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Published on:
Aug 05, 2024
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Getting a talented and motivated pool of students into our PhD programmes is a top priority, and the UGC guidelines (issued in 2022) for direct admission of UGs to PhD programmes are an important step in this direction. The flexibility provided by NEP 2020 has enabled such guidelines to encourage bold experiments that will help accelerate India's STEM journey. UGC now encourages undergraduates to take up a PhD in any area of their choice, irrespective of their UG degree. If universities follow this advice, it will be a bold move to encourage more students to pivot and follow their passion for research.
Several years ago, top American universities broke rules and admitted bright students with undergraduate degrees into their PhD programmes. The success of such students made others also relax the rules for PhD admission. Some of the autonomous Indian institutions have also experimented with this deviation and found it to be a very successful experiment.
This success is rooted in the fact that students are generally far more motivated, curious, and energetic after their bachelor's degree than after their master's. What has also radically changed over the last decade in India is the preparation and exposure of undergraduate students to research. The ready availability of advanced courses online has become a good resource for upping the knowledge level in any field by a notch or two easily and quickly. So, the level of base preparation required at the entry point for PhD is no longer limited to master's degree holders. The NEP advocates and recommends enough credits at the undergraduate level for engaging in self-study and independent research that can be effectively used to prepare a student for a PhD journey. The most compelling reason for a direct admission to PhD after UG is the return on investment of time. The falling enrolment rates in PhD programmes worldwide indicate the value the current generation Of college going students see in pursuing a PhD. Recent data shows that of the 77.25 lakh students in India who complete undergraduate programmes, only 17.66 lakh complete their postgraduate programmes. An added commitment of five years, following two years of a master's degree, seems onerous for most students it is one of the reasons only 32,600 earn their PhDs, according to the All India Survey of Higher Education (AISHE) report 2021-2022, released by the Ministry of Education. The seven year journey is too much time investment and commitment for most 21-year olds. A reduction of two years results in almost 30% savings in time And time and is precious indeed.
We are finally arriving at an era where PhDs will not only find employment but will be needed to drive innovation in various sectors. It is now up to universities to encourage undergraduates to find their passion in research and pursue doctoral degrees directly.
Published on:- Times of India
Date:- 05/08/2024
