CFTRI admits students to 12 postgraduate and doctoral courses in Food Science and Technology. Its main programmes include M.Sc. Food Technology and PhD. Selection is based on the CFTRI Entrance Examination and interviews. The institute follows reservation rules and offers scholarship support.

Students can also study an Integrated M.Sc.+PhD programme or a 12-month Flour Milling Technology course. Applications for all courses are submitted online. The PhD application fee is INR 1,000 for General, OBC and EWS applicants and INR 500 for SC, ST and PwD applicants.

Applications can be submitted through the CFTRI admission portal for M.Sc. and Integrated M.Sc.+PhD courses or the AcSIR website for PhD admission.

CFTRI Important Dates 2026

Event Date
Last date to apply online for the AcSIR PhD January 2027 session October 31, 2026

Disclaimer: Subject to revision. Kindly check with the official sources to confirm

CFTRI PG Admission 2026

At the postgraduate level, CFTRI conducts the M.Sc. Food Technology and Integrated M.Sc.+PhD programmes. The M.Sc. course has an intake of 36 seats. The course requirements and selection conditions are listed below.

Course Specializations Eligibility Selection Criteria
M.Sc. Food Technology Graduation and CFTRI Entrance Test A graduation degree with at least 55% marks, or 50% marks for SC, ST and PwD applicants
Integrated M.Sc.+PhD Nutrional Biology B.Sc. or an equivalent qualification in a related field with 65% marks, or 60% marks for SC and ST applicants A B.Sc. degree with at least 65% marks, or 60% marks for SC and ST applicants

M.Sc. Food Technology Eligibility Details

The M.Sc. programme has separate requirements for regular, industry-sponsored, defence and foreign applicants:

  • Basic eligibility: Applicants need a bachelor's degree in Science, Agriculture, Engineering or Technology from a recognized university. General, EWS, OBC and Defence Personnel applicants must have at least 55% marks, while SC, ST and PwD applicants need 50% marks. Students awaiting their final-year results may take the entrance test, but their admission remains subject to meeting these requirements.
  • Industry-sponsored applicants: A bachelor's degree in Science, Agriculture, Engineering or Technology with at least 55% marks is required. Applicants must also have two years of industrial experience in the food industry or an allied industry. An authentic sponsorship certificate in the prescribed format must be provided by the sponsoring industry.
  • Defence Personnel:
    • Applicants who are currently serving and have been nominated by the Ministry of Defence will be considered.
    • Foreign applicants: The M.Sc. Food Technology course has 2 seats for foreign nationals. Applicants need a bachelor's degree in Science, Agriculture, Engineering or Technology, with English as the teaching language. They must have obtained at least 60% marks or an equivalent score recognized by Indian universities.

CFTRI PhD Admission 2026

CFTRI offers PhD study in 9 specializations. Admission requires the stated postgraduate qualification, the institute entrance test and a valid fellowship.

Course Specializations Eligibility Selection Criteria
PhD Food Technology, Food Science & Nutrition, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Food Science & Technology and Microbiology Postgraduation with at least 55% marks and the CFTRI Entrance Test The applicant must hold a valid national-level fellowship, such as JRF or SRF from CSIR, ICMR, UGC, DBT, DST or another funding agency. Equivalent fellowships such as DBT-BET, INSPIRE and RGNF are also accepted.

CFTRI Admission Process 2026

Admission to CFTRI's postgraduate and doctoral programmes is decided through an entrance-based process followed by an interview. Applicants can complete the procedure through these steps:

  1. Confirm eligibility: Review the minimum academic and other requirements for the chosen CFTRI course.
  2. Complete the online form: Use admissions.cftri.res.in for the M.Sc. and Integrated M.Sc.+PhD programmes. PhD applicants must apply through acsir.res.in.
  3. Submit the documents: Add all required documents to the relevant portal before sending the completed application.
  4. Make the fee payment: Pay the application charge online. For PhD admission, General, OBC and EWS applicants pay INR 1,000, while the fee for SC, ST and PwD applicants is INR 500.
  5. Attend selection and verification: Shortlisted applicants are invited for an interview and document checking.
  6. Finish the admission formalities: Selected students must pay the admission fee, complete document verification and follow the institute's directions for reporting and the start of classes.

CFTRI Flour Milling Technology Admission 2026

CFTRI conducts a Flour Milling Technology course lasting 12 months. Applicants must complete its admission process online.

CFTRI Scholarship 2026

CFTRI offers scholarship support to students.

CFTRI Admission FAQs

Ques. What must final-year students do to secure admission at CFTRI?

Ans. Students awaiting their final degree results may apply and take the entrance test. Before admission is confirmed, they must prove that they have passed the qualifying degree with the required marks. The final-year marksheet must be presented during document verification. An application will be cancelled if this document is not submitted.

Ques. Does a student need a strong science background for CFTRI courses?

Ans. CFTRI programmes are usually chosen by students with a science background. Both the entrance test and the course curriculum rely heavily on food science. A student from another academic stream may find the programme difficult without enough prior science-based coursework.

Ques. What roles do the entrance examination and interview play in CFTRI selection?

Ans. CFTRI uses the entrance examination to shortlist applicants, while the interview is a deciding stage in final admission. A high entrance score alone may not lead to selection if the interview performance is weak. Applicants therefore need to perform well at both stages.