PhD affiliation only for depts with PG courses

PhD affiliation only for depts with PG courses

2-Yr PG Teaching Experience Must For Guides, Says Madras Univ

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.03.2021 

University of Madras will award PhD affiliation only to college departments running postgraduate courses, according to modified research regulations 2021. Besides, faculty members wanting to become research guides should have at least two years’ experience in teaching post graduate (PG) students.

At the university’s Senate meeting on Saturday, headed by vice-chancellor S Gowri, the university moved a resolution to adopt the modified regulations 2021 relating to admission of PhD, conduct of PhD programme, evaluation of thesis and award of PhD degree.

Regulations related to eligibility for research supervision and recognition for institutions were also modified.

There was some opposition with regard to the rule that associate professors and assistant professors seeking to become research guides need at least two years of PG teaching experience.

Professor Rita John, head of the theoretical physics department, requested the university to empower research supervisors to issue travel allowance (TA) and daily allowance (DA) for those attending research advisory committee meetings. Gowri promised that the university will make provisions to give TA, DA for external examiners.

Senate members also opposed a provision that mandates research guides to intimate the research advisory committee in cases where research scholars go on maternity leave.

“As per the rule, the guide will give maternity leave but has to inform the research advisory committee (RAC) members as the maternity leave can last up to 240 days whereas RAC needs to meet once in six months,” dean (research) R Srinivasan said while replying to the members.

Also, research supervisors of the university and its affiliated institutions shall not be permitted to supervise research of other universities except for central government-funded institutions like CLRI.

Madhavaram MLA A Sudarsanam, who is also a member of the Senate, said the poor enrolment in the university departments is not acceptable.

“The university needs to popularise its courses and also needs to fill vacancies. To solve the financial crisis of the university, officials need to approach the state government for financial aid,” he said.

The university also conducted elections to the six seats in the Syndicate committee. Among those elected, professor R Srinivasan, dean (research) and head of the department of econometrics, professor M Srinivasan, head of the department of criminology, professor R R Krishnamurthy, head of the department of applied geology, G Baskaran, head of the centre for water resource management, and T V S Padmaja, principal of Valliammal College for Women, belonged to the Professors Forum, while professor E Murugan was from the Madras University Teachers Association.

At the university’s Senate meeting on Saturday, the varsity moved a resolution to adopt the modified regulations 2021 relating to admission of PhD, conduct of PhD programme, evaluation of thesis and award of PhD degree