Admission to PhD Program at Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics

The Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad, is a research Institution under the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC), Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. BRIC – CDFD is a premier institute in the country, which provides services in the areas of DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics and performs cutting-edge research in several frontier areas of modern biology.

We invite applications from highly motivated candidates for admission to our PhD admissions, beginning January 2027. In keeping with the interdisciplinary nature of modern biology, we especially encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Those admitted as Ph.D. Scholars would be encouraged to register under the PhD program of the Regional Centre for Biotechnology.

The selection for PhD-I-2027 shall be based on an interview conducted through online & in person mode, as detailed below
Eligibility Criteria :
To be eligible for Admission to the CDFD PhD-I-2027, the candidate must have:
1. A Master’s degree in any branch of Science, Technology, or Agriculture OR MBBS from a recognized University / Institute.
2. Qualified for a Junior Research Fellowship from CSIR / UGC / DBT / ICMR / DST- INSPIRE / UGC – RGNF or any other similar examination with fellowship. Candidates having qualified for Project – JRF under the ICMR funded project Scheme [which is only for a period of two years] OR DBT JRF NET with a B.Tech. [Biotechnology] degree OR DBT JRF NET under DBT – B category list OR LS-NET qualification only in CSIR-UGC (NET) examination are NOT eligible to apply.
3. A valid fellowship is an ABSOLUTE requirement for pursuing PhD at CDFD. However,
a) If a candidate’s fellowship result is AWAITED, the candidate must UPDATE the fellowship status positively before the first round of interview, via email to <rsp@cdfd.org.in>.
b) Though a candidate is allowed to submit application without having qualified valid fellowship, only those candidates who submit proof of having a valid fellowship will be eligible for first round of interview.
c) Candidates who have previously activated a fellowship elsewhere are NOT eligible to apply. A deliberate non-disclosure if found later, will be ground for disqualification.

Selection Procedure
Admission to PhD-I-2027 at CDFD will be based on a two – step selection process:
I Round : ONLINE interview for the first round via video conference; scheduled to be held during 2 – 4 November 2026 (the exact dates will be informed along with the list of candidates shortlisted for the interview) and
II Round : Interview for the second round “in person” at CDFD during 2 – 4 December, 2026 (the exact dates will be informed along with the list of candidates shortlisted for the interview) The list of candidates shortlisted for:
1) First round of interviews will be displayed on the website by 20th October, 2026.
2) Second round of interviews will be displayed on the website by 6th November, 2026. Subsequent to the second round of interviews, applicants will be encouraged to contact BRIC – CDFD faculty either in person OR through email / phone to familiarize themselves with the research interests of the various faculty.

Application Procedure
Interested candidates who fulfill the above conditions may register their names for PhD. – I – 2027 admissions by applying in the prescribed application form online. The link for copies of certificates in support of date of birth, educational qualifications, reservation category (if applicable), and fellowship examination qualified.
Please contact <rsp@cdfd.org.in> for any queries. The Online application portal will close on 10.10.2026

Note
• BRIC – CDFD’s Research Scholars Program is a fully residential program. The selected candidates will have to stay on campus. • Mere fulfilment of the minimum requirements stipulated in the notification would not automatically entitle a candidate for selection. The decision of BRIC – CDFD in this regard shall be final. Candidates engaging in canvassing in any form and/or bringing in any influence, political or otherwise, will be treated as a disqualification.
• The fellowship MUST be valid at the time of joining (December 2026/January 2027).

Important dates
Last date for submitting online application – October 10, 2026
Display of shortlist for first round interview – by 20th October, 2026
Date(s) for first round of interview – During 2 – 4 November, 2026 [Exact Date(s) to be announced later]
Display of shortlist for second round of – by 6th November, 2026 interview
Date(s) for second round of interview – During 2 – 4 December, 2026 [Exact Date(s) to be announced later]