MP education dept mandates online submission of PhD theses

Varsities in Madhya Pradesh have changed their rules to make it mandatory for PhD candidates to submit their theses in electronic form for final submission.

Published on: Dec 29, 2015, 20:57:18 IST

By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

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Varsities in Madhya Pradesh have changed their rules to make it mandatory for PhD candidates to submit their theses in electronic form for final submission. Under the new rules, which has been put into place to prevent plagiarism and other irregularities, students will not be allowed to submit their PhD thesis offline.

Barakatullah University had earlier launched an initiative to stop plagiarism, in which it checked for repetition in theses or research works through software. (HT file photo)

Students will now be required to submit all the document, from the synopsis to the final thesis, online.

Higher and technical education minister Umashankar Gupta said, “It is necessary to submit thesis online to put a check on plagiarism in research work. The process of converting the system has been initiated by the department. We are trying to finish it up before the next academic year so that online submission could start from July 2016.”

Barakatullah University had earlier launched an initiative to stop plagiarism, in which it checked for repetition in theses or research works through software. BU also received full copyright on theses of its PhD candidates under Intellectual Patent Regime (IPR).

However, academicians have argued against the latest move and have claimed that online submissions will not resolve the issue of plagiarism.

Retired professor and former academician at BU, Zameeruddin said, “Without data related to the studies, including the particular PhD topic, it is not possible to stop plagiarism with just online submission of thesis. The research work in PhD is not a terminal thing, it is directional. To check academic dishonesty, coordination among universities is necessary. Before starting online submission, the higher education department should have a list of all the research conducted in India so that repetition of topics could be stopped.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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