CCMB PhD Admissions August 2025 – Official Details

The CSIR–Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad has announced its PhD Program admissions for the August 2025 session. Below are the official details of the admission notification, including eligibility requirements, important dates, application process, selection criteria, and other relevant information.

Eligibility Criteria

Academic Qualification: Applicants must have a Master’s degree in any branch of science (e.g., M.Sc. or equivalent) with a minimum of 55% aggregate marks for General/EWS candidates (and 50% for OBC, SC/ST, Third Gender, and PwD candidates). (Note: CCMB invites applications only from Indian citizens for the PhD program.)

Research Fellowship: A valid national-level research fellowship is mandatory for admission. Candidates should already hold a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) or equivalent funding that is tenable at CSIR laboratories. Eligible fellowships include CSIR-JRF, UGC-JRF, DBT-JRF, ICMR-JRF, DST-INSPIRE fellowship, DBT-BET, RGNF, or any other equivalent fellowship for PhD. (Candidates who have only qualified for lectureship (LS/Assistant Professorship) in NET without JRF are not eligible to be shortlisted.)

AcSIR Registration: Applicants must first register with AcSIR (Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research) and select “CSIR-CCMB Ph.D. program” as a preferred choice before applying to CCMB. (AcSIR is the degree-awarding institute for CSIR lab PhD programs.)

Important Dates

Application Portal Opens: 4 March 2025 (Tuesday)

Application Deadline (Last Date to Apply): 14 April 2025 (Monday) up to 11:59 PM

Admit Card Release: 17 April 2025 (Thursday) – admit cards for the entrance exam emailed to eligible applicants.

Entrance Examination: 20 April 2025 (Sunday) – nationwide computer-based test (CBT) at designated centers (or online proctored).

Interviews (In-Person): Second–Third week of June 2025 (tentative) – on-site interviews at CCMB, Hyderabad for shortlisted candidates. Exact dates will be communicated to those who qualify the written test.

(Keep an eye on the CCMB website for any updates or changes to the schedule.)

Application Process

AcSIR Registration: Register on the AcSIR online admission portal and obtain an AcSIR Application Number (AAN). Choose “CSIR-CCMB Ph.D. program” as one of your preferred institutes during AcSIR registration.

Online Application to CCMB: Submit the CCMB PhD application online through the official portal by the deadline. The online application form is available at the CCMB admissions portal (Notification No. 02/2025). No hard copies are required; the entire process is online.

Application Fee: No application fee is charged for the CCMB PhD application.

Preferences: Within the application, candidates can indicate if they wish to be considered for CCMB’s main campus or the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES).

Submission: Complete all required fields in the form (personal details, academic qualifications, fellowship details, etc.) and submit your application on or before 14 April 2025. After submission, keep a copy of the confirmation and note your application/registration number for future reference.

Selection Process

Screening & Admit Card: After the application deadline, CCMB will screen the online applications to verify eligibility (academic qualifications and valid fellowship). All candidates who meet the criteria will receive an admit card to appear for the Entrance Examination, which will be sent by 17 April 2025.

Written Entrance Exam: A Computer-Based Test (CBT) will be conducted on 20 April 2025 at the candidate's chosen exam centre (or as a remote-proctored online test for those who opt).

Shortlisting for Interview: Performance in the written test will be used to shortlist candidates for the next stage. Only candidates who qualify the CBT and hold a valid fellowship for PhD will be invited for the interviews.

Interview Rounds: Shortlisted candidates will be called to CCMB, Hyderabad for in-person interviews in the 2nd or 3rd week of June 2025. The interview process consists of two rounds spread over two days.

Final Selection: Candidates who excel in both interview rounds (preliminary and final) will be selected for admission to the PhD program. The final selection list will be based on combined performance in the written test and interviews, as well as fulfillment of all eligibility requirements.

Joining: The expected joining/reporting time for the new PhD batch is August 2025.

Fellowship and Stipend Details

Mandatory Fellowship: CCMB does not provide direct fellowships for the PhD program; instead, having an external fellowship is compulsory for admission.

Stipend Support: Candidates admitted to the PhD program will receive a stipend from their respective fellowship. For example, the CSIR-UGC JRF fellowship currently provides a stipend of ₹37,000 per month for the first two years as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF), and upon upgradation to Senior Research Fellow (SRF), the stipend increases to ₹42,000 per month from the 3rd year onward. Similar terms apply for other fellowships (UGC, DBT, ICMR, etc.), typically including an annual contingency grant and House Rent Allowance (HRA) as per government norms.

Tenure: The fellowships are generally tenable for 5 years, subject to satisfactory progress (with periodic reviews).

Note: It is the student’s responsibility to activate and maintain their fellowship status.