JNTU Assures PhD Scholars: Old Rules Apply, No Retrospective Changes to Norms
Any guidelines circulated without formal approval of the competent authorities, they were told, should not be treated as valid.
Hyderabad:Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) assured that all PhD-related academic processes will continue under the guidelines that were in force at the time of admission, after research scholars objected to newly circulated research review meeting (RRM) norms and disciplinary notices.
The assurance followed an objection by research scholars and student unions to university Vice Chancellor Prof. T. Kishen Kumar Reddy and registrar Venkateswara Rao, raising concerns over a recent RRM notification issued by the director of research and development. Students told Deccan Chronicle that the notification introduced new guidelines without statutory approvals and attempted to alter rules midway through doctoral programmes.
According to students, the university administration clarified that RRMs, colloquiums and PhD vivas would be conducted strictly as per the regulations applicable on the date of admission. Any guidelines circulated without formal approval of the competent authorities, they were told, should not be treated as valid.
“The Vice-Chancellor made it clear that no retrospective changes will be applied to research scholars. All academic reviews will follow the rules that existed when we joined the PhD programme,” one of the students J Dileep told DC.
The university also assured students that show-cause notices issued to a student leader for raising research scholars’ concerns would be withdrawn. Students said the administration agreed to constitute a committee to examine the circumstances under which the notices were issued and how the new RRM norms were circulated.
“These notices were issued to intimidate students for questioning irregularities. We were assured that they would be withdrawn and that an inquiry would be conducted,” said Bhanu Prakash, another student leader.
