scorecardresearch
Friday, March 29, 2024
Support Our Journalism
HomeIndiaEducation50% jump in PhDs since 2011, govt wants study on how good...

50% jump in PhDs since 2011, govt wants study on how good many of them actually are

UGC invites proposals for 6-month study to assess the quality of PhD theses done in the last 10 years, across both private and public institutions.

Follow Us :
Text Size:

New Delhi: The number of PhD aspirants is surging in India but the government wants to ensure they are of good quality too.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), the higher education regulator, has invited proposals for a six-month study to assess the quality of PhD theses done in the last 10 years, across both private and public institutions.

The government hopes to bring about quality improvement in research.

The enrolment in PhDs in India has been constantly increasing, with a 50 per cent jump between 2011 and 2017. According to the higher education data available with the Ministry of Human Resource Development, PhD enrolments rose to 1,61,412 in 2017 from 81,430 in 2011.


Also readModi govt now says PhDs on ‘national priorities’ was a bureaucratic blunder


UGC wants study to cover all institutions

The UGC circular inviting the proposals has made it clear that the study should cover different disciplines across all institutions.

“The scope of the study will involve the PhD theses in different disciplines in various central universities, state universities, state private universities and deemed to be universities in the last 10 years,” the proposal reads.

It adds that the emphasis should be on quality assessment. “The study has to be pan-India and may give findings at the national as well as at the state level with regard to the quality of PhD theses indicating the quality aspects proposed by the interested parties,” it said.

“Research conducted in India has come under criticism for a long time now,” said a senior official in the HRD ministry. “Various quarters of people, including academicians and subject experts say that the quality of PhDs being done in India is not up to the mark and we realise it as well. This is the reason we have decided to commence a dedicated study to find out what is wrong with the PhD theses in India.”

The UGC has invited applications from the public and anyone who is interested, which can include researchers, analysts or academicians. Those who want to apply for conducting the study need to submit an application with their track record, capabilities and the method they will choose to conduct the study. The commission will then shortlist from a list of applications to commence the study.

The ministry official said the inputs will be used to formulate a policy for research.


Also readMPs, MLAs who are lecturers, teachers can continue teaching, will be paid salary: UGC


 

Subscribe to our channels on YouTube, Telegram & WhatsApp

Support Our Journalism

India needs fair, non-hyphenated and questioning journalism, packed with on-ground reporting. ThePrint – with exceptional reporters, columnists and editors – is doing just that.

Sustaining this needs support from wonderful readers like you.

Whether you live in India or overseas, you can take a paid subscription by clicking here.

Support Our Journalism

8 COMMENTS

  1. It should be reviewed every two years. Some people take up PhD to get facilities like stripent of 25,000, library and hostel for preparing UPSC civil services examination or any other exam. This is gross misuse of public money.

  2. what the thesis review of last ten years would do ?
    In my opinion thesis review and study of the data related to paper’s content,quality,citations (self citations and otherwise) etc would be equivalent to the “CENSUS DATA” why i am saying so. we all know that census data helps in knowing which states are poor and which are rich. where the poor reside and it helps in identifying the poor and needy in the country.which state is poor/lacks quality life (human development index) with this data govt can launch schemes for the poor and poor states.Govt can make a spectrum of policy for the poor or to increase the standard of living of the poor and so on and so forth. similar effect will happen if we are able to have the “research data” related to the research which happened in the last ten years in the universities (state/center), IITS/IISC/IISERS/NITS and research institutes.

    We need to explore the following:
    if the research done was relevant for present day needs or was it just to get a phd i.e research which exists only on the paper.
    if the research that is being done, is done only to get promotions etc so as to simply increase the number of papers to show in the profile.
    Quality of the paper and amount of money spent on scholarship and other equipment etc in effect a kind of “research audit”
    if the research published could have been commercialised etc all these are worth exploring ideas in the data generated.

    Now if we have this data after “comprehensive research review”, the govt can make an effective policy to enhance the research output and also to increase its quality and so on. we can make policy to generate our own indegenious technology which we buy from foreign countries (usually show them as indegenious).policies can be made to utilise the potential talent i.e young human resource for constructive roles. these policies can lead to eceonmic growth and so on .looking at the data,policy can be made to make our HEI’s more efficient and global:so that they are able to produce best research and human resource. this data can tell us: which HEI is lacking and which is performing well and so on.in my opinion this is a first good step in reforming our universities………

  3. Increase in PhD is a good indicator for india,s growth in academic region. But yes we should ensure wheather it is upto the mark or not. As I am concern , PhD is the highest degree in academic part. It is too difficult for the candidate to do some new work in their relevant field. But those who have dedication towards research even after many problematic situation they tried, failed and atlast overcome with solution. Before candidate gets his PhD degree, the work/the thesis has to be sent for evaluation to many reviewers within india as well foreign. Based on their comments only, a candidate is eligible for PhD degree. But after all these if any compromise is happening in PhD level it should be taken care by government. But my sincere request to our new government is that make sure you are providing much facility to the scholar for his new findings. Because as per indian society nature, everybody has expectations without providing minimal ammenities.
    Also made enough opportunity of employment in India after completion of this higher degree . I have personally realised, in Central Govt. Institute like IITs, IISc, NITs …there is always a pressurefrom top, for placement of undergraduates as compare to PhDs. If the top level dont understand that PhD requirement placement is also equally important for Institute as well as country… Then who else.

  4. PhD takes a heavy toll in the minds of the candidates, which shouldn’t be the case. Also being a PhD student requires a lot of grit and determination, and it is one of the most recognized and honored degree.
    But it’s sad that the PhD students do not get job. This should be taken as the highest priority by the government. Also getting a PhD is easier now than ever. This is also a reason for shortage of jobs. Creating advance research centres which could employ a chunk of PhD degree holders can be a solution. I mean that’s the reason why a person goes for a PhD, he loves research.

  5. About the standard of some PhDs, I am once again reminded of what Shekhar Gupta revealed in one of the TV programs many years ago. Apparently, there has been a PhD thesis in Hindi, titled:

    HINDI SAHITYA MEIN LOTEY KA MAHATV.

    (“Importance of a Lotaa in Hindi Literature”)

    A “lotaa” as we all know is a spherical tumbler which is used in households to carry or store water, milk etc.

  6. Ok great. But thorough review isn’t just the solution. Providing with the right resources, exposure, awareness and a conducive environment for research is equally important. I wonder what kind of steps are being taken towards such goal.

  7. Increase in rise of PhD enrolments during last few years should be a good thing for India. China is still way ahead of India in producing number of PhDs per year. However, if the quality of research is not good and it’s not useful to India, it’s a waste of public money. Another aspect that should get focus is gainfully employing these PhD holders. This term of Modi rule must get focus on job creation. Though it may look outdated, I’ll suggest government should promote manpower intensive businesses such as SMEs and discourage automation wherever it’s rational to do so.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular