Pune: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) identified over 1,000 PhD candidates who enrolled in 2020 but are inactive and yet to complete their PhDs, potentially blocking seats for future aspirants.Under UGC regulations, a PhD programme must have a minimum duration of two years, excluding coursework, and a maximum of six years. Extensions may be granted by individual institutions under their statutes, including provisions for women and people with disabilities. Officials said the university is conducting hearings to establish how many candidates have abandoned their research without formally cancelling their registrations, how many are still pursuing their PhDs and are seeking extensions.The exercise is aimed at assessing the status of these registrations, particularly given the limited number of PhD guides and the cap on the number of scholars each can supervise.“We found that some students had left the program and were not in communication with their guides. There are multiple reasons as to why a student discontinues. What we are doing is to reach out to all such registered students and ask them if they are willing to return or leave the course entirely. If they want to return, we will carry out that process for them. We have already done one round for all three districts –Pune, Nashik and Ahilyanagar. We will conduct another such round by month-end. Then we will consolidate the data, and accordingly the next PhD Entrance Test can be announced,” SPPU pro-vice chancellor Parag Kalkar said.Kalkar further said there are efforts to ensure that the research is socially useful. “As a university, we will not impose any restrictions on the student as to which topic he or she wants to pursue his research. But we are trying to make the guides aware of different ways to evaluate whether a research project is actually useful or not. For example, does this research lead to a product discovery, or help in clarifying or improving a policy affecting millions, etc. The idea is to ensure that PhDs are not seen as an exercise for achieving promotions or becoming eligible for a job. We want scholars to pursue PhDs that help move the nation forward,” said Kalkar.
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