The Department of Sociology at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence runs a vibrant doctoral program that is alive to the plurality of South Asian cultures and societies and welcomes comparative or focused analyses in field sites around the world. Individual faculty members have varied interests in both classical and contemporary themes. The department emphasizes critical empiricism as central to the fieldwork and ethnographic tradition of sociology and social anthropology, as well as sustained theoretical and interdisciplinary research.

Some of the faculty areas of interest and expertise include:

• Law and Society
• Anthropology of the body
• Mind and Mental Health
• Military cultures
• Ethnography and methodology
• Political anthropology
• Research/Art interface
• Atmospheres and ecologies
• Biopolitics and the social
• Identity and Governance
• Discourses of respectability and self-respect
• Nomadism and pastoralism
• The city and urban research
• Religion and spiritual theology
• Material cultures
• Anthropology of death and the dead
• Hierarchy and inequality

The Doctoral Program is for a duration of 5 years and is fully funded.

During their doctoral program, Ph.D. scholars will undertake coursework, conduct a pilot study, write an extended proposal in their area of research, and proceed to their independent research and fieldwork. Students will be expected to serve as teaching assistants for the undergraduate program in Sociology or as research assistants.

Fees and Financial Assistance:

All full-time Ph.D. students admitted into the program shall receive a doctoral award (teaching and research assistantship) consisting of a tuition-fee waiver and a monthly stipend. Details of the stipend are attached at the end of this prospectus document. The continuation of the award is subject to satisfactory performance in the program, evaluated continuously, and compliance with all University regulations. Support will be available for deserving Ph.D. students to disseminate their work through conferences and publications.

Coursework

Details of coursework are available here.

Information on the Ph.D. Program

https://snu.edu.in/admissions/graduate-programs

Faculty Profiles

All interested candidates are advised to review the faculty research themes here before applying.

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: 20 June 2026
• Exam: First Week of July 2026
• Interviews: Third Week July 2026
• Offer Letters: Third Week July 2026
• Start of Monsoon 2026 Semester: 17 August 2026

Guidelines for Application

The Department of Sociology at SNU invites applications for its Ph.D. program, commencing in September 2026.

Please note that applicants are admitted once every year.

Eligibility

Interested students must have a four-year bachelor’s degree and/or a master’s degree in Sociology, Social Anthropology, or other related disciplines.

Suppose the Qualifying degree is in a field other than the one to which admission to the Ph.D. program is sought. In that case, the candidate will be expected to demonstrate sufficient mastery of the fundamentals in the field through the interview.

Selection Process

All candidates who meet the minimum eligibility criteria (as above) must submit supporting documents. In addition, all candidates must submit the following:

•  Research Proposal

The research proposal should be between 3500 and 5000 words. It must also include the leading research questions, engagement with literature, and methodological intentions. Detection of plagiarism will disqualify an applicant.

 

•  A Writing Sample

(Minimum 3000 to maximum 8000 words). It could be a published piece or a formal academic document (selection from a dissertation, an unpublished research article, or a research term paper) of one’s discretion. Detection of plagiarism will disqualify an applicant.

 

Shortlisting will be determined by a cumulative assessment of both examination results and the provided submissions. Only the successful candidates will receive an invitation to interview during the third week of July 2026.

 

 

Checklist of Documents for Eligibility

All interested applicants shall apply online using the link below or on the website. Please follow the instructions carefully.

• Fill in all the mandatory
• Please upload the following documents
  • Passport-size color photograph
  • Current CV including names and contact information of 3
  • All Mark sheets/Degree Certificates (10^th Standard onwards)
  • Standardized Examination certificate- CSIR, UGC, GATE, (If applicable)

The application fee can be paid online.

Please note that the application is deemed complete only once all prescribed documents and application fees have been submitted online.

Questions: If you have academic questions, write to Dr. Ravi Nandan Sigh at [email protected] for clarification.

For other information, please contact:

Mr. George Nellickal Chacko: [email protected]

Applicants must submit entirely original work that reflects their own critical thinking and unique sociological voice. Any form of plagiarism or substantive AI- generated content is strictly prohibited at any stage of the application process and will likely result in the complete rejection of your PhD application.