No extension, University of Hyderabad scholar Sahela Begum quits PhD
Hyderabad: Many UoH PhD scholars take 10 years but a girl was not given an extension for seven years. This forced her to quit. PhD scholar Sahela Begum wrote a letter and shared it on the social media page of UoH seeking help from students, faculty and non-teaching staff. Sahela from UoH’s Urdu department said that despite her good track record and doctoral committee (DC) reports, her supervisor did not check her work or allow the doctoral committee meeting to be held when she was about to complete her fifth year of PhD by June 30, 2017. She added that she was forced to go for de-registration.
However, she informed the supervisor that she wanted an extension to finish her Ph.D. Due to the cancellation of the doctoral committee meeting by the supervisor, she could not go for an extension as a doctoral committee report is must for extension. Sahela Begum said, “Most PhD scholars got sixth year extension, but I was denied that and my Ph.D programme ended. I complained to the V-C and the head of the department on August 4, 2016, seeking a change of guide as I was unable to bear the supervisor’s harassment. The department head said that he had forwarded the letter to the dean but no one gave me a new guide. Later, the head left UoH.”
“I requested for a change of guide but did not get any response for the sixth year extension. Meanwhile, I lost my mother to cancer. I suffered extreme stress. I could not finish my PhD as I did not get a good guide,” she added. A UoH spokesperson said, “She wanted extension from the sixth to seventh year, but UoH PhD programmes should be finished in five years plus a year’s extension. She had already asked for a change of guide but in UoH, PhD programmes are administered through the Doctoral Research Committee. This committee meets every semester to assess the student’s progress. Based on the committee report, the student will be allowed to register for the next semester.” He added, “She should have gone for de-registering as that is an opportunity to come back and finish PhD. De-register doesn't mean the student will be thrown out, but it’s an opportunity to come again and finish the PhD in five years.”
