JNTU-affiliated private colleges can offer PhD programmes

This first-of-its-kind initiative in Telangana will result in more candidates pursuing doctoral programmes at the university

Hyderabad: Private colleges affiliated to the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) – Hyderabad can now enrol candidates for PhD programmes in various disciplines.

This first-of-its-kind initiative in the State will result in more candidates pursuing doctoral programmes at the university. At present, only university campus colleges offer PhD programmes.

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As many as 1,200 faculty members applied for research supervisor and about 500 were shortlisted in 113 private affiliated colleges. The university has mandated a minimum of two years of teaching experience post the PhD and publication of a minimum five papers in reputed journals to be eligible for the supervisor position.

To maintain the quality of research, the university on a pilot decided to allot only one research scholar per faculty member as against a maximum of eight candidates to one professor as in the university campus colleges. A maximum of five PhD part-time scholars have been permitted to each department, subject to the availability of supervisors.

The research supervisor position comes with a rider – they are not allowed to change the workplace. If they do so, the university will withdraw recognition of the guideship and research scholars will be allotted to another supervisor in the university colleges.

However, this norm has not gone down well with the Technical & Professional Institutes Employees Association Telangana State (TPIEA-TS). “Not allowing the faculty to change the institution during the guideship is nothing but treating them as bonded labour. If this is the case, the university must ensure the faculty receive all benefits including entire salary and job security from the respective colleges,” TPIEA-TS president Dr V Balakrishna Reddy said.

Private colleges wanting to offer PhD programmes have to endorse a list of research facilities available in the college before issuing notification inviting applications. The applications will be scrutinised by the University Board of Studies chairperson and selection of candidates will be through a written examination followed by an interview by a selection panel that includes a university nominee.