The University Grants Commission has said that though publication of research papers in peer-reviewed journals may not be mandatory anymore for Ph.D. scholars, it will have value when they apply for employment or post-doctoral opportunities.

In new guidelines for Ph.D. scholars, which were notified on Monday, the UGC had done away with the compulsory requirement of getting research papers published in peer- reviewed journals before the final thesis was submitted.

UGC Chairperson M. Jagadeesh Kumar, in a statement, said even if publication of research paper in peer-reviewed journals was not compulsory, it does not mean Ph.D. students should stop doing that altogether.

“Focussing on high-quality research will lead to publications in good journals, even if it is not mandatory. It will add value when they apply for employment or post-doctoral opportunities,” Mr. Kumar said.

The statement further said that by scrapping the mandatory publication requirement, “we recognise that the one-size-fits-all approach is not desirable. For instance, doctoral scholars in computer science prefer presenting their papers at conferences rather than publishing them in journals. I urge the universities to ensure that the Ph.D. evaluation process is strengthened and research scholars are trained to publish in peer-reviewed journals, present at conferences, and apply for patents where feasible”.

The new guidelines also allow working professionals to pursue part-time doctoral programmes after obtaining a no-objection certificate from their employers. This will benefit working professionals who cannot take long leave to complete their Ph.D.s.

UGC removes requirement in new guidelines, but suggests students continue to do it

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