PhD should be made compulsory, says minister

The state’s higher and technical education department does not want to go back on its ordinance that makes a PhD compulsory higher for members of the governing bodies of universities.

The state’s higher and technical education department does not want to go back on its ordinance that makes a PhD compulsory higher for members of the governing bodies of universities.

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A delegation comprising current members of these governing bodies — the senate, academic and management councils — met Chief Minster Ashok Chavan on Tuesday and asked him to withdraw the ordinance.

But the education department has recommended to the chief minister that the ordinance stay.

The university senate elections are scheduled to be held in September.

“I have said that no changes should be made to the ordinance. He will, however, take the final decision on the matter,” said Rajesh Tope, the state’s higher and technical education minister.

The state had passed the ordinance in September last year. The ordinance also said that the deans of faculty, in addition to having doctorates, must have published at least three research papers in respected national or international journals and should be guiding PhD students.

The ordinance made it mandatory for representatives of graduate constituency to have 10 years’ experience after graduation.

Before the ordinance, academicians were required to have a masters’ degree and some had to clear a government exam.

Members have opposed it saying that the state is putting unnecessary conditions and that new regulations has made several members ineligible.

“We pointed out to the chief minister that several people will now be deprived from contesting the elections to the senate owing to ad-hoc eligibility conditions introduced,” said Madhu Paranjape, a senate member.