Join ASI’s 2026 Archaeology Diploma Program
- Inarch Center
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
New Update:
Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology (PDUIA), Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
The Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology, functioning under the aegis of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), invites online applications for
admission to the One-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology (PGDA) course for the Session 2026 batch.
The Institute provides world-class facilities, including research and stay infrastructure, resources, and hands-on field experience through an India tour.
Institute Location: FF4W+447, Galgotias University Road, Noida-Greater Noida Expy, Knowledge Park II, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201310
Key Details
Category | Details |
Course Duration | One-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology (Transitioned from a two-year diploma starting last batch). |
Total Seats | 15 seats every year. In case of in-service candidates (serving archaeologists) from state governments, museums, university, colleges, etc., application should be forwarded through proper channel to the Director General, Archaeological Survey of India. |
Eligibility Criteria
Qualification: Candidates must hold a Master’s Degree in Ancient Indian History/ culture/ Archaeology from a recognized University or equivalent.
A minimum aggregate of 55% marks is required.
A minimum aggregate of 50% marks is required for candidates belonging to reserve categories as per Government rules.
Age Limit: The upper age limit is 25 years
Reservation for SC/ ST/ OBC/ EWS, etc. is provided as per the Government of India regulations issued time to time. Relaxable by 5 years for SC/ ST candidates, 3 years for OBC candidates. There is no age bar for in-service candidates from the Archaeological Survey of India, or candidates sponsored by state departments of archaeology/ museums/universities or colleges teaching the subject of archaeology. Candidates from SAARC and BIMSTEC nations will be governed by guidelines from Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India and Indian Council of Cultural Relation (ICCR).
Selection Procedure & Stipend
The application process for the Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology (PGDA) course begins every year in October.
A indicative advertisement is placed in the Employment News, directing applicants to the Institute of Archaeology's website for full details. The application link is also mirrored on the Archaeological Survey of India's website and shared across social media for wider visibility.
The deadline for applications is 15 days from the date the application link is activated on the website. If technical issues occur during this period, the deadline will be extended proportionally.
Mode of application will be exclusively online only.
Exam: The procedure will comprise a written test (Hindi and English) followed by a personal interview for shortlisted candidates. This will be undertaken in the month of November.
The final declaration of result will be in the month of December.
The marks for the entire process shall be out of 100 – ratio of marks between written and personal interview shall be 70:30.
The written test will be a combination of multiple-choice objective type questions, short notes, and one essay type question on ancient history and archaeology.
Time The question paper shall be attempted within the duration of 2 hours.
Personal interview:
Applicants will be shortlisted on the basis of their performance in the written test for personal interview.
The list of the shortlisted candidates shall be made public for information of all through website and notice board. Personal interview of the shortlisted candidates from written examination shall be carried out on the day after declaration of result for written test. The final declaration of result will be in the month of December.
Stipend: Students (not sure about sponsored candidates) would be entitled to a stipend of Rs. 8,000/- per month. Besides this, the Institute also bears travel cost of students during tours to different parts of the country.
Accommodation
Students are provided with hostel facility within the sprawling Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya campus in Knowledge Park II, Greater Noida on twin sharing basis. The rooms are equipped with attached washroom and a small verandah. Kitchen and dining room are available for hostelers. Hostel mess is managed by the students themselves. Security guards are present 24x7 in the hostel. Room charge is debited from the student's stipend.
Attendance
Student must have minimum 85% attendance inclusive of training camps and study tours. Students falling short of required attendance will not be eligible for award of Diploma.
No leave is permissible to students during the academic session. Leave is admissible only under unforeseeable exigent circumstances for which prior permission of the Director of the Institute or his/her representative is required.
Attendance below 85% shall result in rustication of the student from the course.
Important Dates
Online Application Start Date: October 27th, 2025
Last Date to Apply: 10/11/2025
Written Entrance Examination Date: To be announced soon.
Personal Interview Dates for Shortlisted Candidates: To be announced soon.
The academic session will start from the 1st January with an orientation
How to Apply
Interested candidates fulfilling the eligibility criteria should apply online through the official website of the ASI.
Official Website: ptduia.com
To verify all the information mentioned above click here We request you to please read the prospectus carefully before making any decisions. Inarch Center will not be responsible for anything.
Old Update: Application Form Link is active.
To know more (like eligibility and important dates) please WhatsApp us on +91 8826672990, or wait for our next update soon.
Old Update: Indicative advertisement
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Institute of Archaeology, located at Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Campus, Greater Noida- 201310, has released an indicative advertisement for the admission to its One-year Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology.
The Institute is inviting online applications for the session 2026 batch. The application process for this diploma course will be conducted exclusively through the online mode.
Candidates seeking detailed information related to the selection procedure and the application form are advised to visit the Institute's official website: www.ptduia.com.
Important Cautionary Note
It is noted that the information currently available is derived from an indicative advertisement and is therefore very limited. Furthermore, the Institute's official website (www.ptduia.com) is currently not updated with the specific details for the 2026 admission cycle.
The application form will be activated from 27th October. Opening Date and Timing: 27/10/2025 ; 0.00 hours
Although extensive information regarding the required procedures was shared on our platforms during the last admission cycle, interested candidates can refer to the PGDA admission 2025 advertisement for a general understanding of the process.
Crucially, since we have not received an official notice with all the information apart from the indicative advertisement, no surety can be given regarding the information related to the specific selection procedure and the application form for the 2026 session.
We request you to please wait and re-visit this page for our next update or visit official website for more details.
Last year advertisement: Click here To know about basics: Click here
To check PYQs: Click here or here
For assistance and regular updates, you can join our institute of archaeology assistance WhatsApp group for free.
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