PhD programme sans permission leaves students in the lurch

SHIMLA: The alleged negligence by Arni University, Kathgarh (Indora) in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh in procuring necessary approvals before starting education courses has put the future of a large number of students of the institute in the lurch.
Twenty four students pursuing PhD in the university since 2011 have now found that the course is null and void.In a letter dated May 5, 2012, the Himachal Pradesh secretary, higher education, had informed the university registrar about running PhD programmes without permission. On April 23 this year, the department of higher education informed the university that the course was null and void.
"It is observed that the university has started PhD courses with a total enrolment of 87, which is very large number of students, who have been admitted without permission and adequate facilities being created before starting the PhD programmes. Hence, consideration for these PhD programmes will be reviewed by the government separately. No PhD course is allowed in any discipline for the academic session 2012-13 till the finalization of this issue," said the letter from secretary, higher education.
"The university knew from the beginning that PhD programme was not approved but allowed admissions and took around Rs 1.10 lakh fee per student. Now, when these students have completed their research, university officials are expressing their helplessness in awarding the degrees," said Bhartendu Chaudhary, a PhD student of chemistry at Arni University.
Another PhD student of management, Priyankur said that the university had issued advertisement an in 2011 before conducting PhD admissions and had made no mention of programmes not being approved. "We took the entrance examination conducted on August 12, 2011, cleared the interview and then got the admission. Now, after three year's research our future appears uncertain," he said.
Students claim the university is now offering them MPhil degrees instead of PhD. Bhartendu added, "We have already done MPhil, then why would we have the same degree again?" He said they have decided to move court on the issue in the first week of December.
University vice-chancellor S K Kaushal, though, tried to clarify on the issue, saying that in 2011 a meeting of private universities was held with the principal secretary education in which it was agreed that universities fulfilling the UGC norms could start PhD programmes. He said the university started PhD courses after complying with the UGC norms and conducted admissions for the same.
"Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission during an inspection had pointed out some deficiencies which were taken care of by the university. Correspondence continued all these years and we have addressed all their concerns. But now all of a sudden they have declared PhD courses null and void,'" he added.
Kaushal claimed that after admitting PhD students, the university had returned the fee of 54 students while the remaining students had expressed the desire to continue with their research. "Had the government or regulatory commission declared the degree null and void in the initial stage, students would have been saved from harassment," he said.
Himachal Pradesh Private Educational Institutions Regulatory Commission, secretary, Manoj Chauhan said the commission could not take action against the university as it started PhD courses before the commission was set up in the state. Besides, he added, irregularities at Arni University came into the fore during an inspection conducted by the commission.