NGO files PIL in Delhi High Court Contradicting M.Phil, Ph.D. Norms set by UGC

An NGO, named Forum of Indian Legists, filed a PIL in the Delhi High Court challenging the regulations set by the UGC regarding the award of M.Phil and Ph.D. degrees as well as the faculty appointment in various educational institutions in India. The High Court has directed UGC to send a response in this regard.

A bench of Delhi High Court Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal issued a notice to UGC seeking a reply regarding the petition that claims that the norms will negatively impact the ad-hoc teaching staff across all educational institutions in the country.

The petition stated that as per the 2016 regulations of UGC, Ph.D. and M.Phil degree holders were exempted from the NET in order to be appointed as faculty members at universities and higher education institutes. However, now such candidates will have to clear NET in order to be eligible for permanent as well as ad-hoc teaching posts.

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Members of the NGO added that with 50% of DU’s teaching staff working on ad-hoc basis, most of the faculty members will become ineligible to teach as per the new norms.

They further added that candidates who were awarded Ph.D. degrees prior to 2009 and now have a valuable teaching experience in the academia will also be unable to teach due to the new regulations.

The plea also challenged the minimum standards set by UGC basis which Ph.D. and MPhil degrees will be awarded to candidates.

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According to the new UGC norms, MPhil degrees and Ph.D. thesis submitted between July 2009 and January 2017 will become invalid. The next hearing regarding the same case has been scheduled for July 19, 2017.