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UGC latest Regulations for PhD

UGC has drafted the latest minimum standards and procedures ( UGC PhD regulations 2022 ) to award a PhD degree. These latest UGC regulations replace Regulation, 2016 and its two amendments: (1st amendment ) Regulations, 2018 dated the 27th of August 2018, and (2nd amendment) Regulations, 2018 dated 16th of October 2018.

Latest Regulation from UGC:

PhD admission without UGC NET in 2024

UGC regulations for part time PhD

PhD admission with four year Graduation degree

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University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022

Eligibility criteria for admission to the phd programme.

A 1-year/2-semester Master’s degree programme (after a 4-year undergraduate degree) with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade ‘B’ on the UGC 10-point scale.

A 2-year/4-semester Master’s degree programme.

A candidate seeking admission after a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor’s degree in Research should have a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10.

A relaxation of 5 % marks can be granted to those belonging to SC/ST/OBC.

Duration of the PhD Programme

PhD programme shall be for a minimum duration of three years including coursework, and a maximum of six years. For more details regarding the extension, please read the complete PDF notification provided at the last of this blog post.

Procedure for admission

All Universities shall admit Ph.D. Scholars through a National Eligibility Test (NET) or National Entrance Test or an Entrance test conducted at the level of individual universities.

UGC guidelines for Ph.D. thesis submission

The Ph.D. thesis submitted by a research scholar shall be evaluated by his/her Research Supervisor and at least two external examiners, who are experts in the field.

Out of the two external examiners, one must be from out of the state in which the institution is located.

The viva voce of the research scholar to defend the thesis shall be conducted only if the evaluation report(s) of the examiner(s) on the thesis recommends acceptance. If one of the evaluation reports of the examiner in case of a Ph.D. thesis, recommends rejection, the Institution shall send the thesis to an alternate examiner out of the approved panel of examiners and the viva-voce examination shall be held only if the report of the alternate examiner is satisfactory.

UGC regulations for the award of PhD

Award of degrees to candidates registered for the Ph.D. programme on or after July 11, 2009, till the date shall be governed by the provisions of the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil./Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2009 and 2016 and their amendments .

UGC guidelines for plagiarism

Reference :

https://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/4405511_Draft-UGC-PhD-regulations-2022.pdf

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UGC notifies new regulations on PhD degrees, here's what has changed

The ugc has announced new norms for phd degrees that include significant modifications to the qualifications for admission, the application process, and the evaluation procedures.

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First Published: Nov 10 2022 | 10:37 PM IST

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Soon, 4-year UG degree holders with 7.5 CGPA will be eligible for PhD admissions; UGC amends norms

The ugc has also proposed to reserve 60% of the available seats for national eligibility test (net)/ junior research fellowship (net-jrf) qualified candidates in all higher education institutions..

Holders of four-year undergraduate degrees with a minimum CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 7.5 will be eligible for admission to PhD programmes, according to revised norms proposed by the University Grants Commision (UGC).

In its latest draft of amendments to the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D Degree) Regulations, 2016, the UGC has also proposed to reserve 60% of the available seats for National Eligibility Test (NET)/ Junior Research Fellowship (NET-JRF) qualified candidates in all higher education institutions.

The draft UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022, was approved during the 556th commission meeting held on March 10. HT has reviewed a copy of the document. The changes are in line with the National Education Policy, 2020 (NEP 2020).

The draft regulations are likely to be released for public suggestions on Thursday, said UGC officials familiar with the development.

According to the document, while there will be a status quo in terms of the procedure of admissions, the draft guidelines revised the eligibility criteria after the discontinuation of MPhil degree under NEP 2020, and introduction of four-year undergraduate programmes (FYUP).

Under the NEP 2020, universities and colleges will now offer 4-year undergraduate degrees with multiple exit and entry options. Several universities, including the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University, have already decided to adopt these programmes from this year. After completing a four-year degree programme, the students will receive honours with a research undergraduate degree.

According to the new proposed norms, candidates having a four-year bachelor’s degree with research with minimum 7.5 CGPA will be eligible for admission to PhD programmes, along with first and second year post graduate students (after completing a four-year programme).

