Several PhD scholars registered at Ranchi University (RU) at present yearn for guides. Due to the present student-teacher ratio gap, PhD scholars are finding it difficult to cope with the crisis.
Despite the recent recommendation of the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) to improve the status and quality of research activities being undertaken here, fewer efforts are being made from university officials to solve the problem.
Every year, quite a number of students register at the university to carry out their research work in different streams covering diverse topics but only few of them get guidance from regular RU faculty members.
Following the University Grant Commission (UGC) norms, the university should assign task of a guide supervising PhD students only from among regular faculty members of postgraduate departments.
Though in the recent time, the quota of professors and associate professors who are eligible to guide the students pursuing PhD has been increased even then students complain about easy availability of guides at the State’s premier varsity.
Admitting the crisis of getting trained guides, President of RU postgraduate students union Tanuj Khatri said that several students do not prefer to pursue PhD from the State’s biggest university due to unavailability of trained faculty members and the tenure required for the completion of the course.
As per the rules, a professor can supervise 14 PhD students; an associate professor can guide 10 to 12 students at a time.
Also, a student passing PhD entrance examination must find the guides within two years of passing the exam or else his/her eligibility stands void.
Most of research scholars cite delay in appointment of teachers as a prime cause of this.
Notably, recruitment of permanent faculty members at RU has been lingering since 2008 posing difficulty for the scholars.
“The new guidelines issued by UGC allow external or undergraduate supervisors for PhD guidance now. The numbers of quota under each permanent faculty who are eligible to guide the scholars have been increased.
Furthermore, only those students who apply or wish to pursue PhD under the guidance of any specific professor face problem,” said RU VC, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Pandey.
RU Officer (PR), PK Jha said that attempts are being made to line up this issue. “Since the procedure of recruiting contractual teachers is under process, soon, sufficient number of guides in different streams will be there to guide the students in different subjects.”
However, Jha further said, “Several professors at time are hesitant to admit more students under their guidance as they are already engaged in guiding sufficient number of students.
Even those students who are enrolled under specific professor are not able to complete their research programme on time.
Hence at time, students have difficulty in finding the guides.” Notably, each PhD student needs to complete research between two and five years.