LU to clear the decks for admissions in M Phil, PhD
NEW PHD ORDINANCE Programmes to start at varsity after a delay of over a year
LUCKNOW: The Lucknow University (LU) will open admissions for various M Phil and PhD programmes sometime around Diwali. A meeting of the varsity’s academic council, the agenda of which is the acceptance of the new ordinance and its implementation, is to be organised on Monday.
Soon after that the university’s executive council — its highest decision-making body — will meet . “It will consider the recommendations of the academic council along with the approval of the PhD ordinance,” said varsity spokesperson Prof NK Pandey on Sunday.
It is after a gap of over a year that the university will start admissions in its M Phil and PhD programmes.
This was on ground of delay by LU in adopting the new PhD ordinance that was brought out by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
M Phil and PhD admissions at LU were to begin in September, last year. However, as the new PhD ordinance was awaiting final nod by the governor for almost a year and was passed by the higher education department only in August this year, the process had to be stalled.
An LU official said that the university had sent the ordinance to the governor last year. The Raj Bhawan is said to have raised objections on the provision of extra weightage to candidates
who had qualified the junior research fellowship and the national eligibility test. The Raj Bhawan reportedly also found the process of evaluation complicated.
The university then sent the revised ordinance to the governor house for approval in November 2017. The revised ordinance was sent to the higher education department, which passed it in August, this year. After that it was sent to the university, thus, making way for admissions into M Phil and PhD programmes.
ELIGIBILITY FOR M PHIL PROGRAMME
Candidates desiring admission into the M Phil programme at LU are required to have a master's degree with at least 55% aggregate marks. A relaxation of 5% (from 55% to 50%) or an equivalent relaxation of grade may be allowed for those belonging to
SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/differently-abled among other categories, as per the decision of the UGC.
ELIGIBILITY FOR PHD PROGRAMME
Candidates with a master’s degree who have completed their M Phil degree course, clearing the course work with at least 55% marks, will be eligible to proceed to conduct research (PhD) in the university in an integrated programme.
A relaxation of 5% of marks (from 55% to 50%) or an equivalent relaxation of grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer)/differently-abled among other categories, as per the decision of the UGC.
DURATION OF PROGRAMMES
The M Phil programme will be for a minimum duration of two consecutive semesters / one year and a maximum of four consecutive semesters / two years. The PhD programme will be for a minimum duration of three years, including course work, and a maximum of six years.
Extension beyond these limits will be governed by the relevant clauses stipulated in the statute/ ordinance of the individual institution concerned.
Women candidates and persons with disability (more than 40% disability) may be allowed a relaxation of one year for M Phil and two years for PhD in the maximum duration. In addition, women candidates may be provided maternity leave/child care leave of up to 240 days once in the entire duration of the M Phil/ PhD programme.
ADMISSION PROCEDURE
All universities and institutions deemed to be universities will admit M Phil/PhD students through an entrance test conducted at the level of the individual university/institution deemed to be a university.
The university/institution deemed to be a university may decide separate terms and conditions for the PhD entrance test for those students who have qualified the UGC-NET (including JRF)/UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF)/SLET/GATE/ teacher fellowship holder or have passed the M Phil programme.
A similar approach will be adopted with respect to the M Phil programme entrance test.