The Institute awards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering/Mathematics to a candidate who has successfully completed the stipulated Programme of Research. Applications will be invited through Press advertisement and announcement at the Institute website : www.iiitkottayam.ac.in. Shortlisted candidates will be called for a written test/ an interview at IIIT Kottayam. The names of the selected candidates will be announced at our website. The successful candidate has to register for the Ph.D. Programme by producing originals of the required certificates, certificate of sponsorship if any and payment of the registration fees on the day prescribed for Registration.

Computer Science and Engineering	Theoretical computer science, Cloud Data Security, Attack analysis using ML/DL, Health Informatics, NLP, IDS using ML/DL, Authentication protocol: Design and Analysis, Attack detection, analysis & mitigation using ML/DL, memory data security, Information Privacy and Security, Smart Home Automation Security, Network Vulnerability Detection and Intrusion Prevention, Digital Forensics and Crime Investigation, Hardware security, Cryptography, Applied Cryptography, IoT, Security and Privacy in IoT, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, AI in Agriculture, AI in IT Operations, Convergence of Machine Learning Blockchain and IoT, Evolutionary algorithms and their applications in ML/AI domains, Machine Learning/ Deep Learning for Social Good, Deep Learning /Medical imaging/Underwater Imaging/AI in agriculture, Responsible AI, Explainable AI, Data Science, Data Analytics, Data Mining, Optimization algorithms, Supply chain Optimization, Bioinformatics, Intelligent Transportation, Graph Learning, Distributed Computing, Federated Learning, Fog/Edge computing, Distributed Computing, Next Generation Wireless Networks, FPGA designs, Computer vision.
Electronics and Communication    Engineering	Signal Processing, Image Processing, Speech Processing, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Materials Engineering, Nanoelectronics, Laser additive manufacturing, Optoelectronics, Ocean Optics, Instrumentation, Vibration Engineering, RF and Microwave Antenna Design, VLSI Design, Wireless Communications, Wireless Sensor Networks.
Computational Mathematics	Deep learning Algorithms to Differential equations, Evolutionary algorithms and their applications in ML\AI domains, Mathematical & Computational Finance, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) Approximation Methods for Partial Differential Equations (PDE), Fluid Mechanics, Bio Fluid Mechanics (CFD), Applied Cryptography.

Categories of PhD Students :




• i) SCHOLARSHIP HOLDERS (FULL-TIME)

A candidate who is having INSPIRE/CSIR/UGC can apply for full-time Ph.D programme. Such candidate receives assistantship or fellowship from concerned funding agencies. The Institute does not provide any financial assistantship/fellowship to such candidates. Sponsorship letter must be attached with the application.

• ii) SPONSORED (FULL-TIME)

A candidate in this category is sponsored by a recognized R&D organization, academic institution, government organization or industry or QIP candidates for doing research in the Institute on a full-time basis. The candidate must be a regular employee of the sponsoring organization with at least one year of professional experience in the respective field. The Institute does not provide any financial assistantship/fellowship to such a student. Sponsorship letter must be attached with the application.

• iii) SELF-FINANCED (FULL-TIME)

A candidate in this category works full-time towards the PhD Programme. The Institute does not provide any financial assistantship/fellowship to such a student except teaching assistantship to a limited number, on a case to case/need basis.

• iv) EXTERNAL REGISTRANTS

A candidate of this category working in Industries/Institutes/research Organisations can register as an External registrant and can pursue a Ph.D. Programme at IIIT Kottayam while continuing the duties of his/her service at the parent organization. The Institute does not provide any financial assistantship/fellowship to such a candidate. No Objection Certificate in the prescribed format must be attached with the application. An external registrant scholar is required to spend a one-semester residential program preferably in the I year, during the course work. Other academic regulations are the same as those applicable to regular students.

Eligibility Criteria for Admission into PhD Programme

Computer Science and Engineering	Master’s degree in Computer Science & Engineering/Information Technology/ Computer Applications/ ECE or equivalent area with minimum CGPA of either 6.5 in a 10-point scale or 60% of marks in appropriate branches. OR (ii) Four-year Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science & Engineering / Information Technology/ Electronics and Communication Engineering from any IIT’s, NIT’s, IIIT’s / Other Institutions of National Importance with a minimum CGPA of either 8.0 in a 10-point scale or 75% of marks. Such students will be awarded both MS and PhD degree on completion of PhD Programme without any exit option during the programme.
Electronics and Communication    Engineering	Master’s degree in ECE/ EEE or equivalent area with minimum CGPA of either 6.5 in a 10-point scale or 60% of marks in appropriate branches. OR (ii) Four-year Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering/Electrical Engineering from any IIT’s, NIT’s, IIIT’s / Other Institutions of National Importance with a minimum CGPA of either 8.0 in a 10-point scale or 75% of marks. Such students will be awarded both MS and PhD degree on completion of PhD Programme without any exit option during the programme.
Computational Mathematics	2 years M.Sc. / Integrated M.Sc. in Mathematics/ Mathematics and Computing/ Applied Mathematics/Statistics or an equivalent degree with a minimum of 60% aggregate in the qualifying examination.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Selection of the candidate will be based on the performance in the written test and /or interview. Appearing for test and /or interview does not entitle any candidate for admission to the Ph.D. programme.