Never-ending PhD process hurts varsities’ NIFR score
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BHUBANESWAR: The lack of guides and the delay in the registration of PhD scholars in state universities has led to frustration among academics and poor performance in national rankings.
A scholar from Utkal University said he, along with three of his friends, had completed PhD coursework in 2015, but could not submit their thesis synopsis before the subject research committee (SRC) till 2018 as no guides were available. “Even after the SRC cleared our proposals, we are yet to be registered as PhD students. If a scholar has to wait for years to be registered as a PhD student, what research output can we expect from the university?” an aggrieved scholar said.
A professor of a state university said a proper time frame for PhD students was needed, starting from clearing the entrance test to getting the degree. “Nobody takes responsibility for this mess. This is one reason why we can’t get a good rank in National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF),” he explained.
The recently published NIRF rankings showed poor research output by state-run universities. Only Utkal managed to get a rank of 96 in the university category. Sambalpur University found a place in the rank band of 101-150, while Berhampur University secured a place in the rank band of 151-200 in the same category.
Research and professional practice (RP) is among the five parameters NIRF works with to rate an institution. Each parameter has 100 marks. Utkal secured only 11.5 in RP because of poor research output. “If this is the situation of a premier institution, what can we expect from other state universities?” wondered a professor.
Official sources said a university should award 250 to 300 PhD degrees every year to get a good score, but most award only around a 100.
Asoka Kumar Das, vice-chairman of Odisha State Higher Education Council, said the government was trying, through the Odisha University Research and Innovation Incentivisation Plan, to make things better. “But the issue of PhD students rests with universities alone,” he added.