Delhi University Approves Direct PhD After 4-Year UG; Decision Divides Faculty

Delhi University: The University of Delhi (DU) has passed a substantial change in its Ordinance VI on PhD through an Academic Council meeting. According to the new regulations, a graduate from the Four Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) will be eligible to join the PhD program directly, without pursuing Masters or MPhil degrees. This decision will align the DU regulations with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the 2022 UGC PhD regulations. Nevertheless, this policy has invited a heated discussion among the faculty members as well as Academic Council Members. 

The advocates of the policy believe that it will help to accelerate the process of entry of talented youth into the realm of research by reducing the time spent academically up to two years, owing to the research methodological and dissertation work involved in the fourth year of FYUP. To maintain the quality of the program, candidates are required to have obtained at least 75% marks (or CGPA 7.5) and pass national level examinations such as UGC-NET or CSIR-NET. Contrarily, faculty members and council members who are against the policy raise significant concerns about the depth of concepts.

Arguments Supporting the Move (Pro-NEP Perspective)

• Simplified Doctoral Research Pathway: Saves a year or two of the overall time taken to complete one's doctorate degree, thus motivating young people to undertake research.

• In-built Undergraduate Research Experience: Under the 4 Year Undergraduate Curriculum Framework (UGCF 2022), final year undergraduates have to study research methods and write their dissertations.

• Compliance with UGC Norms: Ensures that Delhi University's doctoral regulations align with national norms established by the University Grants Commission.

Delhi University: Key Highlights of the New PhD Rules