Govt to make PhD time-bound affair
Three-member panel to suggest changes to facilitate research across the state and stop delays in awarding doctoral degrees
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Wednesday, February 01, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120201201202010137459013700c479/Govt-to-make-PhD-timebound-affair.html)
Bottlenecks in research and doctoral study will soon be a thing of the past if the government’s decision to implement a new plan from the new academic year goes through.
The Department of Higher Education has set up a three-member committee to fix a time frame for universities across Gujarat to decide on a doctoral thesis from entrance test to notification. The committee comprising Dr Shashi Ranjan Yadav, vice chancellor of Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kachchh University; Dr Harish Padh, vice chancellor of Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar and Dr Dakshesh Thakkar, vice chancellor of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, will submit a report within two months to the government. Once the report is submitted, the higher education department intends to put the new rules in place from June, when the new academic year begins.
Sources said a majority of complaints were received from Gujarat University, where a student after submission of a PhD thesis had to spend more time in table work, running to get his/her dissertation cleared from the university.
Another reason for creating the new set of rules is the lack of research culture in the state. Compared to other states, in colleges and universities there is very little research. University Grants Commission (UGC) and other central government grants for research have remained unused in the past. Teachers and students will be taught on how and where to apply for a research grant.
Research work shouldn’t stop after getting a PhD degree. Regular presentation of seminar papers every year and promotions based on such submissions by teachers have also been proposed, besides emphasising on research methodology.
The best research papers will be published in journals. These journals in nine educational streams, including arts, commerce and science, will be published by the higher education department at regular intervals.
Till now, a student registered at a particular university had to preferably do his/her doctoral degree under a guide of the same university. However, this is set to change. Now, anyone can do a PhD from any university even though the guide is from another university. Moreover, a PhD from Dr Ambedkar Open University will also be recognised by the UGC.
Committee member Shashi Ranjan Yadav said, “We’ve had two meetings and we have created a basic framework. We are thinking of how entrance tests of different universities can be made into one common test. Norms for becoming guides also differ in different universities. We want to make it uniform. Focus will be on good quality research, so we want the best guides.”
Of the 87 per cent students who pursue undergraduate studies, only 11 go on to do post-graduate and only 1 per cent go for research, the vice chancellor said.
Yadav said that they have prepared a questionnaire to undertake a scientific survey among students. The survey seeks to understand why students don’t pursue research, what problems they face: financial, social or otherwise.
Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Wednesday, February 01, 2012 (http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/article/3/20120201201202010137459013700c479/Govt-to-make-PhD-timebound-affair.html)
Bottlenecks in research and doctoral study will soon be a thing of the past if the government’s decision to implement a new plan from the new academic year goes through.
The Department of Higher Education has set up a three-member committee to fix a time frame for universities across Gujarat to decide on a doctoral thesis from entrance test to notification. The committee comprising Dr Shashi Ranjan Yadav, vice chancellor of Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kachchh University; Dr Harish Padh, vice chancellor of Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar and Dr Dakshesh Thakkar, vice chancellor of Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, will submit a report within two months to the government. Once the report is submitted, the higher education department intends to put the new rules in place from June, when the new academic year begins.
Sources said a majority of complaints were received from Gujarat University, where a student after submission of a PhD thesis had to spend more time in table work, running to get his/her dissertation cleared from the university.
Another reason for creating the new set of rules is the lack of research culture in the state. Compared to other states, in colleges and universities there is very little research. University Grants Commission (UGC) and other central government grants for research have remained unused in the past. Teachers and students will be taught on how and where to apply for a research grant.
Research work shouldn’t stop after getting a PhD degree. Regular presentation of seminar papers every year and promotions based on such submissions by teachers have also been proposed, besides emphasising on research methodology.
The best research papers will be published in journals. These journals in nine educational streams, including arts, commerce and science, will be published by the higher education department at regular intervals.
Till now, a student registered at a particular university had to preferably do his/her doctoral degree under a guide of the same university. However, this is set to change. Now, anyone can do a PhD from any university even though the guide is from another university. Moreover, a PhD from Dr Ambedkar Open University will also be recognised by the UGC.
Committee member Shashi Ranjan Yadav said, “We’ve had two meetings and we have created a basic framework. We are thinking of how entrance tests of different universities can be made into one common test. Norms for becoming guides also differ in different universities. We want to make it uniform. Focus will be on good quality research, so we want the best guides.”
Of the 87 per cent students who pursue undergraduate studies, only 11 go on to do post-graduate and only 1 per cent go for research, the vice chancellor said.
Yadav said that they have prepared a questionnaire to undertake a scientific survey among students. The survey seeks to understand why students don’t pursue research, what problems they face: financial, social or otherwise.
