Confusion over Ph.D., M.Phil. admissions in MKU ......Pon Vasanth Arunachalam

As VC says he is for reconsidering implementation of UGC’s new regulations for research

The confusion already prevailing over Ph. D and M. Phil admissions this year in Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) and its affiliated colleges has been further complicated with Vice-Chancellor P.P. Chellathurai indicating that he was open to reconsidering the implementation of University Grants Commission’s new regulations for research, which has already been adopted by MKU.

Stating that almost all universities in Tamil Nadu were yet to adopt the regulations, Mr. Chellathurai told the media on Wednesday that the necessity of implementing it this year would be discussed with university officials and Higher Education Department since concerns had been raised about certain provisions of the regulations.

The UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for award of Ph. D and M. Phil degrees) Regulations, which came into effect on May 5, 2016, were adopted by MKU’s Academic Council and Senate two months before, despite considerable opposition from a section of members. Approval from the Syndicate was obtained subsequently.

Though the new regulations bring many changes, including a common entrance test by every university for M. Phil and Ph. D admissions to the university and its affiliated colleges, the bone of contention was the restriction on number of scholars a Research Supervisor can guide.

While earlier regulations allowed eight Ph. D and M. Phil scholars under a Research Supervisor at any given time irrespective of their designations, the new regulations restrict the number to eight Ph. D and three M. Phil scholars for a Professor, six Ph. D and two M. Phil scholars for an Associate Professor, and four Ph. D scholars and one M. Phil scholar for an Assistant Professor.

Faculty members in MKU and affiliated colleges argued that this would deny an opportunity to many aspiring students and drastically reduce enrolments, apart from resulting in loss of revenue to university and colleges.

Acknowledging the problems, the university administration, while adopting the regulations, however, had said that there was no choice since Ph. D and M. Phil degrees awarded to those enrolled after May 5, 2016 will be considered invalid by the UGC if the university had not adopted the new regulations.

Many affiliated colleges had already issued advertisements for M. Phil programmes on their own in violation of the new regulations.

Circulars and reminders sent earlier this month by MKU asking colleges to furnish details regarding M. Phil and Ph. D vacancies to facilitate the conduct of a common entrance test early July were met with a lukewarm response.

When contacted, Mr. Chellathurai said that many colleges were making representations against the adoption of new regulations, which could not be ignored. However, he assured that the issue would be resolved appropriately at the earliest without affecting the admissions for this year.