New Delhi

Delhi University bid to promote quality research

NEW DELHI: The guidelines for getting registered for a Ph.D. at Delhi University have been made a little tougher in a bid to promote quality research.

At a meeting of the Academic Council of the University on Thursday, it was decided that students who do not possess any national fellowship, like a Junior Research Fellowship, will have to appear for an entrance examination and interview for getting enrolled for a Ph.D. This examination and interview would be decided by a Departmental Research Committee (DRC).

“But students who have to clear an entrance exam and interview will be eligible for a fellowship of the University Grants Commission amounting to Rs.5,000 every month. The University is of the view that there should not be any Ph.D. student who does not have some kind of financial assistance available,” said Rajib Ray, an Academic Council member.

In addition, in case a Ph.D. student wants to sit for any other exam like the Union Public Service Commission’s, he would be required to inform the DRC or his supervisor for a written consent to be able to do the same.

“From now on, any person with a M.A. degree can opt for Ph.D. after going through a compulsory coursework of one year. For those doing M.Phil., no coursework is required. Any student who scores 60 per cent in Part I of M.Phil. can get a direct entry to Ph.D.,” added Dr. Ray.

Working teachers (permanent or ad hoc) wanting to get into Ph.D. would need three years of teaching experience. However, some teachers are apprehensive about this clause. Meanwhile, faculty members are happy that college teachers will make a formal entry into the DRC, whereas earlier they had no say in the matter. “The readers and lecturers of the colleges will be given their due importance in DRC, Board of Research Studies and student advisory committees. Hence college lecturers can supervise Ph.D. students from now, ” explained Dr. Singh.

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