Master of Philosophy (MPil) unrecognised: In a major development, the University Grants Commission on Wednesday issued an alert on the MPhil degrees offered across educational institutions in India. According to the circular, the UGC has said that MPhil is not a recognised degree and orders to ‘discontinue’ the M.Phil Degree.
It has also told the universities across the country to stop taking admissions for the next academic session. UGC Secretary Manish Joshi cited the Regulation No. 14 of the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022 and said that the MPhil programme has no academic validity, “The Universities authorities, therefore, are requested to take immediate steps to stop admissions to M.Phil. program for the 2023-24 academic year.”
The notice reads, “It has come to the notice of the UGC that a few Universities are inviting fresh applications for M.Phil. (Master of Philosophy) program. In this regard, it is to bring to the notice that the M.Phil. degree is not a recognized degree. The Regulation No. 14 of the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations 2022 clearly states that Higher Educational Institutions shall not offer M.Phil. program.”
The development has been made with regard to the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations 2022 which clearly states under clause 14 that, “Higher Educational Institutions shall not offer the M.Phil.(MasterofPhilosophy) programme.”