWS-2). The total fees for the programme amount to Rs. 21,372 for the entire course duration (non-lab/humanities stream). Admission is based on UGC-NET scores (70% weightage) and a departmental interview (30% weightage), making it a competitive programme popular among students interested in policy research, mountain economics, and development studies.

Admissions for the 2026-27 session are yet to be announced. Based on the 2025-26 cycle, the admission notice is typically published in May, with online registration open from late May to mid-June. The 2025-26 admission cycle has been completed, with the second cycle selection list published in February 2026. Prospective students should watch the official website (cus.ac.in) for the 2026-27 notification, expected around May 2026.

Key Points

The Department of Economics at Sikkim University has a strong research focus on mountain development, informal economy, gender and entrepreneurship, and resource and environmental economics.
Broad areas of specialization include Agricultural Economics, Microfinance, Rural Studies, Development Economics, Industry and Labour, Firm Dynamics, Informal Economy, Gender and Entrepreneurship, Resource and Environmental Economics, Economics of Mountain Development, Labour Development, Applied Microeconomics, Efficiency and Productivity, and Economics of Inequality and Poverty.
The department has 5 full-time faculty members with expertise in diverse areas of economics.
UGC-NET qualification is mandatory for applying to the Ph.D. programme in Economics.
The university provides a Non-NET Fellowship for full-time Ph.D. students not availing any other fellowship.

Official Link:

Go To Website

Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
FAQs

Sikkim Univ PhD Economics Fees

The Ph.D. (Economics) programme at Sikkim University is offered at a very affordable fee structure as it is a centrally funded university. Economics falls under the non-professional/humanities stream, so the tuition fee per semester is Rs. 1,260 (lower than science departments). The one-time charges payable at the time of admission (including the first semester tuition fee) amount to Rs. 15,372. For the minimum duration of 3 years (6 semesters), the total course fee works out to Rs. 21,372.

Fee Components

Fee Component	Amount (Rs.)
Admission Fee	1,860
Registration Fee	248
Examination Fee	372
Development Fee	9,920
Sports Fee	620
Library Fee	372
Student Welfare Fee	248
Medical Fee	124
NSS Fee	100
Identity Card Fee	248
Tuition Fee (per semester)	1,260
Hostel Admission Fee (optional)	620
Hostel Seat Rent per semester - 3-bedded (optional)	750
Hostel Caution Deposit - Refundable (optional)	3,000
Total Course Fees (6 semesters, excluding hostel)	21,372

The one-time charges (Admission Fee, Registration, Development, Sports, Library, Student Welfare, Medical, NSS, Identity Card) are paid only at the time of admission.
Tuition fee for the 2nd semester onwards must be paid within 15 days of commencement of each semester.
A late fee of Rs. 25 per day is charged after the 15th day.
Hostel fees are optional and not included in the total course fees above.
Hostel accommodation is subject to availability and merit.
Hostel Caution Deposit of Rs. 3,000 is refundable at the time of exit from the hostel.
Tuition fee is relaxed by 50% for SU employees, wards of SU employees, and Yangang villagers.
100% relaxation is given to Differently Abled students, people of Yangang who sold their land for the campus, and those belonging to the Primitive Tribe of Sikkim.
Hostel Seat Rent is relaxed by 100% for SC/ST students.
All fees are collected through online mode only.
Application fee: Rs. 1,000 (General), Rs. 750 (OBC/EWS), Rs. 500 (SC/ST/PWD/DA).

Sikkim Univ PhD Economics Admission 2026

Admission to Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University is based on UGC-NET scores (70% weightage) and a departmental interview (30% weightage). The 2025-26 admission cycle has been completed. For the upcoming 2026-27 session, the notification is expected around May 2026 based on the previous year's pattern. Candidates must apply online through the university's admission portal.

Important Dates

Event	Date (2025-26 Cycle)
Publication of Admission Notice	20th May 2025
Online Registration Opens	21st May 2025
Last Date for Online Application	15th June 2025
Scrutiny and Document Verification	19th - 24th June 2025
Interview of Shortlisted Candidates	25th - 26th June 2025
Declaration of 1st Selection List	1st July 2025
Admission Fee Payment (1st List)	2nd - 3rd July 2025
Declaration of 2nd Selection List	8th July 2025
Fee Payment (2nd List)	9th - 10th July 2025
Physical Reporting and Document Verification	21st - 25th July 2025
Commencement of Odd Semester	1st August 2025
Second Cycle Admission Notice	October 2025
Second Cycle Selection List (1st Merit)	February 2026

Entrance Exam Dates

Exam	Exam Dates	Remarks
UGC-NET December 2025	31st December 2025 - 7th January 2026	Primary qualifying exam for Ph.D. (Economics)
UGC-NET June 2026	Expected June 2026	Notification expected last week of April 2026
GATE 2026	7th, 8th, 14th, 15th February 2026	Accepted as equivalent to NET for Ph.D. admission

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria:

A candidate must have qualified UGC-NET/CSIR-NET/GATE or equivalent examination (Category A/B/C).
Must hold a two-year (4-semester) Master's programme in Economics or a relevant/allied subject with at least 55% marks in aggregate (50% for SC/ST/OBC-NC/DA/EWS).
Alternatively, candidates with a four-year Bachelor's Degree with Research with a minimum CGPA of 7.5 (75%) are also eligible.

