The University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to allow research scholars six months more to submit their thesis for terminal Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Higher education institutions (HEI) can now offer research scholars an extension of up to six months beyond June 30, 2022. The extension can be granted on a case-to-case basis after the student’s work is reviewed by the Research Advisory Committee. Each individual case will be reviewed on the recommendation of the respective supervisor and the head of the department.
Extension may also be granted for submission of evidence of publication and presentation in two conferences.
The tenure of the fellowship, however, will remain five years and cannot be extended.
The first extension was granted in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the education sector. The extension permitted students to submit their thesis by December 2020 instead of June 2020. The second extension notice issued in December 2020 extended the deadline till June 2021. The submission deadline was extended for a third time to December 2021. A fourth extension set the submission date as June 30, 2021.
A meeting was held by the UGC on May 6 to discuss another extension.
Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, chairman of the University Grants Commission, took to Twitter to share the news of the extension. “In view of lost time during COVID period, UGC approves that HEIs may give an extension of up to six months beyond 30 June 2022 for M.Phil./PhD. thesis submission on case-to-case basis after a review of student's work,” he wrote.
The latest notice is not a blanket extension but one that will be granted to students based on the judgement of their institution and Research Advisory Committee.