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.