Varsities get UGC stick to follow for MPhil, PhD courses

In a bid to check on granting MPhil and PhD degrees, the University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Ved Prakash has asked 430 universities across the country to follow the minimum standards prescribed in the award of the degrees regulations 2009.

Pune university vice-chancellor WN Gade said, “This is an exercise to check the quality control in private universities. There are many instances found of private universities violating these norms.

The state universities don’t flout these norms, which were set in 2009. The Pune university offers some 500 PhDs in a year while more than 2,000 MPhil degrees. Our course, test and interview is conducted as per the norms. The course work is also approved by the UGC.”

Meanwhile, the UGC’s move is also seen as an attempt to improve the research output of universities. The UGC is also collecting information regarding the number of PhDs and MPhil degrees given and the method used to determine whom it should be awarded to, said a press statement released by the UGC.

The information is being collected from all the universities, including central, state, private varsities and deemed-to-be universities.

Prakash in his letter said, “The UGC has decided to elicit information from the universities or institutions to understand the research areas vis-a-vis the impact in generating new knowledge and applications of its outcomes.” Besides that, if needed, midcourse corrections will also be carried out. The universities have been given four weeks to respond.