Assimilation of techniques to get the best result was the way to go, suggested Patna University vice-chancellor Y.C. Simahadri at the start of a pre-PhD course on Monday.

The six-month preparatory course to a PhD, made mandatory by the University Grants Commission (UGC), started at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies on Monday. The programme takes in 15 students in a year, based on a written test and interview. They are registered either with Magadh University or Aryabhatta Knowledge University.

The social studies institute launched its second batch. Apart from Simahadri, Patna divisional commissioner N. Vijaya Lakshmi, higher education director S.M. Karim and institute director D.M. Diwakar were present at the event.

Simahadri told the scholars about to start their PhD journey: “A PhD is a learning process. It is expected that a researcher will assimilate new findings and inputs in his/her research to ensure it is beneficial for the masses.”

He also spoke of the new pre-PhD norms introduced by Patna University according to the Mungekar Committee report.

The UGC, on recommendations of the committee, makes it mandatory for scholars registering for a PhD to do course work for a six-month programme. This period is treated as a pre-research preparation.

The AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies’ programme is also according to the Mungekar Committee guidelines.

It comprises credit-based course work on research methodology, research methodology with computer applications and elective course in their subjects. Economics and agricultural economics, political science and public administration, social psychology, sociology and social anthropology, social geography and non-violence and peace are the subjects taken up.

Diwakar, the director of AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies, also discussed the importance of the pre-PhD exercise. He said: “The objective of the course is to sensitise the scholars and make them professionally capable to understand and analyse social changes. This is the second batch.”

Divisional commissioner N. Vijaya Lakshmi said: “Methodology and design is the basis of all research. A mental construction of the problem is important for a good research.”

The Indian Council of Social Science Research supports the PhD programme at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies. Each scholar pursuing his/her PhD gets a fellowship of Rs 16,000 a month along with Rs 12,000 contingency. They have to complete the research in two-three years.