UGC Relaxes PhD Norms for Women, Differently-Abled

Women will be provided maternity, childcare leave for up to 240 days in the entire duration of their MPhil or PhD.

To encourage women and the differently-abled to pursue research, the UGC has relaxed norms allowing students eight years instead of present six to complete PhD and three years instead of two to complete MPhil degrees.

In addition, women candidates will also be provided maternity, child care leave for up to 240 days in the entire duration of their MPhil or PhD degrees.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani, who announced the relaxation of norms by University Grants Commission (UGC) at a press conference in New Delhi, said the government aims to boost the entry of women and the differently-abled in the fields of research.

Last week, Irani, while releasing the domestic rankings for Indian educational institutes, had announced that the government had asked the regulator to consider relaxing the norms for women and the differently-abled.

Speaking at the conference where UGC chairman Ved Prakash and senior HRD officials were present, Irani said another key decision taken by the Commission pertains to autonomy about which “there has been a lot of debate” in the country.

In its meeting on Tuesday, the UGC has decided that a college which will be awarded the highest grades in two consecutive cycles of six years and ensures the highest grade in the third cycle will be granted autonomous status if it can get a ‘no-objection certificate’ from the university concerned.

This will grant them freedom to design curricula, prescribe syllabi, assess student performance and declare student results. There has also been “widespread debate on licence raj and vice grip of regulator on institutions of higher education”. It has also been decided that if an institute is accredited with highest grade in two cycles by NAAC and continues to do so in the third cycle, the validity of accreditation would be made seven years instead of the present five years.

Smriti Irani 

At the press conference, Irani also announced that in case of relocation of a woman PhD or MPhil scholar due to marriage or otherwise, research data shall be allowed to be transferred to the university to which the scholar intends to relocate, though subject to certain norms.

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