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.
The written test will be held on 14th May at the Lecture Hall Complex (LHC) in IIT Delhi. The exact room numbers assigned to shortlisted applicants will be posted here by the 13th. Please make sure to check this webpage before the test to know your room number.
The reporting time is 11:00 AM, and no entry will be allowed after 11:30 AM. The exam will be completed by 2:30 PM.
Applicants are required to carry the following items with them to take the test:
You are permitted to bring a water bottle with you. No electronic devices will be allowed during the test, such as mobile phones, calculators, smartwatches, earphones, etc.
The written test will include two parts: an objective section, and an on-paper programming section. Applicants must pass both the objective and the programming sections in order to be considered for interviews. The questions in the objective section will be on basic computer science topics, including:
A sample paper is provided below to help you assess your preparedness for the written test. Please note that the exact format of the test may vary.
Interviews will be held in person between 15th to 17th May in the Bharti Building at IIT Delhi.
Please see the following link for more information about preparing for the PhD/MS(R) interview.