The Pre-doctoral Program in Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) aims to offer recent undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to advance their research skills and prepare for doctoral studies in the field of Computer Science and Engineering. This is a full-time, non-degree program of up to one year period.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
Note: Pre-doc fellowship is not admission to PhD. Separate application to the PhD program will be needed subsequently.
The application process consists of a written test followed by an interview. The written test and interview for the pre-doctoral program will be conducted jointly with the Ph.D./MSR examination of the CSE department. The selection will be a three-stage process.
Stage 1: Fill in the online form by 8th May, 2025. Only those who fill the form by the deadline will be eligible for the written exam.
Stage 2: The shortlisted candidates are invited to appear for an in-person exam at IIT Delhi on 14th May. You must carry a government-issued ID with you to take the exam.
The questions in the shortlisting exam will be from basic computer science topics, including:
Candidates who fail to clear minimum cutoffs will not be shortlisted for the interview.
Stage 3: If you pass the exam, you will have an in-person interview, which will take place from 15th to 17th May. The shortlisted candidates for the interview and their interview dates will be announced by 14th.
The application deadline for July 2025 admissions is May 8. Interested students must submit the application form by May 08, 11pm.
The fellowship will be comparable to the Ph.D. stipend (Rs. 38,000 - 40,000), with HRA support of Rs. 10,000 provided. The institute will also cover the cost of course registration.
In addition to research work, fellows will be required to formally register for at least one graduate-level course each semester in the CSE department. These courses may contribute toward meeting the requirements for the comprehensive exam if the fellow later joins the CSE Ph.D. program. The fellow's progress will be monitored by the Departmental Research Committee (DRC) once each semester, and unsatisfactory progress may result in termination from the program.