Confirming the development, UGC chairperson Jagadesh Kumar said, “The four-year undergraduate programme is beneficial to students in several ways. Those who are interested in research can do either multidisciplinary research or focus on a single discipline in their final year. Those who do well in the 4-year undergraduate program will be eligible to join in a PhD programme. I believe that this will enhance the research ecosystem in our country.”

Besides, candidates who have cleared M.Phil with at least 55% marks in aggregate will continue to remain eligible. “The MPhil degree shall be de-specified from the Academic year 2022-23 onwards. MPhil degree awarded till the date of notification of these regulations shall remain valid,” the document stated.

The document further stated that 60% of the total vacant seats of the academic year shall be filled from NET/JRF qualified students. “The remaining 40% through the university/common entrance test qualified students on the basis of interviews conducted by the concerned institute,” it said.

Presently, there is no such fixed criteria for universities and colleges. NET/JRF qualified students do not have to appear for an entrance test and are admitted on the basis of viva (spoken examinations) or interviews. Others have to undergo the test and the weightage assigned against interview/viva is 70:30.

Under the amended regulations, the minimum duration for completion of PhD has been revised from three years to two years while the maximum duration remained unchanged at six years. The UGC has also provided for leaves for research scholars to undertake research expeditions, research missions, and exchange programmes.

The proposed regulations also extend a 5% relaxation in eligibility criteria to the economically weaker sections (EWS). The document further stressed on the areas of research and recommended that topics that are “socially relevant, locally need-based,and nationally important” to adding value to society should be encouraged.

Several amendments have been proposed in the role and obligations of research supervisors and co-supervisors, the biggest of them being that they will be allowed to guide two international students on a supernumerary basis.

Besides, under the amended regulations, the quality assessment of PhD degrees should be the responsibility of higher education institutions and they will be free to evolve guidelines in this regard.

Fareeha Iftikhar is a Special Correspondent with the national political bureau of the Hindustan Times. She tracks the education ministry, and covers the beat at the national level for the newspaper. She also writes on issues related to gender, human rights and different policy matters. ...view detail

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UGC asks VCs, principals to roll out revised PhD regulations

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday asked vice-chancellors and college principals to initiate necessary steps to implement the revised minimum standard and procedure for the award of PhD.

In the letter to higher educational institutions (HEIs), the UGC said that the new regulations are framed “to encourage research scholars to become well-trained researchers and inquisitive explorers.”

“All HEIs are requested to initiate necessary steps to implement the new regulations for the award of PhD,” the letter said.

The UGC replaced its rules notified in 2016 and brought the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022. The revised guidelines have changed the eligibility, admission and evaluation process. It has also done away with the mandatory requirement of publishing research papers in refereed journals.

The UGC notified the new regulations on November 7. As per the new regulations, students who have completed a four-year undergraduate course will also be eligible for direct admission to a doctorate programme.

The new rule said a candidate should have a minimum of 75 per cent marks in “aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed”, and in case the candidate does not have 75 per cent marks in a four-year undergraduate program, they have to pursue a one-year master’s programme and score at least 55 per cent.

PhD regulations of 2016 said that PhD scholars “must publish at least one (1) research paper in a refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences/seminars before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication.”

UGC Chairperson Professor M Jagadesh Kumar said that publishing research papers in peer-reviewed journals might not be mandatory anymore, but it does not mean PhD scholars should stop doing that altogether.

“Focussing on high-quality research will lead to publications in good journals, even if it is not mandatory. It will add value when they apply for employment or post-doctoral opportunities,” he said.

The regulations are applicable with immediate effect from the date of notification. Any PhD registered after 1 July 2009 shall be governed by the rules of 2009 or 2016, the notification said.

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PhD: UGC revises eligibility, admission & evaluation norms

A draft notification has been issued, revising the regulations for awarding Doctor of Philosophy, i.e., PhD, by institutions under the University Grants Commission (UGC). These would come into effect from the date of publication in the Union Gazette. This would modify the May 5, 2016, Regulation and its subsequent two amendments.

The proposals on the criteria for admission, eligibility, programme duration and evaluation are the following:

A) Proposed admission norms Admission should be given via the National Eligibility Test (NET) of the UGC or similar recognised test.

