PhD in Rural Development Admission

PhD Rural Development is a 3-year long doctorate course that focuses on the study of rural development and management. It is a full-time, research-based course.

Through this course study, students can learn about the skills and innovative techniques used for the development of rural areas. The course mainly covers the subjects like Rural Development, Rural Economy, Societal Structure etc. 

In order to be eligible for PhD Rural Development course study, the candidates need to complete their Master’s degree or M.Phil in any stream along with a minimum 50% (relaxation available for reserved category candidates) aggregate marks from a recognized university. 

Admission to this course study is done either on the basis of candidates’ performance in the entrance exam followed by the personal interview round or on the basis of marks obtained by the candidates at their PG level.

The Benefits of a PhD in Rural Development

Ph.D. in Rural Development provides excellent career prospects. After completing the course, candidates can work in NGOs or government agencies or pursue research and policy framing. In some cases, candidates can even join academia, where they can become Assistant Professors or lecturers in prestigious colleges. In addition, they can apply for research grants, which are available for researchers with Ph.D. in Rural Development. But the main benefit of getting a Ph.D. is the potential job employment.

This post-graduate degree program prepares students for the real world. Students learn about issues and techniques in the rural domain. This helps them develop advanced rural development techniques. In addition, they will learn how to manage the masses of rural areas. Moreover, they will also learn how to better administer farming processes. Once they have completed the course, they can apply for research and development positions. They can also be hired by major recruiting organizations.

The coursework in a Ph.D. in Rural Development program focuses on the problems of rural development and advancing the science of development. It involves extensive research programs and fieldwork. It is perfect for individuals who are interested in rural and gross-root level development. A Ph.D. in this field will help them learn innovative techniques and solutions for problems. There are many jobs in this area that need innovative thinking and research.

PhD Rural Development What is it About?

The PhD Rural Development course basically focused on the studies related to the development and management of rural context. According to the theoretical approaches, the course also involves field work and extensive research programs. 

The course is perfect for those students who have an interest in working with gross root-level development.  

The course helps the students to learn about the skills and innovative techniques used for the development of rural areas and helps them to figure out the effective solutions to manage several difficulties. 

The aim of this course is to prepare the students with the best insight and knowledge of the course so that they can become experts for real world applications. 

This course is specially designed to teach the students about the issues related to rural domains and helps them to bring out the perfect compatible solutions needed for rural setup.

What is the PhD Rural Development Eligibility Criteria? 

Being eligible for PhD Rural Development course study, the candidates who wish to pursue this course need to fulfill the following minimum eligibility criteria: 

The aspirants must have PG research or M.Phil or any other equivalent degree from a recognized university. 

They must obtain a minimum aggregate score of 50% at the PG level. Relaxation of marks is available for the reserved category candidates. To avail this benefit, the candidates have to submit their reservation certificates issued by the competent authorities during the admission time. 

The candidates should not have any backlog/compartments in any of the subjects at PG/M.Phil degree. If any, then it should be cleared at the time of taking admission. 

Some colleges or universities consider students’ scores in the Common Entrance Test or CET and some conduct their own entrance exams to select the most eligible candidates for this course study. 

Certain colleges or universities have their own additional criteria (like research or internship) which need to be satisfied by the aspirants.  

Why Study PhD Rural Development? 

With PhD Rural Development course study, the students are being able to develop advanced techniques and methodology related to rural development and progress. 

The course is worth it for the students who possess interest in working with the rural community and enhancing their ability to manage the rural related masses, farming process etc. 

After completing this course, the students get a wide variety of prospective career opportunities. They can get employed in major fields, like Rural Banking, NGOs, Agricultural Development, Infrastructure Development in Rural Areas, Policy Framing etc. 

They are usually hired as District Development Officer, Social Activists, Rural Territory Managers, Business Development Officers, Banking Correspondent, Researchers, Education Officers etc. 

Besides these, they can also work as professors or lecturers in the top-most educational institutions. They also perform research activities related to the rural development principles. 

