UGC lifts ban on degree courses
NEW DELHI, Oct 11, DHNS:

In a move that may come as a sigh of relief to many students, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has lifted its ban on awarding M Phil and PhD degrees through distance learning programmes.


The higher education regulator, however, has put a condition that open universities will have to “strictly” follow the provisions of the UGC regulations to conduct such programmes. UGC norms lay down several criteria, including course work, evaluation of thesis by experts outside the state and viva voce. The commission has also mandated that for undertaking PhD under distance education mode, the principal guide of the candidate should be from within the open university. A joint guide, wherever necessary, could be from outside the university.

But, a teacher should not have more than two candidates under his supervision as a joint guide. In its last meeting, the commission also took note of the fact that its regulations formulated in 2009 were silent with regard to academic, administrative and infrastructural requirements to be fulfilled by a university for offering M.Phil or Ph.D. programmes.

Source: Deccan Herald 12-10-11