New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has notified regulation for minimum standards and procedure for awards of M.Phil and Ph.D Degree in the year 2009. This was done in order to maintain quality in the Doctoral Research Programme of Universities.

The Regulations laid down the eligibility criteria for M.Phil and Ph.D Supervisor, procedure to be followed for admission into these programmes, procedure for allocation of supervisor and evaluation and assessment methods for awarding the degree.

According to the UGC guidelines, institutes will have to follow an academic sessions as notified by the central government and would also not be allowed to offer distance education courses. It would be compulsory for the institute to offer at least 5 postgraduate courses and each department would be required to have a minimum stipulated permanent faculty.

The regulations by UGC also stipulate a five year long term for Vice Chancellors as well as the creation of posts and governing bodies such as Pro-Vice Chancellor, Registrar, a Board of Studies, Board of Management that has a central government nominee, an Academic Council, a Planning and Management Board and a Finance Committee.

Now, the Regulations have also made it mandatory for one semester course, compulsory viva-voce and evaluation by at least two experts, one of which should be an outsider.

This Regulation is applicable to every University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, Provincial Act or a State Act, every institution including a constituent or an affiliated college recognized by the UGC and every institution deemed to be a university under section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.

This information was given by Dr. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State for Human Resource in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on Wednesday.