UGC: Ph.D. Degrees through Distance Education will not be Recognised

According to a circular forwarded by the UGC, the degrees granted for Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) programs completed through distance education will have no merit or recognition.

The circular dated March 17, 2017, also stated that programmes completed only through full-time and part-time curriculums will be considered as degrees.

The UGC has also updated the regulations for minimum education qualification basis which teachers and other academic staff are appointed in universities. As per the new regulations, only those candidates who have a regular mode Ph.D. will be considered for appointments.

The copy of UGC’s updated regulations regarding Appointment of Academic Staff in Universities was notified during the Gazette of India on July 11, 2016.

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However, various colleges across the country had asked for an exact definition of ‘regular mode’. Subsequent to this, the UGC clarified that only full time or part time Ph.D. degrees will be recognised.

The UGC has also asked the universities to upload information of the Ph.D. degrees received by their staff and students along with their mode of programme on their respective official websites.

Apart from open universities like IGNOU and YCMOU that offer distance learning Ph.D. courses, most of the universities offer only full-time Ph.D. programmes.

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M A Khan, Registrar of MU said that they only allow full-time research students or those scholars who are willing to pursue the same degree course part-time. He further added that no distance course are offered for Ph.D.