Best Ph.D in English Universities in India

A PhD in English is a doctoral-level degree programme for advanced scholarly research in the English language and literature. There are a total of 417 universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme. 212 universities of them are government universities, and the other 205 universities are private universities that offer a PhD in English programme. Some of the top universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme are Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, and more. The top universities in India provide admission to a PhD in English based on some entrance tests, like UGC NET and university-specific tests. To get more detailed information about these top universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme, go through the complete article.

Top 5 PhD in English Universities in India

The top 5 universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme are mentioned in the table below, along with their NIRF Ranks 2025.

University	NIRF Rank 2025	Ownership
JNU Delhi - Jawaharlal Nehru University	2	Public
JMI New Delhi - Jamia Millia Islamia	4	Public
DU Delhi - University of Delhi	5	Public
BHU Varanasi - Banaras Hindu University	6	Public
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	8	Private

Top Private PhD English Universities in India

Some of the top private universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme are mentioned in the table below.

University	NIRF Rank 2025
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	8
KIIT - Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology	17
Amity University, Noida	22
Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education	28
SASTRA University Thanjavur - Shanmugha Arts Science Technology Research and Academy	29

Top Government PhD English Universities in India

In this section, we have mentioned some of the top government universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme.

University	NIRF Rank 2025
JNU Delhi - Jawaharlal Nehru University	2
JMI New Delhi - Jamia Millia Islamia	4
DU Delhi - University of Delhi	5
BHU Varanasi - Banaras Hindu University	6
Jadavpur University	9

Top PhD in English Universities Fees in India

The fee for the PhD in English programme at these top universities in India is mentioned in the table below.

University	Fees
JNU Delhi - Jawaharlal Nehru University	-
JMI New Delhi - Jamia Millia Islamia	-
DU Delhi - University of Delhi	-
BHU Varanasi - Banaras Hindu University	-
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	-

Top PhD English Universities Eligibility Criteria in India

The eligibility criteria for a PhD in English at the top universities in India are mentioned in this section. Before proceeding to take admission into one of these top universities in India for a PhD in English programme, students are advised to read the eligibility criteria once.

Students must have completed a Master’s degree in a relevant domain or a BE/B.Tech programme with at least 55% marks from a recognised university or equivalent. Relaxations will be provided to SC/ST/OBC (Non-Creamy Layer)/Differently Abled students as per UGC regulations 2016.

Note: Students are advised to check the university-specific eligibility criteria for the PhD in English programme of the particular university they want to be admitted to.

Top PhD English Universities Entrance Exams in India

These top universities in India offer admission to a PhD in English at them based on some national-level or university-specific entrance exams. Some of the popular entrance exams based on which these universities provide admissions are listed below.

UGC NET
University-specific tests

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the top universities in India that offer a PhD in English?

Ans: The top universities in India that offer a PhD in English programme are:

Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jamia Millia Islamia
University of Delhi
Banaras Hindu University
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

What are the eligibility criteria for a PhD in English at top universities in India?

Ans: For a PhD in English at top universities in India, students should have completed a postgraduate degree in a relevant field with at least 55% marks from a recognised university.

How many seats are available at JNU Delhi for a PhD in English programme?

Ans: At JNU Delhi, there are a total of 11 seats available for the PhD in English programme.

What is the duration of the PhD in English programme?

Ans: A PhD in English is a minimum 3-year degree programme and a maximum of 6 years.

What after a PhD in English?

Ans: After completing a PhD in English, students can work in various sectors, like academia, publishing, writing, content creation, public relations, communication, government jobs, and other sectors.