UGC's directive overruled; Universities to continue 'own entrance' for PhD

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite the UGC's directive that PhD admissions should be based on NET score, universities are conducting their own entrance exams. Kerala, Calicut, MG, Sanskrit, CUSAT and digital universities have decided to conduct entrance exams. It is alleged that the UGC directive is being ignored for the backdoor entry of preferred candidates.

UGC had suggested in March that candidates can apply for PhD in any university in the country based on their NET score. When this is sabotaged, students will have to take different entrance exams in many universities. Assessing that there is ambiguity in the UGC proposal, the Kerala Syndicate explained that the entrance will be conducted this year also so that students do not miss out on the opportunity.

Qualifying for the net is tough. At the same time, PhD admission can be obtained based on weightage marks in the interview if candidates pass the entrance exam. The entrance of the universities is such that the answers have to be written in detail. The marks are 70 per cent for the score and 30 per cent for the interview.

At present, there are two types of admission. Those who clear NET with Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and those who clear only NET qualification will get PhD admission without entrance. Admission can be given to those who do not clear NET exam based on their score in the entrance exam and interview. Admission to more than half of the seats is done this way.

Those who do not have a research degree will not be appointed as assistant professors in universities in Kerala. The entrance score of Kerala University has a validity of two years. In Sanskrit Varsity, the entrance exam notification was just put up on the website. Not even a press release was issued for the same. The time was extended till the 18th when students created a ruckus. 200 people have applied.

PhD offered by Kerala Varsity in a year: 450

Candidates applying for Kerala PhD entrance: 3000

Social Science leading

In Kerala, most of the research is in social science. Language, commerce, management and economics are next. Research in Science subjects is more in chemistry, engineering and medical fields.