MPhil courses: ‘Won’t accept such directives by UGC’

Kolkata: The tussle between the state and the Centre has once again jumped to the forefront with the Bengal government refusing to accept University Grants Commission (UGC) “dictum” that universities should not offer MPhil courses and must immediately stop admission to such programmes.

The UGC has warned universities against offering MPhil courses since, according to the commission, it is not a recognised degree. It has also cautioned students against taking admission in such programmes.

The state government has, however, made it clear that it will not accept such dictum of the UGC and will go by the State Education Policy.

“We will not accept such a direction by the UGC. We will act as per the guidelines of the educationists and experts of our state. We have to go through the entire directions of the UGC in this regard,” state Higher Education minister Bratya Basu said. .

The UGC has asked the universities to take immediate steps to stop admissions to MPhil programmes for the 2023-24 academic year. “Students are advised not to take admission in any MPhil programme,” UGC Secretary Manish Joshi had said on Wednesday. The MPhil programme was discontinued by the UGC in November 2022. Regulation number 14 of the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022 clearly states that higher educational institutions shall not offer an MPhil programme.

“The MPhil courses that commenced prior to the notification of the PhD regulations will not be affected. The existing students will be allowed to complete the courses for the award of MPhil,” the directive stated.