Admission Process:

Apply online at https://cusadmission.samarth.edu.in/ within the stipulated dates.
Upload required documents including UGC-NET scorecard, qualifying degree marksheets, and category certificates.
Shortlisted candidates are called for a departmental interview based on NET score and qualifying marks.
Final merit list is prepared with 70% weightage to NET score and 30% to interview performance.
Selected candidates must pay the admission fee online within the notified dates to confirm admission.
Physical reporting and document verification is mandatory; failure to report results in cancellation of admission.

Sikkim Univ PhD Economics Scholarships 2026

Sikkim University Ph.D. students in Economics can avail a range of fellowships and scholarships from UGC and the university itself. The most prominent is the UGC Non-NET Fellowship provided by the university to full-time Ph.D. scholars not receiving any other fellowship. Students who qualify UGC-NET/JRF are eligible for JRF fellowships from UGC.

Fellowship Details

Scholarship / Fellowship	Amount	Eligibility
UGC-NET JRF Fellowship	Rs. 37,000/month (1st & 2nd year); Rs. 42,000/month (3rd year onwards)	UGC-NET qualified with JRF
Sikkim University Non-NET Fellowship	As per UGC norms	Full-time Ph.D. scholars not availing any other fellowship
National Fellowship for SC Students (NFSC)	As per UGC norms	SC category students
National Fellowship for ST Students (NFST)	As per UGC norms	ST category students
National Fellowship for OBC Students (NFOBC)	As per UGC norms	OBC category students
Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF)	As per UGC norms	Minority students
Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Single Girl Child Fellowship	As per UGC norms	Single girl child

Students must apply for UGC fellowships through the NTA/UGC national portal.
The Non-NET Fellowship from Sikkim University is available for students not receiving any external fellowship; students must contact the Academic Section for linking/verification.
Fellowship amounts are subject to revision by the respective funding agencies.
Candidates selected for scholarships must contact the Academic Section of Sikkim University for linking or verification of applications and uploading of relevant documents in the UGC portal.

Sikkim Univ PhD Economics FAQs

Ques. What are the research specializations available for Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University?

Ans. The Department of Economics at Sikkim University offers research in a broad range of areas including Agricultural Economics, Microfinance, Rural Studies, Development Economics, Industry and Labour, Firm Dynamics, Informal Economy, Gender and Entrepreneurship, Resource and Environmental Economics, Economics of Mountain Development, Labour Development, Applied Microeconomics, Efficiency and Productivity, and Economics of Inequality and Poverty. The department has a special focus on the Eastern Himalayan region.

Ques. Is UGC-NET mandatory for Ph.D. (Economics) admission at Sikkim University?

Ans. Yes, UGC-NET qualification (Category A/B/C) is mandatory for applying to Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University. Equivalent exams like GATE are also accepted. Candidates without NET qualification are not eligible to apply.

Ques. What is the total fee for Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University?

Ans. The total course fee for Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University for the minimum duration of 3 years (6 semesters) is Rs. 21,372. This includes one-time charges of Rs. 14,112 at admission and a tuition fee of Rs. 1,260 per semester. Hostel fees are additional and optional.

Ques. Does Sikkim University provide a fellowship for Ph.D. (Economics) students who have not qualified NET/JRF?

Ans. Yes, Sikkim University provides a Non-NET Fellowship to full-time Ph.D. scholars who are not availing any fellowship from other sources. The amount is as per UGC norms. Students must contact the Academic Section for details and application procedures.

Ques. How many seats are available for Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University, and what is the selection process?

Ans. There are 10 seats available for Ph.D. (Economics) per year (UR-4, OBC-3, SC-1, EWS-2). Selection is based on UGC-NET score (70% weightage) and a departmental interview (30% weightage). The department shortlists candidates based on NET score and qualifying marks, and the final merit list is prepared after the interview.

Ques. Can students from outside Sikkim apply for Ph.D. (Economics) at Sikkim University?

Ans. Yes, Sikkim University is a national university and any Indian citizen from anywhere in the country can apply online for its academic programmes. The university also has 10% supernumerary seats for foreign candidates in Ph.D. programmes. Students from outside Sikkim who are not from areas in and around Gangtok may also apply for hostel accommodation.