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Each year, the universities and colleges can determine the number of seats while taking into account the number of available research supervisors, basic facilities and the student-teacher ratio.

Relevant information such as the number of seats, subject-wise list, admission criteria and procedures should be published on the website in advance. If there is an entrance test, details of that should also be included. Details should also be published in two newspapers, including one in regional language.

The central/state reservation policy should be adhered to.

Sixty per cent seats to be filled from NET/JRF, while 40 per cent seats from the university/common entrance and the interview conducted by the institution. In case of vacant slots in one category, these can be filled from the other category.

Only those candidates with 50 per cent marks in the entrance exam should be considered. For SC/ST, OBC and differently-abled, 45 per cent.

Candidates in the NET/JRF categories should be ranked on the basis of their interview, and the others on their performance in the written test (70) and interview (30).

If retired professors get appointed as an emeritus professor at the same university, they can continue as supervisors till the age of 70.

B) Proposed eligibility norms One-year/two-semester Master’s degree with 55 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent grade, after a four-year under-graduate degree. Two-year/ four-semester Master’s degree with 55 per cent marks or equivalent grade Four-year/ eight-semester 'bachelor’s degree with research' with a grade point average of at least 7.5/10.

Applicants should have completed MPhil course work, with 55 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent grade. Candidates pursuing MPhil but have not completed viva voce and final defence can be given admission to PhD on a provisional basis.

Candidates in the SC/ST, OBC and differently abled categories and the economically-weaker section need only 50 per cent marks. The minimum marks/grade should be considered without including the grace mark.

C) Norms on programme duration The programme duration should be 2 to 6 years, excluding course work. If the duration is extended as per the special rule of a particular institution, it should not be more than 2 years.

For women and the differently abled, the duration can be extended up to 2 years. Women can also avail maternity/ childcare leave for 240 days. Women who have to relocate due to marriage or any other reason can be allowed to transfer the research study to a new centre, subject to conditions.

There is also a provision to take leave for a few weeks to take part in a student-exchange programme in the country or abroad that would help in preparing the thesis.

D) Evaluation method An anti-plagiarism software report also needs to be submitted along with the draft dissertation or thesis on the satisfactory completion of the course work. It is recommended to present the research work in the journal or present it in the conference, with the permission of the institution. But not mandatory.

No university or college should conduct the PhD programme in the distance education mode or online mode. Those in service should also follow the above-mentioned provisions while pursuing PhD.

Even though there is no MPhil programme from 2022-23 academic year onwards, the already earned MPhil degree would remain valid. On the satisfactory completion of the programme, the PhD provisional certificate should be given to the research student.

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Home » UGC » UGC Issues New Guidelines for Awarding PhD Degrees, Read More

UGC Issues New Guidelines for Awarding PhD Degrees, Read More

New Delhi, 16 November 2022, UGC New Guidelines – The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued new eligibility criteria and made amendments to the existing regulations for PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees. As per the recent guidelines, candidates must secure 75% marks in a four-year undergraduate program and if they fail to do so, they have to apply for the master’s programme and score a minimum of 55% marks.

Note – 

• The PhD scholars are now required to teach or provide research apprenticeship to the students for a minimum of 6 hours per week.
• The working people can apply for part-time PhD programmes and provide a “No Objection Certificate” from the respective organisation.

UGC New Guidelines – Course Information

Candidates can check the course details from the information given below:

UGC New Guidelines – Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must have 1/2 year master’s degree after 3/4 years of bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 55% marks in total.
• Those seeking admission after 4 years of the bachelor’s degree programme, must secure a total of 75% marks in aggregate.
• Candidates who have completed the M.Phil. programme with a minimum of 55% marks are also eligible to apply for the PhD programme.

Note – The relaxation of 5% marks will be given to the candidates who belong to the categories of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), and Economically Weaker Section (EWS).

UGC New Guidelines – Duration of the Programme

• The programme shall be for a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years from the date of commencement.
• The additional two years can be given through the re-registration process. However, the total period should not exceed eight (8) years.
• Female candidates and Persons with disabilities (PwD) are allowed a relaxation of two years.
• Female scholars can take maternity or childcare leave for up to 240 days.

