PU changes admission criteria, raises eyebrows

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 27

After the candidature of Haryana Congress leader Geeta Bhukkal's daughter was rejected along with that of other SC candidates for admission to PhD in the English department, Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover changed the template for admission to MPhil and PhD admissions.

Now, all departments have to consider marks in graduation and postgraduation degrees and initiate admissions afresh. 

Bhukkal was the Education Minister during the tenure of Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the Haryana Chief Minister.

Dean of University Instructions Meenakshi Malhotra issued a letter on September 26 to all departments and centres regarding the new template.

Earlier, the departments had devised their own methods and like the English department were admitting students on the basis of interviews. The department had even counselled some candidates to take up MPhil first and gain some research experience before pursuing PhD. 

The PU authorities have pointed out that the English department did not get the admission criteria approved from them.  

New template

For admission to PhD now, 50 per cent marks have been fixed for the academic record — 20 per cent weightage for graduation and 30 per cent for postgraduation. Ten per cent marks will be given for scholarship/fellowship. The interview carries 40 per cent marks — 10 per cent marks for the research proposal an 30 per cent for interaction with department committee. 

However, for MPhil, 60 per cent weightage will be given for the academic record -- 10 per cent for Class XII, 20 per cent for graduation and 30 per cent for postgraduation. The interview will carry 40 per cent marks.

However, the issue before the departments is that since they have already conducted admissions and at some places students have even started attending MPhil or course work classes (for PhD candidates), how will they conduct admissions again. 

“It is an evolving process. We have issued the letter to all departments on a new template. You cannot admit candidates on the basis of just interviews or interaction, otherwise we will face allegations of favouritism,” said Prof Meenakshi Malhotra.

It has been clarified in the letter that “it has come to notice that some departments are preparing their merit lists by using 50 per cent cut-off marks as the criteria for admitting students. There should not be any cut-off point for interaction for admission to the MPhil/PhD programmes. Simply, addition of academic record and interaction may be considered for admission.” 

Congress leader Geeta Bhukkal said, “I don’t want to make it a political issue. But if the English department doesn’t follow the reservation policy, we will approach the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. My daughter is meritorious and has done BA (Hons) from a top Delhi college. She is a Junior Research Fellow (JRF). 

She is being forced to take admission to MPhil in the English department of the PU despite the fact that they have vacant seats for PhD.”  

“No one has been forced to take MPhil. In fact, PhD interviews were held first, a few days earlier than those for MPhil. All candidates appearing for PhD were counselled to come for MPhil interviews also. The interviews were held with full objectivity. The result was the collective decision of the department committee and there was no favouritism,” said Prof Rumina Sethi, chairperson, Department of English and Cultural Studies. 

SC/ST cell seeks details

The SC/ST cell of the PU has written to all departments to submit details of SC and ST candidates pursuing PhD under each supervisor. 

Qualifying marks reduced

On September 23, the PU Syndicate had reduced the qualifying marks in the MPhil/PhD entrance test in paper 1 from 50 per cent to 40 per cent for SCs/STs despite the fact that the results were out and the interviews had been conducted.