Mumbai University (MU) has bailed out its PhD candidates who had registered with the Regional Research Committee (RRC) before the decision of conducting an entrance test was taken.
In June 2009, the University Grants Commission (UGC) laid down norms for a common entrance test that universities across the country would have to follow for registering research fellows.
MU, however, decided to conduct the test only recently. In the interim period, around 600 candidates registered for the PhD following the old norms. Though these candidates were exempted from the PET (the PhD entrance test) conducted on February 26, the decision on their tests was pending.
The university’s academic council on Friday decided on a special arrangement for around 600 candidates, who will now appear for a test conducted by their own PhD guides. Among the registered candidates are three politicians from the state, Jitendra Awhad (MLA), Anil Parab (former Sena MLC) and minister of higher and technical education, Rajesh Tope. According to a university official, “the academic council has decided that the guides will take an exam for their PhD fellows and also a six-month classroom course on research methodology. ”
This is, however, not acceptable with the UGC guidelines of 2009, which makes the entrance exam to be conducted by the university mandatory, followed by interviews and course work for one or two semesters, said Ved Prakash, UGC official.
Tope said that he had registered for the PhD before November 2009, and he might not pursue it immediately. “I am busy with the sessions and other ministry-related work. I will attempt the test later, when I have the time.”
Deepanshu Pusalkar, one of the registered PhD candidates, believes that such a decision will come as a relief to most of the candidates.
