Content Curator | Updated on - Apr 8, 2026

The Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) at GBPUAT, Pantnagar is a full-time, campus-based doctoral programme of 3 years (minimum) duration, offered under the College of Post Graduate Studies. The programme focuses on advanced research in crop improvement, molecular breeding, quantitative genetics, and biotechnology-assisted plant breeding. The total seat intake for 2026-27 is 12 seats (6 Uttarakhand domicile + 2 Other State + 4 Payment seats). Admission is primarily through the GBPUAT entrance examination, with Other State candidates for most disciplines also eligible via the ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) examination. The programme is highly regarded for its strong research infrastructure, experimental farms, and linkages with ICAR institutes, making it one of the most sought-after doctoral programmes in agricultural sciences in India.

Admission for 2026-27 is currently ongoing. The online application window opened on March 23, 2026, and the last date to apply is April 30, 2026. The entrance examination is scheduled for June 6, 2026 (Saturday). Results are expected to be declared on or before June 22, 2026, after which counselling dates will be announced on the university website.

Key Points

GBPUAT is India's first agricultural university, established in 1960, and is a premier institution for agricultural research and education.
The Ph.D. programme in Genetics & Plant Breeding is research-intensive, with students working under an advisory committee of 3-4 faculty members.
The university follows a fully residential system; all Ph.D. students are required to stay on campus.
Uttarakhand domicile candidates are eligible for both normal and payment seats; Other State candidates are eligible for payment seats and Other State quota seats.
Candidates who have qualified UGC/CSIR/ICAR examinations for Ph.D. with or without fellowship are also eligible for admission.
University fellowships of Rs. 6,000 per month (up to 36 months) are available for Ph.D. students based on merit.
The programme has strong linkages with ICAR institutes and international universities (e.g., Charles Sturt University, Australia) for collaborative research.

Official Link:

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Highlights
Fees
Admission
Scholarships
Ranking
FAQs

GBPUAT Latest Updates and News

25 Mar, 2026 GBPUAT Ph.D Genetics & Plant Breeding Admission 2026 is ongoing. The last date to apply is April 30, 2026. Further, the entrance test will be held on June 6, 2026. Read more.

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GBPUAT Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) Fees

The Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) at GBPUAT is offered at a highly affordable fee for normal seats, with the total programme fee for a 3-year course being approximately Rs. 2,83,373 for Uttarakhand domicile/normal seat candidates. For Payment seats, an additional Rs. 2,00,000 per annum is charged over and above the university fee, bringing the total to approximately Rs. 8,83,373 for 3 years. The university follows a semester-based fee payment system, and all students must also pay a food advance of Rs. 20,000 per semester (adjusted against actual mess expenses).

Fee Structure

Fee Component	Per Semester (Rs.)	Total for 3 Years / 6 Semesters (Rs.)
Tuition Fee	37,941	2,27,646
Library Fee	400	2,400
Medical Fee	250	1,500
Games Fee	300	1,800
Laboratory Fee	700	4,200
Examination Fee	1,000	6,000
Room Rent	300	1,800
Tour Fee	300	1,800
Thesis Evaluation/Viva-Voce Fee	1,000	6,000
Miscellaneous (Water, Entertainment etc.)	60	360
Sub-total Semester Fee (C)	44,251	2,65,506
One-time Admission Fee (A)	4,850 (once)	4,850
Annual Fee (B)	4,339/year	13,017
Total University Fee (Normal Seat)		Rs. 2,83,373
Additional Payment Seat Fee	Rs. 1,00,000/semester	Rs. 6,00,000 (3 years)
Total Fees (Payment Seat)		Rs. 8,83,373
Hostel Fees (Food Advance)	Rs. 20,000/semester	Rs. 1,20,000 (6 semesters)
Hostel Room Rent + Utilities	Rs. 1,360/semester (approx.)	Rs. 8,160 (approx.)
Total Hostel Fees (approx.)		Rs. 1,28,160 (approx.)

