Interviews are held once a year at NCL (usually in May / June) to screen and then accept students who have qualified the NET / GATE exam. Following their clearing the interview, the selected students start their course work, semester starts in the month of August. The candidate needs to selecet his/her PhD supervisor by the end of that semester. Typically the selected student interacts with NCL scientists, who is willing to accept and guide the student for his / her PhD.  

All the requirements to complete the PhD., specified under the "PhD" section also applies to the engineering student.