KOZHIKODE: The University Grants Commission has asked all universities to refrain from taking the assistance of supervisors from outside the universities to guide the research scholars.
UGC secretary Jaspal S. Sindhu has sent a letter to all vice-chancellors in this regard, which has evoked mixed reactions.
The varsities should take supervisors for awarding M.Phil/PhD degree from among the regular faculty members of a department or its affiliated PG colleges/institutions depending on the number of students per faculty member, the available specialisation among faculty supervisors and the research interest of the student, said the letter sent on July 7.
The UGC warned that any degree awarded otherwise would be a violation of its regulations of 2009.
While a section of academics welcomed the move, the university authorities struck a different note.
Calicut University VC Dr M. Abdul Salam said that the order was not justifiable and called for its revocation.
“Varsities like Calicut have more research scholars but not many research guides. The guides who are retired and from private institutions are also capable of guiding the students,” he said. “The order is not good for the research field and academics,” he added.
Kannur University Registrar Dr Balachandran Keezhoth also opposed the order. “Kannur varsity strictly follows the UGC guidelines. However, I think when a faculty retires, he doesn't lose his research calibre. While in state universities the retirement age is 55, in central varsities it is up to 70,” he opined.
According to Dr P. Sivadasan, general secretary, Association of Calicut University Teachers, “the UGC move is good at a time when varsities are allotting self-finance research centres without any criterion. There should be someone responsible to guide the students and keep the value of research works,” he said.
