Students securing even 40% can get PhD admission in Odisha varsity 

Bhubaneswar: Under pressure from various quarters, the authorities decided to facilitate students with 40% in entrance examination to enroll into PhD courses at Utkal University.

In view of candidates’ poor results in PhD entrance examination, the varsity decided to revise University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations 2016 for admission into PhD programme this year too.

As per the decision taken at PG Council meeting held yesterday, the candidates with 40 percent marks secured in entrance test at the varsity will be eligible for admission into PhD and M.Phil programmes 2019. The candidates under ST/SC category having 35% in the test can be enrolled to these programmes.

The move came after a number of candidates in 15 departments failed to achieve the pass percentage of 50 (general category) and 45% (ST/SC category) in entrance examination held on September 14, 2019.

Sources said that 90% students could not qualify in the PhD entrance test. In view of huge percentage of candidates failed to meet eligibility marks under various categories, the authorities at meeting decided to reduce the minimum pass percentage for admission into PhD programme.

The eligible shortlisted candidates will appear in viva-voce between Oct 1 and 3 at the varsity.

The oral examination will be conducted three days for the departments having highest student strength. The departments with less number of shortlisted students will face interview in one day, sources said.

As a number of candidates failed to secure minimum pass percentage in the entrance test, the UGC guidelines were revised for admission into PhD and M.Phil courses. Like last year, the admission will be held on basis of 40% secured in the test. The viva-voce will be completed on Oct 4. The classes will be commenced after Dusshera holidays, said Utkal University PG Council Chairman Prof. Sabita Acharya.