Academic Council member Maya John said having multiple admission routes for PhD programmes could create administrative and policy-related challenges.
The University of Delhi (DU) has recently amended its Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) regulations, allowing students to pursue a PhD directly after completing a four-year undergraduate programme. The move has received mixed responses from faculty members, with some raising concerns over possible ambiguities in admissions, while others have welcomed it as being in line with the National Education Policy (NEP).
The provision was approved by the Academic Council (AC). However, a dissent note submitted during the council meeting questioned the lack of clarity on how reservation norms would apply to four-year undergraduate students seeking direct admission to PhD programmes.
It argued that these students form a separate category but have been grouped with master’s and MPhil degree holders, which could create ambiguities in implementing reservation policies. On the other hand, several college principals welcomed the decision, calling it a significant step towards promoting undergraduate research.
“A Knee-Jerk” Reaction By University, Says Professor
Deshbandhu College professor Biswajit Mohanty said the provision has several shortcomings and described it as a “knee-jerk” reaction by the university.
“There will be intense competition between those entering through the National Eligibility Test (NET) route and those who get a direct opportunity after their undergraduate degree. It feels like a knee-jerk reaction by the university. The education structure is not stable enough to handle this kind of overburdening,” he said.
No Master’s Required For PhD
Teachers also said that removing the requirement of a master’s degree could affect the quality of research under doctoral programmes.
Miranda House faculty member Abha Dev Habib said postgraduate education plays a crucial role before students enter doctoral or research programmes.
“A PhD narrows down the domains. It is not broad and does not strengthen your foundation. Postgraduate studies give you the foundation for a subject, which later gives you the freedom to move from one domain of research to another. That kind of grounded understanding is very important,” she told media.
Habib also questioned the long-term viability of the provision, saying candidates who have completed both a master’s degree and a PhD may be preferred for assistant professor positions over those who directly enter a PhD after a four-year undergraduate programme.
“The university is making too many changes without thinking them through. A person who has completed a master’s degree and PhD from a good institution is likely to be preferred for the position of assistant professor over someone who directly enters a PhD after a four-year undergraduate programme,” she said.
Official Amendment Notice By DU
According to the official amendment, supernumerary seats have been recommended for admission to PhD programmes for:
“Undergraduate students who have completed four-year undergraduate programmes in the University of Delhi or its Colleges with at least 6.0 CGPA for UR/OBC/EWS and 5.5 CGPA for SC/ST/PwBD candidates and have at least one research publication in a Scopus-indexed journal as the First/Second/Corresponding author shall be considered for admission to Ph.D. programmes.”
The provision also allows eligible students to continue their research under the same faculty member who supervised them during their undergraduate studies. “If the student wishes to continue under him/her, provided the faculty member has a Ph.D. degree and research laboratory, as applicable.”
Academic Council member Maya John said having multiple admission routes for PhD programmes could create administrative and policy-related challenges.
“If there are so many parallel templates functioning for PhD admissions, it is going to create problems. The university is saying there will be supernumerary seats for students with Scopus-indexed publications who can directly enter PhD programmes. That creates a grey area regarding reservation,” she said.
Provision In Line With NEP 2020
Ramjas College Principal Ajay Kumar Arora said the provision aligns with the NEP’s vision of offering multiple academic pathways.
“This follows the provisions of the NEP, where there are various ways of advancing in one’s academic career. The one-year postgraduate programme will continue to run in parallel. Since students will have to publish research in Scopus-indexed journals, it will motivate them to engage in research early during their undergraduate studies,” he said.
Kirori Mal College Principal Dinesh Khattar said the college has already seen encouraging results under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP).
“Twenty-eight students from the previous FYUP batch have published research papers, with 10 of them getting published in Scopus-indexed journals. The new provision will encourage more students to pursue quality research,” he said.
Delhi University Dean of Admissions Haneet Gandhi said eligible students with Scopus-indexed publications would be considered under a separate supernumerary category for direct PhD admissions.
“There will be supernumerary seats through which students with Scopus publications can directly secure admission to PhD programmes. At the same time, a committee has been constituted to examine the possibility of increasing seats in the one-year postgraduate programme, and the matter is still under consideration,” he said.
