NEW DELHI: Delhi University (DU) on Friday announced to discontinue the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programmes from the academic session 2022-23, in a decision taken by the university in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
As per a notification, the discontinuation of MPhil programmes was one of the major recommendations of the NEP. Instead, it had emphasized on a four-year Bachelor’s degree (undergraduate) and research intensive Master’s degree (postgraduate).
Last week, Delhi University released a draft undergraduate curriculum framework 2022 (UGCF-2022), formulated in accordance with the NEP, and sought feedback from stakeholders including students, guardians and academicians.
The National Education Policy 2020 had stated, “There may be an integrated five-year Bachelor’s/Master’s programme. Undertaking a PhD shall require either a degree or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with Research. The MPhil programme will be discontinued.”
Last year, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) had also announced the scrapping of MPhil courses. Social scientists, however, believe that students with MPhil did better in their PhDs.
Abha Dev, Secretary, Democratic Teachers’ Front and former member, Executive Council, DU, said, “NEP 2020 is all about widening the gap between have and have nots. Either commit to doing a PhD or remain without a research degree. NEP, which is floating on the advertisement of “choice”, is taking away real choices which students had. Students with disadvantageous backgrounds, especially women, looked upto MPhil as a research degree they could afford before going towards teaching jobs.”
Mithuraaj Dhusiya, member of Academic Council, DU, said, “MPhil course, over several generations, has played an important role in DU and other Indian universities in developing research aptitude through robust course work and introduction to higher research. MPhil research degree has been a degree by itself separate from and at the same time above Master’s degree. It is extremely unfortunate that the NEP 2020 discontinues MPhil.”