PhD from open varsities at par with regular ones

NEW DELHI, DHNS: The Supreme Court has held that a PhD degree conferred by an open university would be treated at par with the one granted by the regular and conventional varsity.

A bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao relied upon the University Grants Commission’s notifications issued in 2004 and 2013 stating that degree, diploma, certificates awarded by open universities in conformity with the UGC would be equivalent to the ones granted by the traditional universities in the country.

“We are of the view that as a consequence, PhD degree issued by an open university and another PhD degree issued by a formal conventional university must, therefore, be treated at par having been so issued under the uniform standards prescribed by University Grants Commission Act,” the court said.

The court passed its order, allowing an appeal by Abdul Motin against Calcutta High Court judgements that had held a PhD degree obtained by him from Netaji Subhas Open University cannot be accepted as a valid degree for the post of principal.

The top court said in the case of ‘Annamalai University’ (2009) the Supreme Court had already said this the UGC Act was passed for effectuating co-ordination and determination of standards in Universities. “Its provisions are binding on all universities whether conventional or open and its powers are very broad. The regulations framed under that Act apply equally to open universities as well as also to formal conventional universities,” the court had then said.