Admission to PhD in Agricultural Biotechnology for the academic year 2026-2027

Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI), Narendrapur Campus dedicated to teaching and advanced research in Biotechnology, invites applications from outstanding students with strong academic records for the position of Research Fellow leading to a Ph.D. degree for its Agricultural Biotechnology Programme.

Essential Qualification / Eligibility

Candidates with an MSc in Agricultural Biotechnology / Biotechnology or equivalent qualification in Life Sciences and allied subjects (Botany / Zoology / Biochemistry / Biotechnology / Bioinformatics / Microbiology) with at least 55% marks. Candidates satisfying the criteria mentioned above are eligible to apply to the respective Schools/Departments/Programmes. Candidates awaiting final results may also apply; however, if selected, they must submit their final mark sheet before completing the admission process to the Ph.D. programme.

AND

I. CANDIDATES WITH FELLOWSHIP:

Candidates should have also qualified in UGC/CSIR/DBT/ICMR/ICAR (JRF/SRF), or any other fellowship from Government sources (such as an INSPIRE awardee, or a fellowship from any sponsored project), having a valid fellowship at the time of application.

II. NON-FELLOWSHIP CANDIDATES:

Candidates who do not hold a valid fellowship may also apply.

Examination and Interview Requirements

The UGC/CSIR/DBT/ICMR/ICAR NET awardee is exempt from appearing for the written test but will have to appear for the interview. However, an INSPIRE/GATE awardee and Non-Fellowship candidates will have to appear for the Research Eligibility Test (RET) and the interview.
Number of positions available: 04

Links to access the question patterns for the RET: Sample Questions of RET

Research disciplines under the faculties

Dr. Nrisingha Dey

Dr. Nrisingha Dey is a full-time Professor and ICMR-Emeritus Scientist at RKMVERI, formerly a distinguished Scientist (Scientist-G) at the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar. With a Ph.D. in Plant Molecular Biology from the University of Calcutta, he conducted postdoctoral research at Iowa State University and the University of Kentucky. His work focuses on developing synthetic promoters, transcription factors, and genetic tools to enhance stress tolerance in crops like rice, millet and pulses aiming to advance sustainable agriculture through innovative genetic engineering solutions. He has made significant contributions to molecular farming and plant biotechnology, through plant-derived biologics with antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer properties, earning twelve patents and authoring numerous impactful publications. Dr. Dey has secured 14 extramural funded projects, supervised 16 Ph.D. students, and received the prestigious TATA Innovation Fellowship along with being a NASI and WAST fellow.

Research Topics:

• Delineation of antimicrobial peptides (AMP) as a promising strategy against multi-drug-resistant clinical pathogen-renovating an intrinsic weapon
• Deciphering the molecular mechanism of abiotic stress tolerance in Pearl millet: For Developing Climate-resilient and Sustainable Agriculture

Dr. Gautam Chatterjee

Dr. Gautam Chatterjee is presently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Division of Agricultural Biotechnology. His research interest is primarily focused on microbiota engineering in agriculture, using cutting-edge next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques to promote food quality and reduce pathogen loads in the food chain. His group has published several important research articles in high-impact international journals, particularly in the areas of microbes in organic and natural farming. In recognition of his work in the field of organic farming research in India, his team recently bagged the Best Centre Award of the All India Network Programme on Organic Farming (AINP-OF) in 2022. He earlier received the prestigious Early Career Research Award (ECRA) in 2017 from the Science and Research Engineering Board (SERB), the Government of India. He is a life member of The Society of Biological Chemists of India (SBCI) and the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI).

Research Topic:

• Unveiling the hidden microbial threats in agroecosystems: A novel one health approach to detect and monitor microbial resistance

Dr. Bhubaneswar Pradhan

Dr. Bhubaneswar Pradhan is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Agricultural Biotechnology at Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Narendrapur Campus, Kolkata. He serves as the Director of the Quality Testing Laboratory, A Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India-funded laboratory facility that specializes in the testing of Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (ASU) drugs as well as raw materials. With a background in Agricultural Biotechnology, Dr. Pradhan earned his Ph.D. in Biotechnology from the Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar focusing on microRNA isolation and characterization in plants under various biotic stress conditions. His research interests encompass the molecular basis of host-pathogen interaction, small RNA and RNAi, functional genomics, and plant stress tolerance. He has also contributed significantly to postdoctoral research, notably investigating heat stress mechanisms in groundnuts. He is a recipient of the National Post-doctoral Fellowship grant from the Science and Research Engineering Board (SERB-NPDF) from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.

Research Topics:

• Crosstalk of Phytohormones in Plant-Virus Interaction
• Functional Genomics of Plant Secondary Metabolism

Important Dates

1. Last date to apply (and pay the application fee): Throughout the year.
2. Display of the list of selected candidates for interview and/or Research Eligibility Test (RET) (for an application to be considered for the admission process): 30th November (for the winter semester); 31st May (for the monsoon semester).
3. Date of RET & Interview: 1st and 2nd week of December (for the winter semester); 1st and 2nd week of June (for the monsoon semester).
4. Time and Venue of RET: 11:00 am to 1:00 pm; RKMVERI, Narendrapur Campus.
5. The list of selected candidates will be published on our website on the 3rd week of December (for the winter semester) and the 3rd week of June (for the Monsoon semester).
6. Commencement of the programme: Either in the July session (Monsoon semester), OR in the January session (winter semester).

Application Procedure

Applicants are requested to visit the website and follow the instructions to fill and submit the application form online using the ISR portal.

This is a rolling advertisement, and the online link will remain active throughout the year; however, applications will be processed at least twice a year. For the January session (winter semester), applications submitted by 30th November, or the July session (Monsoon semester), applications submitted by 31st May will be considered.

How to Apply

• Registration: Click here to register online and follow the instructions sent in the email to complete the application form.
• Pay Application Fee: Submit the INR 500 application fee online.
• Upload Documents: Upload necessary documents (photo, mark sheets, certificates, etc.).
• Download Summary & Receipt: Save the application summary and fee receipt after payment.

Applicants shortlisted for the Research Eligibility Test (RET) and/or interview will be required to bring a copy of all educational documents and GATE/NET(JRF) of CSIR / UGC / DBT / ICMR / ICAR (JRF / SRF) score card at the time of the RET and/or interview.

Admission and Course Fee