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The University Grants Commission (UGC) has lifted the two -year-old ban on distance MPhil and PhD courses. The move comes after widespread protests by various universities. Many Open Learning Universities like IGNOU were protesting the ban on the ground that their respective laws, passed by Parliament or legislatures, allowed them to offer such courses.
UGC held a meeting on the issue last month, deciding to lift the ban. โAn open university may be permitted to conduct MPhil/PhD programmes through distant education mode subject to condition that it does so strictly as per the provisions of the UGC Regulations,โ said the minutes of the meeting.
Speaking on the development, IGNOU vice-chancellor Rajasekharan Pillai said, โWe will follow the rules but our regulations are already stricter than those of the UGC.โย
Although, UGC has lifted the ban but it has put another condition for Phd โ the principal guide should be from the open university. The UGC had clamped the bar by notifying a rule โ the Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awards of MPhil/PhD Degree Regulation โ in 2009 saying research courses in the distant mode were of poor quality.ย
The regulations had put a question mark on the future of nearly 10,000 students pursuing such courses across the country.โThere should not be any blanket ban on MPhil or PhD in distance mode. If institutions meet the required quality parameters, they should be allowed to offer such courses,โ said academic M. Madhava Menon, who has been asked by the HRD ministry to draft a policy on distance education. He said he would submit his report next month.
Inadequate infrastructure of many open universities is also a concern for carrying out research work.
A UGC official said the commissionโs regulations were silent on the facilities, and a panel headed by academic S.P. Thyagrajan had been set up to suggest the requirements. โWe will meet on September 15 to lay the guidelines,โ Thyagrajan said.
[Source:ย The Telegraph]
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Dear Friends
I do have strong reservations about this permission, however UGC is the top body which can take decisions.
First why NET is not strictly made compulsory which is perfectly allright and ensures the quality.
Second why people look for PhD instead of NET which does not need any guide but gives the similiar results in case of eligibility and qualification for the Lecturer or Asst Librarian in Univ.
Thirdly it is clear that PhD as it looks the easier short cut for getting the BAR cleared, so there must be strict rules adherence for perusing theย same.
Many may not agree with my views but I have by personal views in favour of our professional ethics and dignity.
regards
vijay
I support and agree with ย you. But my submission is that there must be option to go for PhD through Distance education who are worthy for the same.
This is a very good news for those who wants to acquire higher degrees. But it is a very bad news for the profession!! Soon we shall see that Persons with M.Phil or Ph.Ds in Library Science can be hired with a monthly consolidated salary of Three Thousand Rupees or @rs. 100/- a day!!
Many authorities will love to have book sorters in their libraries with Doctorate Degrees in Library Science.
I wish Good Luck to those who feel elated with the news!
Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta
Thanks sir for this great news
it will help people in pursuing phd along with job
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