The University Grants Commission (UGC) recently notified its latest Regulations 2022 to award the Ph.D. degree program. Some far-reaching changes have been introduced. and the removal of mandatory research publication and Ph.D. admission to four-year undergraduates with a one-year degree have caught the attention of many. While the sceptics of the new norms may have reasons for their apprehensions about the loss of quality, the reforms ushered in through the regulations are essential and were due for some time. 

Further, regulations are to be seen through the prism of both equity and excellence. A higher focus on equity comes at the cost of quality and vice versa. Regulations per se prescribe the minimum standards and allow institutions to peg higher standards as may be required. The new regulations have unburdened students from the compulsory publication of research papers, leading to not just the proliferation of predatory publications but also the ghost-writing of research pieces. The entry to four-year undergraduates with a one-year ‘ ‘master’s degree is envisaged by the National Education Policy (NEP) and in line with generally accepted stipulations of many foreign universities.

The new regulations have defined the broad contours and provided more space for higher education institutions to frame guidelines as per their choice and necessity to enhance quality. The following discusses how the universities could secure and promote the value of their doctoral programs.

Higher Admission Norms

The regulations require at least 55 percent in the postgraduate program and at least 75 percent for those seeking admission with a four-year degree. Institutions may determine a higher cut-off across the roster and admit students accordingly. Another area for improvement is the entrance exams conducted to admit students. Not all universities conduct entrance exams. Entrance exams ensure that only the students with adequate academic credentials cut. It promotes transparency by nullifying any scope for student admissions based purely on the personal rapport between the supervisor and the prospective student. The State governments or higher education councils may facilitate the conduct of standard entrance exams for all its public universities to ensure uniform standards. Top private universities need to fix higher standards.

Industry Collaborations

A notable feature of top universities is their collaborations with industry for research and innovation. The industry is usually eager to solve problems of society for commercial reasons, while the universities act as altruistic social guardians. The inherent complementarity is leveraged through the tie-ups between academia and industry. In addition to teacher-scholar interactions, the scholars need to be given a platform to engage with the industry during the coursework phase, when they broadly know their research area but not necessarily the final research topic. This will encourage scholars to direct their research toward solving real societal problems than working on abstract problems. Co-supervisors from the industry can rope in as much as possible and necessary to nurture collaboration, gain additional knowledge, and have different perspectives. 

Fellowships & Teaching / Research Assistantship

A section of doctoral students comprises those who have not found favour with the job market, and as such, their real inclination may not be research. On the contrary, few already employed may have more passion for research than employment, but economic compulsions would have excluded them from research programs. While fellowships are available, universities can also chip in with their budgetary support in addition to the existing fellowships, which are usually sponsored through the Union government. Institutions that place a premium on research must provide fellowships & Teaching / Research Assistantships generously to invite and retain scholars.

Incubation Offers

Students who do not have economic constraints may need entrepreneurial support. For those students with a flair for entrepreneurship, universities may provide opportunities to incubate their findings and help develop solutions and products. While this may not be possible in all universities, high-ranked public and private universities could provide support for translating research into monetisable forms. Most successful unicorns have come from universities.

Promoting Mobility

Collaborative work is rewarding and more so in research work. Universities can encourage scholars to undertake part of their research in industrial settings in any place. A scholar may be encouraged to take up course work or do research partly in another university if required, and complete the research in the parent university by allowing credit transfers and knowledge transfers. While the regulations require disclosing the scholar’s details and research work, Vidwan, an online repository for all researchers, can be tapped for networking and collaborations.

Transparent & Genuine Evaluation

While external evaluations are required, some universities send the theses to foreign universities. However, it would be beneficial if those foreign universities are reputed for their rigour and academic outcomes. With softcopies of the theses being available, each university can enlist foreign faculty and securely obtain a virtual evaluation. 

Regulations are only the minimum limits. Universities need to assert their academic freedom,  show academic responsibility and ensure that the doctoral programs are at least worth the duration of the program, if not more. 

Views expressed by the author are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.

Dr M Saravanan

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M.Saravanan has worked in public policy for over 12 years, focusing predominantly on higher education. Currently, he works as Deputy Registrar & Chief Finance Officer, Anurag University, Hyderabad. He has offered consultancy services to the Union and State governments, private organisations and educational institutions. He has a Ph.D. in development economics from the University of Madras. His areas of interest cover higher education, school education, skill development and economics. He had been a part of the editorial team of a journal and has published opinion pieces for Deccan Herald and Business Line.

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