MU terminates registration of 553 PhD scholars due to lack of progress

The decision was taken at a recent academic council meeting, where cases of PhD candidates who had been enrolled for several years without any progress in their work were discussed, officials said

Mumbai: The University of Mumbai (MU) has decided to cancel the registrations of 553 doctoral scholars who have failed to complete their research within the maximum period permitted under the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules. The decision was taken at a recent academic council meeting, where cases of PhD candidates who had been enrolled for several years without any progress in their work were discussed, officials familiar with the matter told Hindustan Times.

Photo for representation (Hindustan Times)

“As per the guidelines, each PhD guide can supervise only a fixed number of students,” said a senior MU official. “The academic council decided to terminate the registration of 553 PhD candidates as the PhD guides could not accept fresh candidates.”

The university has, in recent months, received multiple complaints from students who had cleared the PhD entrance test but were not allotted guides for one or two years, another official said. Many departments have also said that their faculty cannot accept new doctoral scholars as students whose work had not progressed, in some cases for nearly a decade, were blocking seats, the official noted.

“According to UGC norms, the permissible duration for completing a PhD, including course work, is three to six years. Students are allowed an extension for up to another two years through re-registration, taking the maximum period to eight years,” said a member of the MU academic council.

Women candidates and persons with disabilities are eligible for an additional two-year extension, taking the total permissible duration to 10 years, the council member said.

All 553 students whose registrations have now been cancelled had exceeded these limits, the member added.

A senior professor and PhD supervisor at MU said many students struggle to continue their research after completing the coursework.

“There are students who realise during coursework that research is not their cup of tea. They delay the process at every stage, and their work simply does not move forward,” the professor said.

Another faculty member and PhD supervisor said that while lack of interest among PhD candidates in research was a major problem, some students had genuine difficulties.

“Students sometimes relocate, change jobs or shift their priorities after registering. These situations make it hard for them to continue, even if they want to,” he said.

Students whose registrations have been cancelled too echoed the sentiment. One doctoral scholar said she could not continue with her PhD due to personal issues.

“I had to step back after two years. I received reminders from my guide but never responded, thinking I would return to it within the eight-year period. But that never happened,” she said. Another PhD scholar from the pure sciences department said that she was unable to pursue her research as she relocated with her family after three years of enrolment and took up a job.