One-time admission fee (Rs. 4,850) includes Placement Counselling Fee, Journal Fee, Caution Money, Admission Fee, and Alumni Fee; payable only at the time of admission.
Annual fee (Rs. 4,339) includes Magazine Fee, Students Aid Fund, Students Society Fee, Hostel Maintenance, E-mail/Internet Fee, Computer Charge, and Med Claim; payable once per academic year.
Caution Money (Rs. 2,500) is refundable at the time of leaving the university.
Food advance of Rs. 20,000 per semester is adjusted against actual mess/food expenses; any balance is refunded.
Hostel accommodation is mandatory as GBPUAT is a fully residential university.
Payment seat fee of Rs. 1,00,000 per semester (Rs. 2,00,000 per annum) is charged in addition to the regular university fee.
Fee increases at approximately 10% per year as per university policy.
No EMI facility is officially mentioned; fees are to be paid semester-wise.

GBPUAT Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) Admission 2026-27

Admission to Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) at GBPUAT for 2026-27 is currently open. Applications are being accepted online through the university portal (gbpuat.org.in) until April 30, 2026. The selection is based on merit in the GBPUAT entrance examination (for Uttarakhand domicile and Other State candidates), with Other State candidates for most Ph.D. disciplines also eligible through the ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) examination conducted by NTA. Counselling will be conducted online (with a possible final offline round) after the declaration of results.

GBPUAT Ph.D. Admission Dates

Event	Date
Online Application Opens	March 23, 2026
Last Date to Apply	April 30, 2026
Application Correction Window	May 1 - May 3, 2026
Admit Card Available	From May 25, 2026
Entrance Examination (Ph.D.)	June 6, 2026 (Saturday), 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Declaration of Result	On or before June 22, 2026
Counselling	To be announced on university website
Sponsored Candidates Application Opens	July 1, 2026
Sponsored Candidates Application Closes	July 31, 2026

ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) Exam Dates

Event	Date (Tentative)
Application Window Opens	May 6, 2026
Last Date to Apply	June 5, 2026
Correction Period	June 7 - June 9, 2026
Admit Card Release	Last week of June 2026
Exam Date	July 3, 2026
Result Declaration	August 2026

The dates mentioned above are tentative and subject to change.

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates must hold an M.Sc. (Ag.) / M.Sc. in Genetics & Plant Breeding / Plant Breeding / Genetics / Agricultural Botany from a recognized university.
Minimum OGPA of 6.5/10.0 or 4.0/5.0 or First Division (equivalent to 60% marks) in the qualifying degree.
Candidates appearing in the final year of the qualifying examination are also eligible to apply provisionally.

Admission Process

Apply online at gbpuat.org.in within the stipulated dates and pay the application fee (Rs. 1,200 for General/OBC; Rs. 600 for SC/ST/PH).
Download admit card from the university portal from May 25, 2026 onwards.
Appear for the GBPUAT entrance examination on June 6, 2026 (or ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF exam on July 3, 2026 for Other State candidates).
Check results on the university website on or before June 22, 2026.
Participate in online counselling after result declaration; upload required documents for verification.
Pay the prescribed fee within the deadline after seat allotment to confirm admission.
Report to the university with original documents for physical verification and registration.

GBPUAT Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) Scholarships 2026-27

Ph.D. students at GBPUAT have access to a range of fellowships and scholarships, both from the university and national-level bodies. The most significant is the ICAR-JRF/SRF fellowship, which provides Rs. 31,000 per month for the first two years and Rs. 35,000 per month for the third year, effectively covering all fees and living expenses. The university also offers its own fellowship of Rs. 6,000 per month (up to 36 months) to two students per discipline based on merit.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Scholarship / Fellowship	Amount	Eligibility
ICAR-JRF (Junior Research Fellowship)	Rs. 31,000/month (JRF, 2 years) + Rs. 35,000/month (SRF, 3rd year) + HRA	Qualify ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) exam
GBPUAT University Fellowship	Rs. 6,000/month (up to 36 months)	Top 2 students per discipline based on merit at admission
UGC-NET JRF	As per UGC norms	Qualify UGC-NET with JRF
CSIR-JRF/SRF	As per CSIR norms	Qualify CSIR-NET with JRF
DBT Junior/Senior Fellowship	As per DBT norms	Qualify DBT-JRF exam
DST INSPIRE Fellowship	Rs. 31,000/month + Rs. 20,000/year research grant	Qualify DST INSPIRE criteria
Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship (SC/ST)	As per UGC norms	SC/ST candidates
National Fellowship for Persons with Disabilities	As per UGC norms	PwD candidates
Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST/OBC/EBC)	As per Uttarakhand Govt. norms	Uttarakhand domicile SC/ST/OBC/EBC candidates
GB Pant Partnership Scholarship (International)	As per programme norms	For Dual Ph.D. Award Programme with Charles Sturt University, Australia