UGC New Guidelines – Admission Process and Research Supervisors

• Students are required to pass the entrance examination with a minimum of 50% marks. The entrance test will be course-specific.
• Candidates will be called for an interview after the announcement of results. The weightage of the entrance test will be 70% marks and the rest 30% marks will be based on the performance in the interview round.

Research Supervisors

• The faculty members who are working as Professors/Associate Professors in their institutions cannot supervise scholars of other institutions. They can work as co-supervisors for such institutions.
• In multidisciplinary research work, institutes can appoint co-supervisors from other institutions or departments.
• The faculty members who have less than three years of experience are not eligible to take research scholars under their supervision.

UGC New Guidelines – Evaluation Process

• Candidates must complete the coursework within the allotted time frame and acquire a minimum of 12 credit points to produce a draft of the final thesis.
• Candidates must create a presentation and present it in front of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC).
• The institutions will check the plagiarism to detect the uniqueness of the content.
• After the successful completion of plagiarism detection, candidates can submit the research work with a declaration of plagiarism-free content.
• Candidates will go through the viva and interview process that will be conducted by the respective institutions.

Note – To read the official notification, please click here .

UGC New Guidelines – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1 is phd mandatory for the job of assistant professor.

No, as per the University Grants Commission (UGC), it is not necessary to obtain a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) for the post of Assistant Professor.

Q2. How many papers are required to be published by a PhD scholar?

A PhD scholar must publish four to five development papers.

Q3. What is the duration of doing a PhD course?

The average duration of a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) course shall be a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years from the date of commencement.

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UGC approves use of National Eligibility Test (NET) scores for PhD admissions from 2024-25 session

The announcement came following the 578th ugc meeting held on march 13, where an expert committee's recommendations were considered. the net is conducted twice a year, in june and december, to award junior research fellowships (jrf) and select assistant professors for those holding master's degrees.

In a move aimed at streamlining the admission process for doctoral programs, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that scores from the National Eligibility Test (NET) will be valid for PhD admissions starting from the 2024-25 academic session. This decision aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and addresses the challenges faced by candidates who currently have to write multiple entrance exams conducted by various universities for PhD admissions. PhD admission will be done based on UGC NET, and no separate exams will be required as per Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, the UGC chairman.

The announcement came following the 578th UGC meeting held on March 13, where an expert committee's recommendations were considered. The NET is conducted twice a year, in June and December, to award Junior Research Fellowships ( JRF ) and select Assistant Professors for those holding master's degrees.

Jagadesh Kumar stated that the National Testing Agency (NTA) is planning to launch the application process for the June 2024 NET session next week. "From the academic session 2024-2025, all universities can use NET scores for admission to PhD programs in place of entrance tests conducted by different universities/HEIs," Kumar posted on X.

Under the new rules, candidates who qualify for the UGC NET will be eligible for three categories:

• PhD admission with JRF and assistant professor posts
• PhD admission without JRF and for assistant professor posts
• Admission to PhD programs only

However, it's important to note that for creating a merit list for PhD admissions, 70 per cent weightage will be given to the UGC NET scores, while the remaining 30 per cent will be based on interviews.

The UGC NET June 2024 notification is expected to be released soon on the official website at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. It's worth noting that NET scores remain valid for one year.

This move by the UGC aims to provide a unified and streamlined process for PhD admissions across universities, reducing the burden on candidates who previously had to prepare for multiple entrance exams. By recognizing the national-level NET scores, the commission hopes to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of doctoral programs in the country.

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New Delhi: Academicians are wary of the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s latest regulation which says that students who have completed a four-year undergraduate course can now directly pursue a doctoral degree. Academics say these students will have no research experience and will be lost in the first few years of their study.

Another argument raised by academicians was that the implementation of the four-year undergraduate programme, as devised under the National Education Policy (NEP), has not been brought into effect in all universities. Since this undergraduation is a prerequisite for a direct entry into the PhD program, current students will have to continue to pursue a Master’s degree to be eligible for the same.

Rohit, Assistant Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), said that in the Indian higher education system, every programme has served a purpose. The bachelors course introduces the student to a subject, master’s offers a specialisation, an M.Phil degree gives them an interim training to conduct research and then ultimately the PhD helps them establish themselves as a subject matter expert. The latest regulations disrupt this structure.

