'No seat cuts for MPhil, PhD programmes'

Jawaharlal Nehru University Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Thursday confirmed that no seat cuts would take place for the MPhil and PhD programmes and that the new rules being adopted by the University are for the benefit of students and will not be applicable retrospectively.

"Unlike other courses, the number of seats in research programmes like MPhil and PhD are dynamic. Each student in these programmes needs individual attention. UGC [University Grants Commission] has allotted a fixed number of students to each professor," said Kumar. "We cannot exceed the number of students and further we cannot allow fresh students to join until and unless there are new vacancies," he added.

The V-C also conveyed that more MPhil and PhD seats will be created in the near future, as the University has advertised for recruitment of faculty. 300 vacancies — which include 19 in the PWD category, close to 90 vacancies in SC/ST categories and 190 vacancies for OBC categories — have been notified and recruitments will made in one year.

Further, Kumar stated that the new policy has been framed for the benefit of students. The concessions provided to the backward classes are 10 per cent for OBC and 30 per cent for ST/SC.