Varsities shutting doors on distance mode PhD holders

Nellore: Those who pursued Ph D courses through distance mode are in a piquant situation as cannot apply for any teaching post of any varsity, though technically their degrees are valid.

The reason is the University Grants Commission (UGC), which says on one hand that degrees obtained through distance more are equal on par with regular ones, but on the other hand makes it clear that candidates applying for teaching posts should have completed their courses through regular mode only.

This is pathetic story hundreds of candidates with doctoral degrees of various subjects who are not eligible to apply for any teaching job in varsities. The approval of Distance Education Bureau (DEB) for the courses counts for nothing in this case.

Secretary, Distance Education Bureau, Prof Rajnish Jain issued a circular on February 22 stating that there was no disparity between regular and other degrees pursued through Open and Distance Learning modes/institutions and they are valid under UGC guidelines of 2017.

But, contradicting this, the UGC proposed in its draft regulations (February 2018) for appointment of teachers that only candidates who have been awarded degrees under regular mode eligible for any teaching posts, thus indirectly discouraging candidates with degrees in distance mode.

The then DEC banned Ph D in distance mode with effect from 2009. To cash in eagerness of students who want to earn doctorate degree, Dravidian University enrolled about 8,000 candidates for last batch, with only 50-member faculty.

Though UGC lifted ban on the PhD degrees in distance mode in 2011 after widespread protests across the country by varsities and the open education institutions, it stipulated strict guidelines making it mandatory for the universities to restrict to eight Ph D scholars and five M Phil students per a guide.

But, the students who enrolled themselves during 2009 completed their degrees and are now applying for various teaching posts where they were getting negative reply. The recent draft proposal of the UGC also sent them into tizzy as they cannot again complete the degree through regular mode. Most of teachers working in the varsities and private institutions have enrolled for the PhD degree during 2009 thinking that they would find some prospects of important jobs in state varsities with the doctoral degree.

Very recently, the UGC again clarified in March 2017 that Ph D degrees obtained through distance mode will no longer be recognised and only full-time and part time programmes will be treated as degrees.

So, hundreds of candidates with doctoral degrees are now planning to move the court for directions on humanitarian grounds as there were confusing directions from the UGC from time to time.

“We have been facing problems since we completed the degrees. Many students who formed into social media groups are discussing their future. We will take an appropriate decision on our future,” said S T Naidu from Andhra University who is leading a group of PhD degree holders.

By PV Prasad