UMU PhD Admission Criteria 2023

The application process for the PhD program is both offline and online. Admission into the programs would be through an Online Entrance Test conducted by the University followed by a personal interview of the candidate.

UMU PhD Application Process

• Students can apply for the PhD program by registering in the official portal of the Institute. The students are required to fill in details such as name, address, qualification, the discipline of study, the topic of intended PhD study, research/ work experience, and research publications (if any).
• After filling up all the information, students are required to make a payment of INR 2,500 in the University account through Demand Draft/ NEFT/ Cash Deposit.
• Students can also apply offline by downloading and printing the application form from the University’s official website. Then fill up the application form and send the copy through courier to the appropriate address.

UMU PhD Entrance Exam

• Applicants who wish to secure admission into the PhD programs are expected to score high in the online PhD Admission Test conducted by the University under strict surveillance through webcam-enabled online examination evaluation technique.
• The question pattern consists of two parts: Part I and Part II, consisting of 100 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) of 1 mark each. Part I consists of questions related to Logical reasoning, Language Competence, and Numerical Ability; and Part II consists of questions related to knowledge about the subject domain.
• Candidates who have scored above 50% marks (General category) or 45% or more (for SC/ ST candidates) in the entrance test will be further eligible for the interview round.
• Candidates who have an M.Phil. Degree and have cleared the following entrance test: JEST of DAE/ UGC-NET/ GATE-IIT would be exempted from the entrance test as per UGC guidelines but they have to register on the website and appear for the interview round conducted by the University.

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UMU PhD Interview

• Eligible candidates who have cleared the relevant entrance tests mentioned above are expected to appear for the interview before the Committee constituted by the University.
• The interview consists of 50 marks and the final merit list would be based on the sum total of the marks obtained by the student in the entrance exam as well as the interview round.
• Candidates who have successfully cleared both rounds would be allowed to pursue PhD on campus either part-time or full-time.
• Candidates who have been offered a fellowship by the University or other agencies would have to pursue a full-time PhD on campus; however, candidates who are employed by any educational institute or research organization are allowed to pursue their PhD part-time. Part-time students would be required to be present on campus as and when required.

UMU PhD Admissions

• A candidate who is in the final merit list will have to apply to the Registrar of Usha Martin University (UMU), Ranchi in the prescribed application form.
• A candidate who has been successfully registered with the University is expected to pay the program fee in 3 installments (annually), starting from the time of registration.
• If a candidate fails to pay the fees within the estimated time then the registration is liable for cancellation, however, under special circumstances an extension of 6 months may be provided by the University under written request.
• The candidate has to submit 5 copies of the PhD research proposal as per the suggested guidelines, along with the application form.
• The date of acceptance for the research proposal would be recognized as the date of provisional registration or admission of the candidate into the PhD program. The candidate would be issued an official provisional admission letter as per the University norms.

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UMU PhD Course Details

PhD student’s research project starts with the allocation of a supervisor by the University leading to subsequent course work, submission of progress reports, then submission & evaluation of thesis finally concluding with viva.

UMU PhD Course Work

• Each student is allocated with a Research Supervisor appointed by the University as per UGC guidelines.
• Admitted candidates would be required to pursue coursework for a minimum period of one semester. The credits assigned to the coursework would be a maximum of 16 credits and a minimum of 8 credits.
• A minimum of 4 credits would be assigned to one or more courses related to Research Methodology which would cover topics such as relevant field, training, fieldwork, etc. Other courses would be focused on advanced level subjects which would help students prepare for their PhD program. The course work is a prerequisite for the PhD program.
• The University Department or Research Centre will decide the minimum requirement before a candidate is allowed to proceed with the Thesis/ Dissertation writing.
• Coursework can also be carried out by doctoral candidates outside the University if necessary, due credits for this would be given to the students.
• Doctoral candidates who already have an M.Phil. Degree and has completed their course work during their M.Phil. course is exempted from course work required for the PhD program.

UMU PhD Progress Report

• Doctoral candidates are required to submit their detailed PhD progress report which includes their research work carried out every six months through their research guide.
• If a research fellow fails to submit the progress report three times consecutively then the registration could be canceled on the recommendation of the supervisor, Head, and the Dean of the Faculty concerned.

UMU PhD Submission & Evaluation of Dissertation

1. Synopsis Submission: 

A full-time doctoral student is required to submit his/her research synopsis after completion of 6 months of coursework whereas part-time students can submit the synopsis within 12 months of completion of the course work.

1. Dissertation/Thesis Submission:

• Research fellows must publish two papers; one national and one international, in reputed journals, and present their papers in seminars/ conferences before submission of their thesis. They must provide evidence for the same in the form of an acceptance letter or reprint.
• Each candidate must make a pre-submission presentation under the presence of the supervisor, the Head of the Department and Director, and the research scholar’s nominee. The presentation should be made before 3 months of thesis submission. The seminar would be arranged by the Head of the Department with a request from the scholar and the guide. The suggestions made during the presentation would be communicated to the scholar in writing by the HOD.
• The scholar is required to submit 5 copies of the Dissertation/ Thesis to the University duly incorporating the changes suggested by the concerned authorities. The Dissertation should be submitted within 1 month from the date of presentation. The guide will then submit a list of five referees as potential thesis examiners to the Academic section of the University via the HOD.
• A full-time research scholar will be allowed to submit his/her thesis only after 12 months from the date of synopsis submission whereas a part-time researcher will be allowed to submit the thesis after a minimum period of 18 months from synopsis submission.
• In exceptional cases, the University might allow a research scholar to submit the thesis within a time frame less than the time mentioned above, but such requests have to be approved by the Academic Council. 

1. Evaluation: 

The Dissertation submitted by the research scholar would be evaluated by 2 examiners; one internal and one external examiner. The external examiner would be appointed by the Vice-Chancellor of the Institute. The internal examiner would be a professor other than the guide from the same University. The viva-voce among and final defense of the thesis would be organized by the HOD.

1. Viva-voce and defense of thesis:

• The Head of the department would notify the day, date, time, and place of the viva-voce for the defense of the thesis at least 15 days prior to the defense.
• Usually, the viva-voce is conducted within the same department in the University, however, in exceptional cases, the Vice-chancellor may grant permission for the thesis defense to be conducted outside the University.
• The viva-voce would take place in front of the panel members: Guide (Internal examiner), External examiner, HOD, and a senior member of an allied discipline usually nominated by the VC.
• The examiners present for the defense would jointly submit their final report along with a summary of replies given to the queries raised by the examiner and accepted by the panel members.
• If the defense is not satisfactory then a fresh viva-voce would be requested by the panel members mentioning specific reasons and this would have to be organized within one month.
• If the defense is still unsatisfactory, then the committee would recommend resubmission of the thesis with appropriate suggestions or reject the thesis.
• If a thesis defense is successful then the University would provide a provisional certificate to the candidate.
• The list of successful doctoral candidates would be presented to the Vice-Chancellor for the award of PhD Degree in the graduation ceremony.

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