Panjab University issues guidelines for PhD admission, cancellation process

NEW DELHI: Panjab University (PU) has issued new guidelines for PhD admission. As per the new norms, candidates applying for PhD programmes in PU will not have to appear for the entrance exam if they have been already granted national or international fellowship for pursuing PhD. Those who are working as regular teachers in PU and its affiliated colleges will also be exempted from the PhD entrance test.

Students who have cleared the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) or Graduate Pharmacy Aptitude Test (GPAT) or any other national-level test for admission to PhD will be considered for enrolment in doctoral programmes. Students admitted in PhD programmes in the faculty of engineering after BE or BTech will have to get 20 credits during the coursework. They will have to get 12 credits as per the present regulations. The remaining 8 credits include 4 credits each for one core department subject and one open subject from the core or allied branches across the faculty of engineering, the PU said.

Research scholars enroled in the faculty of engineering can submit their PhD synopsis within 2 years of registration in the programme. As per PU rules, they can be given an extension of up to six months (total two-and-a-half years) for submission of their synopsis/approval of candidacy.

Procedure for PhD cancellation

The Panjab University has also approved the procedure for cancellation of PhD registration of research scholars who have missed their deadline for thesis submission. Department chairpersons will have to issue a notice to the scholars for submission of PhD thesis three months before the last date of the stipulated period. If no intimation is received from the concerned department by the last date for submission, the candidature will be considered cancelled. The case will be sent to the PU vice-chancellor for final orders.

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In case a request is received urging extension for the submission date beyond maximum time period, the competent authority will take it into consideration only if the same is recommended with the recorded reasons by the JAAC of the department.

For research scholars who fail to submit their thesis within the stipulated period, the process for cancellation of PhD registration, already initiated by the branch concerned, will continue with the vice-chancellor's orders.