Right to get Ph.D Act

We know the fast-paced reforms the Indian Educational System has gone through prior to the 100th day celebration of Kapil Sibal becoming HRD minister. There is so much to admire and it takes very many blogs. In the present one, we shall confine only to reforms related to PhDs.



Recently Sibal made it clear in no uncertain terms that First Class Ph.D is mandatory for a teaching position in IIT or IIM from now onwards. He is always true to his word; having said something once, he is not known retract – come what may. He is integrity personified; most others say something and immediately throw blame on media as though they have not said what they have actually said. Worse still, they insist they have said what they have not. Besides, there is pressure from all MLAs and MLCs for at least one IIT and IIM in each assembly constituency and more where ruling party's candidate has come from. MPs from both the Houses are demanding at least one IISc, AIIMS etc. in each parliamentary constituency. Sibal is known to be pro-active. He had foreseen massive demand for first-class PhDs and burning his midnight oil to bring in Right to get Ph.D. Act in next session of Parliament. One must understand the patriotism of Sibal. He is a firm believer of US adage that number of PhDs has a direct correlation with the growth and well being of the nation. He would have learnt about it during his HLS days. In a country where absolutely preventable crisis is allowed to occur routinely, his zeal to be proactive is most welcome. How I wish other ministers emulate his work culture!



Preparing an Act of this magnitude is not as easy as writing one of the Acts in any Shakespeare’s play, be it a tragedy or comedy. Lot of thinking goes into it. All loose ends have to be tied up, uphold the exsting practices and so on. Reliable sources have shared latest version of the draft (a) to (z) of the proposed Right to get Ph.D. Act, which is obviously being fine-tuned. Here it is:

Preamble to the Act: It is necessitated to introduce Class/Grade system for PhDs which is hitherto unheard of in any part of the world and thereby become a role model in the reforms of higher education to the rest of the world. In order to meet the anticipated growth in demand for First class PhDs and to make India pro-actively self reliant and keep it on fast-track of growth path, the Right to get PhD Act is envisaged.



a) All Indian citizens and PIOs who celebrated 21st birthday in any preceding year are bestowed with inalienable right to get a Ph.D degree under this act from the date and time this Act is enacted.

b) All eligible candidates are bestowed with the choice of getting PhD as per methods in vogue from any recognized or unrecognized or on-paper or paper-less or name-less or web-based or address-less or non-existing or defunct or disgraced or any other known or hitherto unknown class of University in addition to non-contact or distance education and they have constitutional guarantee that there shall be no discrimination.

c) Candidate may exercise his/her right to appoint his/her kith and kin or relatives or friends or followers as i) thesis advisor ii) external examiner for evaluation of thesis with a rider that the external examiner should have resided external to the native city/town/village of the examinee at least for a day iii) panel members for viva voce.

d) Not withstanding the provisions under (c), candidate shall have a choice of submitting his thesis or otherwise.

e) Those who submit thesis under the proviso (d) shall get the constitutional guarantee of First Class or above and those who chose otherwise shall be deemed to be First Class till the day of convocation and a regular First Class from the date and time of convocation. This also has constitutional guarantee that there shall be no discrimination.

f) Candidate desirous of submitting the thesis of some other scholar available on web should only submit the link and not the entire attachment. This link shall be deemed to be the original thesis of the candidate.

g) While the paper-less form submitting thesis is preferable for environmental considerations; complete or incomplete; accepted or rejected thesis of earlier scholars may also be submitted with or without any alterations provided the name of the candidate is suitably altered only after the application of whitener fluid. Candidates are encouraged to retain the original title of the thesis. Such thesis is considered to be the original work of the candidate.

h) to x) ....

y) All prevailing reservation laws apply.

z) For the purpose of teaching employment in IITs, IIMs or any other institution for higher learning, PhDs received under the proviso of this Act shall be pari passu with any ivy-league or any other foreign university other than those in Pakistan.