Eligibility Criteria

• The candidate must have successfully completed a Ph.D. from a recognized university or research institution.
• The doctoral thesis must have been successfully defended between 1 January 2024 and 30 September 2026.
• The research must fall within the scope of at least one of the six technical tracks of IEEE UPCON 2026.
• The doctoral thesis must be written in English.
• The candidate must have at least two ESCI/SCIE journal publications.
• Shortlisted candidates must be willing to register for and attend IEEE UPCON 2026 at IIT Kanpur.
• Candidates who have previously received an Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award at an IEEE-sponsored conference are not eligible to apply.

The eligibility and selection process shall adhere to IEEE Policy 4.4.H regarding conflicts of interest in award nominations and selection.

Phase I

Preliminary Evaluation

All eligible nominations received through the Google Form will be evaluated by the Award Selection Committee. Candidates will be shortlisted based on the quality of their doctoral research, publications, and overall contributions.

Phase II

Final Evaluation

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to present their doctoral research before an expert evaluation panel during IEEE UPCON 2026, scheduled for 19–21 December 2026 at IIT Kanpur.

Based on the evaluation of the doctoral thesis, research contributions, and final presentation, three candidates will be selected for the IEEE UPCON 2026 Best Doctoral Thesis Awards. The decision of the Award Selection Committee shall be final.

Registration Fee

• No fee will be charged for submitting nominations.
• Shortlisted candidates invited for the final presentation must register for IEEE UPCON 2026 under the applicable registration category.
• No travel or accommodation allowance (TA/DA) will be provided.

Award Recognition

The three selected candidates will receive the IEEE UPCON 2026 Best Doctoral Thesis Awards during the conference at IIT Kanpur.