ICAR-JRF/SRF fellowship is the most competitive and prestigious; candidates qualifying this exam are given priority in ICAR quota seats.
University fellowship allocation is based on academic rating after completion of admissions; if unutilized, fellowships may be reallocated to other eligible students.
Tuition fee concession is available for wards (sons/daughters/spouses) of GBPUAT employees as per university rules.
Scholarship application deadlines vary; candidates should check the respective official portals for current deadlines.

GBPUAT Ph.D Genetics & Plant Breeding Ranking

Collegedunia Ranking

#11 out of 53 in India 2025

#1st in Uttarakhand

NIRF Ranking

#9 out of 40 in India 2025

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GBPUAT Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) FAQs

Ques. Can students from outside Uttarakhand apply for Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) at GBPUAT?

Ans. Yes, Other State candidates can apply for Ph.D. programmes at GBPUAT. They are eligible for both normal (Other State quota) seats and payment seats. For most Ph.D. disciplines (except Agronomy and Plant Pathology), Other State candidates can apply through the GBPUAT entrance examination as well as the ICAR AICE-JRF/SRF (Ph.D.) examination. The Other State quota constitutes 25% of the sanctioned seats.

Ques. Is hostel accommodation mandatory for Ph.D. students at GBPUAT?

Ans. Yes, GBPUAT follows a fully residential system, and all students including Ph.D. scholars are required to stay on campus. The university has 25 hostels (including 11 for girls and one for married students). Ph.D. students are generally accommodated in PG hostels. A food advance of Rs. 20,000 per semester is charged, which is adjusted against actual mess expenses.

Ques. What is the difference between a normal seat and a payment seat at GBPUAT for Ph.D.?

Ans. Normal seats are subsidised seats where students pay only the regular university fee (approximately Rs. 2,83,373 for 3 years). Payment seats require an additional Rs. 1,00,000 per semester (Rs. 2,00,000 per annum) over and above the university fee, bringing the total to approximately Rs. 8,83,373 for 3 years. Both Uttarakhand domicile and Other State candidates are eligible for payment seats.

Ques. Can I pursue Ph.D. at GBPUAT if I have already qualified ICAR-JRF?

Ans. Yes, candidates who have qualified UGC/CSIR/ICAR examinations for Ph.D. with or without fellowship are eligible for admission to Ph.D. programmes at GBPUAT. ICAR-JRF qualified candidates may also be admitted through ICAR counselling for Other State quota seats. The ICAR-JRF fellowship (Rs. 31,000/month) can be availed during the Ph.D. programme.

Ques. What research facilities are available for Ph.D. students in Genetics & Plant Breeding at GBPUAT?

Ans. GBPUAT has extensive research infrastructure including experimental farms, molecular biology laboratories, tissue culture facilities, and a well-stocked library with over 4.29 lakh documents and access to 13,000+ e-journals. The Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding has active research projects funded by ICAR, DBT, and DST. Students work under an advisory committee of 3-4 faculty members and have opportunities for collaborative research with ICAR institutes and international universities.

Ques. What are the career prospects after completing Ph.D. (Genetics & Plant Breeding) from GBPUAT?

Ans. Graduates can pursue careers as scientists/researchers at ICAR institutes, state agricultural universities, and national/international research organisations. Other career options include positions as plant breeders in seed companies (public and private sector), faculty positions at agricultural universities, and roles in agricultural biotechnology firms. Many GBPUAT Ph.D. graduates have secured positions at premier institutions like IARI, NBPGR, and multinational seed companies. Post-doctoral fellowships at national and international institutions are also a popular career path.