He said “It does seem like the UGC is trying to emulate the American system of an integrated PhD but it stands to do more damage than good. Without specialised knowledge in a discipline, no student can write a doctoral research paper, be it a humanities or a sciences student.”

Adding that the move will discourage students from joining doctoral programs, he argued “At JNU we have seen the academic rigour of students improve with time and degrees. Students who have not had excellent education in their undergraduate degree will naturally shy away from going for a doctorate when they are not able to perform on par with their contemporaries in their graduate degree courses or masters courses itself.”

Also Read: ‘Need well-rounded professionals’ — why IITs, IIMs & IIITs are giving humanities a new thrust

Removal of M.Phil, master’s programmes 

Associate Professor Debraj Mookerjee of the Ramjas College in Delhi University said the scrapping of the clause mandating students to publish research papers in journals is a positive move. However, the decision to remove the M.Phil and master’s programme will force students to spend the first couple of years of the doctoral study in learning research methodology.

He said “The bachelors and master’s programme in our country is designed in a way where students do not get to conduct any research. While the M.Phil programme gave them the space to conduct a full-fledged research, its removal will pose an issue for aspiring doctorate students. They will be forced to spend the first couple of years of their doctoral study trying to figure out the process.”

Srikanth Kondapalli, the Dean of School of International Studies and a Professor of China studies at the JNU, said that while the move seems to be a measure by the UGC to implement the NEP, there are not enough undergraduate colleges with a four-year programme.

“The scrapping of the M.Phil degree made sense since it now makes the pursuit of a doctorate degree at par with universal standards. However, at JNU, where students from all regions and strata of the society come in, the M.Phil served as a preparatory course for those students who did not have the calibre to pursue a doctoral degree.”

He added, “Since the implementation of the NEP’s four-year-long undergraduate programmes has not been brought into effect in all universities across the country, this provision stands to help tech students more.”

On removal of the need for publishing research articles in peer-reviewed publications, Prof Mookerjee said, “For the past couple of years, we have witnessed an increase in the number of bogus journals in which students would pay money to get published. This provision will put a stop to publication of poor quality research papers.”

Learning right methodology is vital

Prof Pankaj Kumar of the Allahabad University said that the UGC has made the higher education institutions a field of rigorous experimentation. Research for all doctoral students has to be an endeavour that they can achieve only if they have an academic bent of mind and have the motivation to conduct research on their own.

He said, “Students have lost the bent for research post the coming of the internet. Most of their work is a simple copy and paste. In addition to this, with the removal of courses that teach them how to conduct research, students will not be able to conduct research.”

He added that pre-doctoral courses, at par with international standards, is the need of the hour so that interested students can learn the right methodology and design to work towards their doctorate degree.

The new PhD regulations — “University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022” — says a candidate should have a minimum of 75 per cent marks in “aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed”.

If not, the student has to pursue a one-year master’s programme and score at least 55 per cent.

The rules further say “A 1-year master’s degree programme after a 4-year bachelor’s degree programme, or a 2-year master’s degree programme after a 3-year bachelor’s degree programme, or qualifications declared equivalent to the master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55 per cent marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed” will be required.

The UGC has removed the clause “publishing paper in a peer-reviewed journal” as mandatory for a PhD. The 2016 regulations had said that PhD scholars “must publish at least one research paper in a refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences/seminars before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication”.

The latest regulations by UGC have also brought in several provisions to improve the quality of research by students and aid provided by their mentors/guides. Women candidates and persons with disability will be given extra time to finish their research.

Scholars who were previously required to appear before the Research Advisory Committee to present their findings and progress once every six months will now have to do so every semester.

The new rules bars faculty members with less than three years of service left before superannuation from taking new students. While the move encourages the entry of an increased number of students into PhD programs, the previously proposed common entrance test for PhDs has been left out.

The new regulations also allow each supervisor to guide up to two international research scholars in addition to their domestic students.

(Edited by Geethalakshmi Ramanathan)

Also Read: Only 34% Indian schools have internet access, less than 50% have functional computers, shows data

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