AICTE proposed PhD framework focusing on responsible AI usage to boost research integrity
New guidelines will allow retired professors to supervise scholars, which can help retain valuable expertise
Priyadarshini.Gupta@timesofindia.com 29.09.2025
To strengthen PhD regulations in technical education, the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) task force has drafted a new regulatory framework that enhances the quality, rigour, and relevance of doctoral research, including the mandatory AI disclaimer from researchers. The proposed guidelines reintroduce mandatory publication requirements, set authorship rules, allow retired professors to guide students, and impose stricter quality standards for dissertations. The taskforce, under the chairmanship of KR Venugopal, former vicechancellor, Bangalore University, has been approved by the AICTE Executive Council and is now with the Ministry of Education for final clearance.
Authorship Concern
Since the AICTE had relied on the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s PhD regulations till now, the proposed regulations will boost the research ecosystem. Prof Venugopal says, “There are persisting gaps in the current system that have weakened the quality and credibility of research. One of the major issues was the removal of the mandatory publication requirement in 2022, which had earlier existed in the 2016 regulations. Without this, many research scholars began completing their degrees without publishing any substantial work, making it difficult to evaluate their research. The new framework will reintroduce mandatory publication, not only to ensure that students contribute to peer-reviewed journals but also to provide them with recognition, which is crucial for their career prospects and academic validation. In the absence of these norms, there were instances when supervisors claimed first authorship even when the bulk of the work was done by students. Besides, the guides misused the work of their mentee for their own benefit.”
A prominent challenge in the existing system is overburdened faculty members, especially in private colleges, where professors have to handle administrative responsibilities such as admissions, grading, filling forms, and managing inspections, in addition to teaching multiple subjects. Drawing comparisons with practices in Western countries, Prof Venugopal says that retirement should not restrict professors from guiding new researchers. “The faculty find little time or energy to meaningfully guide research students. To address this, the new framework suggests that retired professors and experienced academics be allowed to continue guiding PhD students, ensuring that valuable expertise is not lost after retirement and that faculty who are less burdened can provide stronger mentorship,” he adds. Beyond publication and supervision, there are often problems with the quality of theses and dissertations. Prof Venugopal says, “Many submissions are poorly written, lacking in proper formatting, citations, and references, which undermines the academic value of the work. The new guidelines set clearer standards and guide students on how dissertations should be structured, including aspects such as font size, referencing styles, bibliography formats, and overall presentation. This is intended to improve the professionalism and readability of doctoral work, while also training students in essential academic writing skills that are often missing.” The new guidelines have also proposed a measure to reward merit and efficiency by allowing high-achieving students to submit their theses after two-and-a-half years instead of waiting for the standard three years, provided they have published quality research papers in recognised journals, including Scopus-indexed Q1 journals. Institutional delays have been a persistent problem, with registration processes of students often taking two to three months. “While many institutions have separate research departments and councils on paper, in practice, they do not function effectively. Research is not being taken seriously. The framework calls for a dedicated research department in institutions, strict timelines, and effective monitoring,” he says.
There are several cases of exploitation by the guide. Prof Venugopal says, “It is found that guides sometimes exploit students, delaying approvals, or demanding undue favours. Furthermore, mandatory progress reviews are often skipped. Beyond procedural issues, institutions lack adequate infrastructure such as wellequipped laboratories for experimental research.”
Plagiarism Check
Meanwhile, while AI use is allowed for research work, it should account for less than 20% of the overall thesis and be properly cited, similar to plagiarism disclaimers. HEIs must have a mechanism using well-developed software applications to detect plagiarism/ AI-generated content in research work. V Rajendran, VC, AMET University, Chennai, says, “The framework also opens doors for industry professionals. For instance, BTech graduates with three to five years of work experience and a strong academic record (minimum CGPA of 7.0–7.5) can directly register for a PhD without a postgraduate degree. Students will be allowed to pursue translational research, regardless of their basic degree, thereby encouraging collaboration between fields such as engineering, science, literature, and medicine.” Formalising DSc Degree For the first time, AICTE has also formalised the Doctor of Science (DSc) degree. Until now, no standardised guidelines existed in India.
The new framework requires candidates to demonstrate substantial post-PhD research output such as publishing at least 50 papers with a combined impact factor of 100 writing books or filing patents. They must also have guided aminimum number of PhD scholars. Unlike the honorary degrees often granted through influence, the DSc aims to genuinely reward senior academicians and industry experts for their contributions. Even professionals from industry without a PhD, but with significant experience, can qualify
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