UGC decided on research period, says Kerala University VC

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala University vice-chancellor P.K. Radhakrishnan has clarified that it was the UGC that mandated that research for getting the PhD is for three years. Even the High Court had said that the research should not extend beyond five years at any cost, he said in a statement here on Wednesday. If the students could not complete the research within the stipulated period, they have to pay back the amount of the fellowship. The fine imposed for extending the period is to ensure that the fellowship is paid back, he said.

The decision was being falsely propagated as an exorbitant hike in the research fee, the statement said. The decision to impose the UGC regulations was taken by the syndicate without taking into consideration the opposition from the vice-chancellor. In such circumstances, it was for the syndicate to reconsider the decision, the statement said and added that the strike by the researchers was unwarranted. The propaganda that the vice-chancellor was behind the decision to impose UGC regulations were also wrong, the statement said.