Ph.D Registration Mahatma Gandhi University Guidelines

1. Eligibility for Application

A candidate who has passed the Post-graduate Examination in any discipline of Mahatma Gandhi University or of other Universities recognized as equivalent there-to securing not less than 55% marks in the aggregate shall be eligible to apply for registration for Ph.D. For SC/ST candidates, the minimum marks required for application is 50% in the aggregate in the Post-graduate Examination.

2. Mode of Admission

Admission to the Ph D programmes shall be made on the basis of (a) the eligibility criteria mentioned above; (b) a written aptitude test; and (c) an interview. JRF candidates and UGC Teacher Fellows shall be given preference in admission.

3. Aptitude Test/ Interview

The Doctoral Committees of the following University Departments shall be responsible for the research aptitude tests and interviews (as well as the organization of coursework) in the subjects indicated:

(1). School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies (Gandhian Studies, Social Work, Criminology)

(2). School of International Relations (International Relations, Political Science, Public Administration)

(3). School of Social Sciences (History, Economics, Sociology, Philosophy, Library and Information Science)

(4). School of Letters (English, Malayalam, Hindi, Sanskrit, Syriac, Arabic, Comparative Literature, Theatre Arts, Fine Arts)

(5). School of Behavioural Sciences (Psychology, Special Education, Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation Nursing)

(6). School of Bio-sciences (Bio-sciences, Botany, Zoology, Pharmacy)

(7). School of Chemical Sciences (Chemistry, Polymer Engineering)

(8). School of Computer Science (Computer Science, Mathematics, Applicable Mathematics)

(9). School of Pure and Applied Physics (Physics, Electronics, Statistics, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)

(10). School of Environmental Sciences (Environmental Sciences, Fishery Science, Home Science)

(11). School of Pedagogical Sciences (Education, Educational Psychology)

(12). School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences (Physical Education)

(13). School of Management and Business Studies (Management Studies, Business Administration, Commerce)

(14). School of Indian Legal Thought (Law)

4. Exemption from the Aptitude Test

The following categories of candidates are exempted from appearing for the Written Aptitude Test.

a. Teacher Fellows from University Departments and colleges selected under the UGC’s Teacher Fellowship Scheme or Faculty Development Programme.

b. Candidates who have become eligible for JRF in the NET/SLET or other Tests conducted by such Government bodies as UGC, CSIR and ICAR.

5. Registration for Research:

All candidates admitted to the Ph D programmes of the University shall initially be registered as full time research scholars in the University Departments, where they will be undergoing course work in their subjects/in the broad area of their research.They will spend a whole year (2 semesters) in the University Departments as Full time research scholars.

6. Course Work

Each student admitted to the Ph D programme shall be required to undertake course work for a period of one semester within a continuous period of two semesters. The course work shall be organized by the University Departments in the subjects coming under their purview as well as in allied and related subjects, as outlined in column 3 above. The course work shall be worth 12 credits and shall have the following components:

(a) A course in Research Methodology (4-credits);

(b) A course that will be in an area allied or related to the area of research (4 credits); and

(c) A course in the area of research which will include detailed review of the current status of scholarship in the area (4 credits).

Candidates with M Phil shall be exempted from the course in Research Methodology. The course work in their case shall be limited to two courses of 4 credits each. No student who has not acquired a minimum Grade Point Average of 5 shall be qualified to continue research. A candidate who fails to acquire the minimum GPA of 5 can avail of another chance to improve his/her GPA by repeating the end-semester exams for the courses to be held a year later. No further chance for improving the evaluation of the course work shall be given. Such candidates cannot continue Ph D research.

7. Place of Research.

Research shall be carried out by a Research Scholar in a University Department or in a Research Centre in an Affiliated College or in an institution recognized as a Research Centre. However the first two semesters of the period of research shall invariably be spent in the University Department that has been identified for specific subjects

8. Conversion to Part-time Research

All Ph D students shall initially be registered for Full-time research in the University Departments. After one year of full-time research, the students can elect to shift to a Research Centre in an Affiliated College or in an institution recognized as a Research Centre. The following categories are eligible to apply for conversion of their research to part-time after one year:

a) Teachers in the University Departments and affiliated colleges in the state.

b) Regular employees working in Government/ Quasi-government institutions

c) Teachers working in Government and Aided educational institutions in the state.

d) Teachers working in the institutions run by the Mahatma Gandhi University

e) Scientists working in accredited R&D institutions and Clinical Psychologists attached to Government/Quasi-government organizations.

9. Other conditions

a) Persons applying for conversion of their research to part-time shall produce a “No Objection Certificate” from their employers.

b) Foreign candidates shall be registered for research only if they are on visas issued for research scholars / students and with the necessary clearance from Government of India.

10. Number of candidates under a Supervising Teacher:

i. A Supervising Teacher shall not have, at any given point of time, more than eight Ph.D. scholars working under him/her. However, in the case of the Supervising Teachers in the University Departments, the Doctoral Committee can allot Teacher Fellows under the TFS of the UGC, JRF holders, SC/ST candidates or foreign scholars irrespective of the ceiling of eight, but the total number of research scholars is not to exceed ten under such a supervising teacher.

ii. A Supervising Teacher shall not guide any of his close relatives as research scholars. Explanation: A close relative means and includes spouses, parents, children, brother, sister, first cousins, nephew, nieces, uncles, aunts and in-laws.

11. Allocation of Supervising Teachers:

The allocation of the Supervising Teacher for a selected candidate shall be decided by the Doctoral Committee in a formal manner at the time of interview depending on such factors as the specialization of the supervisors and the research interest of the candidate.

12. Period of Research.

i. The minimum period of research required by a candidate for submission of the thesis from the date of registration shall be two years (4 semesters) for M.Phil, M.Ed., M.Sc. (by research), Master of Letters and M.Tech degree holders if the research is in the subject in which the candidate has taken the above qualifying degree. In all other cases, the minimum period of research required is three years (6 semesters) for thesis submission.

ii. The maximum period of research shall, if the period is not specified otherwise, generally be five years (10 semesters) for full-time and eight years (14 semesters) for part-time research.

13. Date of Application

a. The applications can be submitted Online only.