Shimla: Govt orders probe on irregularities alleged in PhD admission at university

SHIMLA: Following a complaint of alleged irregularities in the PhD admission in the University Institute of Technology (UIT), Himachal Pradesh University, the state government has directed the university authorities to look into the matter and take appropriate action. Abhishek Sharma, a resident of Himachal Pradesh currently working in Gurugram, in his complaint had alleged that 27 out of 28 departments in the HPU, except UIT, admitted the students on the basis of NET-JRF, CSIR JRF or on the basis of any other national scholarship.

The admissions were conducted in November 2024. As per the information procured through RTI by Sharma, the UIT has found one student eligible and his registration for the PhD programme will be finalised in the standing committee. The student is not getting scholarship/fellowship from any agency, whereas as per the advertisement, only students getting scholarships are eligible for PhD admission, he alleged.

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Complainant alleged violation of norms

Applications for direct admission (without entrance test) in PhD for the session 2024-25 in the university teaching departments were invited in September 2024. The complainant alleged it is a clear violation of norms. Twenty-seven departments admitted the candidate through proper channels, whereas one department, the UIT, has admitted the student without fellowship.

The RTI application had sought details regarding the names of scholarships/fellowships these candidates are getting and the UIT's information officer replied they were not getting any, Sharma said. When contacted, UIT Director Amarjeet Singh said the enrolment would be done by the standing committee. The PhD is starting for the first time in the institute and only one application was received and the process is underway.

Some people are alleging that the admission has been done but the final decision would be taken in the standing committee, he added. The admission notice on the UIT website says that as per the recommendation of the admission committee (electrical engineering) held on November 7, 2024, the candidate is directly admitted in the PhD programme. The candidate is directed to deposit the registration fee amounting to Rs 5000 along with other certificates. A four-member standing committee was constituted on January 15, 2025.