Alleging delay and lack of communication from Madurai Kamaraj University regarding M.Phil and Ph.D admissions for next academic year, many affiliated colleges have begun to proceed with admissions on their own, disregarding University Grants Commission’s 2016 research guidelines adopted by the MKU recently.
The 2016 UGC regulations, which define minimum standards for the award of M.Phil and Ph.D degrees, bring in significant changes in the admission procedure with universities playing a major role instead of colleges. It also reduces the number of scholars a research guide can accommodate at a time.
As per the guidelines, the university should come up with a consolidated list of all M.Phil and Ph.D vacancies in the university and affiliated colleges. Later, a common entrance test should be conducted by the university to fill the seats.
“Sometime back, all colleges received a letter from the MKU asking them not to proceed with M.Phil and Ph.D admissions until further communication. However, we have not received any directions till now,” said M. Kannan, Principal, Saraswathi Narayanan College.
He said many other colleges, however, had already issued advertisements inviting applications for M.Phil courses.
Principal of another college in Virudhunagar district, which has already issued advertisements for M.Phil admissions, said they were going ahead since many aspects of the 2016 UGC regulations were unreasonable.
“The new regulations drastically bring down the number of M.Phil candidates we can admit. As this will deny opportunities for a large number of students, particularly those from socio-economically backward classes, some universities in the northern States have already challenged the regulations in court,” he said.
Moreover, he alleged that the MKU, apart from adopting the regulations, had not taken any steps to implement it. “By now, they should have come out with detailed procedures for admission and invited applications. How long can we wait?” he asked.
When contacted, a senior MKU official said steps were being taken for admission and there was no need for the colleges to jump the gun since there was ample time for M.Phil admissions.
Pointing out that Manonmaniam Sundaranar University had already begun the admissions as per 2016 regulations, he said the process in the MKU would commence soon.
“One of the petitions against the regulations has already been dismissed by Delhi High Court. Keeping in mind the interests of the students, the colleges should not commence admissions on their own in violation of procedures,” he said.