Depending upon the expertise and the job positions, the students can easily earn an average salary of INR 2,00,000 to 7,00,000 per annum. 

Top PhD Rural Development Entrance Exams

UGC NET: It is a common national-level entrance exam conducted by UGC for PhD course admission. 

CSIR NET: It is a national-level entrance exam conducted for the Junior Research Fellowship program twice in a year. 

LPU NEST: It is a university-level entrance exam conducted by the Lovely Professional University twice in a year for admission into various UG, PG, PhD courses.

How to Prepare for PhD Rural Development Entrance Exams? 

While preparing for the entrance exam to get admitted to the top-most PhD Rural Development colleges in India, the aspirants need to maintain a proper strategy. Must keep the following tips in mind: 

First you have to get a detailed knowledge of the latest exam syllabus. Actually, the entrance exam syllabus may change every year. Download the syllabus from the website of the respective colleges or universities. 

Most of the PhD entrance exam question paper consists of subjective as well as objective portions. So, you must have to be cleared about the exam format. 

PhD Rural Development entrance exams consist of MCQ-type questions and even have negative markings in most cases. So, try to avoid guesswork. Mark an answer when you are 100% sure about it. 

Solve previous year question papers or sample question sheets to identify your weak points and enhance your confidence level. 

You should prepare a proper timetable to manage time for studying and revision. 

Regular Revision is the key to success in every entrance exam. To acquire a good score in the exam, you need to start revision at least 2 months before appearing for the entrance exam. 

Must read the most popular reference books specially meant for PhD Rural Development entrance exams by reputed authors. You can also join online coaching classes to get a good score in the exam. 

Syllabus of PhD Rural Development

1. Rural Development in Indian Context 
2. Planning and Management 
3. Research Methods in Development 
4. Rural Economy of India 
5. Educational Development 
6. Societal Structure of Rural India 
7. Case Studies 
8. Research Assignment 
9. Seminar 
10. Thesis 
11. Presentation 
12. Viva-voce

PhD Rural Development Admission Process?

The admission process for PhD Rural Development course is done either on the basis of entrance exam performance or the percentage secured by the candidates at the PG level. 

Most of the PhD Rural Development colleges allow admission to this course based on merit. The application can be done through both online and offline mode. 

You can get the application form on your own from the college premises. Fill up the application form carefully along with all details and required documents. 

After evaluating all application forms, a merit list is being prepared by the respective colleges.  

If the candidates have ranked in the merit lists, then they are eligible for admission. 

How to apply for PhD Rural Development? 

Following are the steps of PhD Rural Development course entrance exam-based admission procedure: 

Candidates can start registering for the entrance exam online, browsing through the official website of the respective colleges with some basic personal details, like email id, phone number, password etc. 

Fill up the application form carefully and mention accurate details. Submit all required documents and pay the application fee online. 

After closing the application submission period, the entrance exam dates are released by the university. 

In order to get admission, the candidates have to score well in the entrance exam. Based on this score, a cut-off list will be released.  

Candidates who have cleared the entrance exam need to go through a personal interview session. 

The candidates who have cleared all previous stages of the admission process will be allowed to take admission to their preferred colleges. 

PhD Rural Development Job Profiles

On successful completion of PhD in Rural Development, there are a vast number of prospective job and career opportunities available in India. 

After completing this course, the students can get employment opportunities in the major recruiting fields, like Rural Banking, NGOs, Agricultural Development, Infrastructure Development in Rural Areas, Policy Framing, etc.

Some of the most popular and common job roles are listed below along with job descriptions and average annual salary:

District Development Officer

1. Social Activist
2. Banking Correspondent
3. Education Officer
4. Researcher 

PhD Rural Development Future Scope? 

The future of PhD degree holders in Rural Development courses is very bright. Apart from choosing jobs in government and private sectors, the students may also opt for academic career options. They can join as an Assistant Professor or lecturer in the Prestigious college or universities. 

They can also conduct further research work in the related field of study. They can work as a researcher in various research labs or may conduct personal research to find new developments on solving rural issues.