Hundreds of teachers to lose Ph D research guideship

By Mehboob Inamdar

Chhatrapati Sambhajiagar: Hundreds of teachers who do not have approval as full-time postgraduate faculty in the colleges within the jurisdiction of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada Univeristy (Bamu) will lose Ph D research guideship with the implementation of new norms.

It may be noted that University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022, were issued.

There are revised eligibility criteria for the allocation of a research guide (research supervisor) in these norms. In view of the norms, Bamu issued a circular on Friday stating that approved full-time postgraduate teachers teaching for PG courses will only be able to guide Ph D researchers henceforth.

Those who are teaching at undergraduate colleges and recognised as PG teachers will lose it. There are more than 1500 teachers who are Ph D research guides at research centres of the affiliated colleges within Bamu’s jurisdiction. The majority of them will lose Ph D research guide as they are teaching at the UG college.

This means that 150 faculty members working in the university will work as research guides. These guides have 300 Ph D seats currently. Academicians and researchers feel that the new norms should be made applicable to those who were allocated research guides after 2022.

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Future of fellowship Aspirants in darkness

There are more than 2,000 Ph D researchers who get fellowship likes from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute, Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Research, Training and Human Development Institute, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Research and Training Institute (Mahajyoti). Of them, 600-700 are in university departments while the remaining are in research centres. So, youths in future will not be able to get admission to Ph D nor will get research fellowships due to a shortage of research guides. Each selected candidate gets a Rs 31,000 to 41,000 monthly fellowship. Moreover, those who undertake Ph D research in private do not get fellowships.

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Effect on colleges, teachers

This will have an effect on colleges and teachers. There are points for guiding Ph D researchers in NAAC. The college which will not have a research guide will lose the points and ultimately have an impact on NAAC grade. Teachers may not get research projects and grants on losing the research guideship.

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Future of thousands of researchers in darkness

Principal of Kohinoor College and Senator Dr Shankar Ambhore said that the future of thousands of researchers would be in darkness due to the decision. “There is no space to sit except in some departments of Bamu. Teachers unions will agitate against those who were ineligible and allocated research guides. Aspiring researchers will be deprived of research opportunities in Marathwada as well in Maharashtra,” he added.

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Dream of obtaining the highest degree of education to be spoiled

Baliram Chavan, president of the Mahajyoti Research Students Action Committee said that the university issued a circular a few days ago and decided to implement the new UGC norms about research guide. “The dream of aspirants from ordinary families who want to pursue the highest degree in the field of education has been shattered. This decision has raised the question of the future of poor students,” he added.