Ahmedabad University offers a doctoral programme in the following Schools of the University:
The University also encourages pursuit of doctoral research that cuts across disciplines of multiple schools.
The doctoral programme at Ahmedabad University is designed to provide both research capabilities and domain knowledge to doctoral candidates in various subjects. The programme aims to build competent academicians, researchers, teachers and practitioners in various fields. The emphasis is on:
Shortlisted students will be called for a written test* and/or interview. Admission to the PhD programme would be based on the past academic record, research aptitude, work experience and performance in the test and interview.
Admissions in each programme will be made on approval by the Dean of the School on the recommendations of the duly constituted admissions committee. The admissions committee will consist of at least three faculty members and will be constituted by the Dean of the School in consultation with the Programme Chair.
Note*
The candidate must have passed the Master's Degree examination in Arts, Science, Commerce, Technology, Engineering or Management with a minimum of fifty five per cent marks or an equivalent grade in a point scale where the grading system is followed. The University offers the PhD programme through its School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Arts and Sciences and Amrut Mody School of Management.
There is a provision for candidates to enrol for the doctoral programme after a Bachelor's degree provided the candidate has passed the Bachelor's degree examination with at least sixty percent marks or an equivalent grade in a point scale where the grading system is followed. Such students will be admitted to the PhD programme first as pre-doctoral candidates and only upon completion of the requirements, they will be treated as doctoral candidates.
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There are several avenues of financial support for doctoral students. These include:
(i) University Assistantship that comprises a monthly stipend and tuition waiver and is awarded to a limited number of doctoral students.
(ii) Fellowship from sponsored research projects with faculty.
(iii) Part-time teaching assistantships in the Schools.
(iv) Fellowship from the SHODH scheme of govt.of Gujarat.
As soon as the student joins the programme, a faculty mentor will be appointed by the Dean of the School in consultation with the Programme Chair, student and the intended faculty mentor. The mentor will be allotted keeping in view the interest of the student. The mentor will help the candidate select courses for study, suggest additional course requirements to broaden the area of research and provide guidance in preparing for the comprehensive examination.
The minimum course work for doctoral studies at Ahmedabad University shall be as follows:
All doctoral students will have to pass a comprehensive examination in the broad area of their research interest. The comprehensive examination will be normally taken within 6 months of completion of the coursework. However, for a well-prepared doctoral student, the comprehensive examination can be taken after completion of 30 credits of course work with the consultation of the Dean of the School and faculty mentor.
The comprehensive examination will be conducted by a faculty committee consisting of at least three faculty members as appointed by the Dean of the School. The nature of the comprehensive examination (written and/or oral) will be decided by the School.
The result of the comprehensive examination will be a pass or fail grade. The student who passes the examination and has completed all the course work will be considered a 'Pre-registered Doctoral Candidate'.
Students may receive a Master's degree upon successful completion of the course work and the comprehensive examination. For this, they will have to complete a thesis requirement by working on an allotted topic for at least a semester.
In case a candidate fails the comprehensive examination, she/he may take the examination again after a period of 3 months. If the candidate fails in the second attempt also, then she/he will have to leave the programme. Such candidates will be given a certificate.
For all students entering with a Master's degree, the comprehensive exam should be cleared within six registered semesters (excluding summer term) of admission. For students entering with a Bachelor's degree, the comprehensive exam should be cleared within ten registered semesters (excluding summer term) of admission.
After passing the Comprehensive exam and completion of the coursework, the student will select a thesis supervisor based on mutual discussion with the faculty. It should be noted that
The student together with the proposed thesis supervisor will suggest to the Dean of the School names for the Dissertation Advisory Committee.
Within 3 months of the passing of the Comprehensive Exam, the DAC will be constituted. The remaining course credits, if any, can be taken in subsequent semesters.. The pre-registered doctoral candidate in consultation with the proposed PhD. The supervisor will send the suggested names of the DAC members to the Dean of the School. If the Dean is in agreement, then the names will be forwarded to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval by the Graduate Faculty Committee (GFC). The committee will be appointed by the GFC based on the student‟s interest and recommendation of the School.
The DAC shall consist of :
Once the DAC has been formed, the candidate will prepare a research proposal under the guidance of the thesis supervisor. The research proposal would elaborate on the genesis of the study and all possible details of the research. The research proposal will then be presented to the DAC and the School faculty. The research proposal should be presented to the DAC within six months of clearing the comprehensive examination. The DAC may ask the candidate to revise and resubmit the research proposal after incorporating all the suggestions and comments given by them, and if necessary, give a revised presentation to the DAC.
Once the DAC approves the research proposal the status of the student will be changed from “pre-registered” to registered “Doctoral Candidate”.
A copy of the DAC approval and approved Research proposal will then be submitted to the Office of the Graduate School.
Every six months, the registered doctoral candidate will have to submit a progress report of his/her research work and make a presentation to the DAC. All faculty and students may attend the presentation.
The DAC would be responsible for monitoring the progress of the student.
A copy of the periodic progress report will also be submitted to the Office of the Graduate School by the thesis supervisor.
The student will have upto 10 years ( including any academic leave) from the date of joining to complete all academic requirements related to the doctoral programme.
Prior to submission of the dissertation, the student shall make a presentation in the School that will be open to all faculty members and research students, for getting feedback and comments, which may be suitably incorporated into the draft dissertation under the advice of the supervisor.
Candidates can submit the synopsis and dissertation any time after the completion of two years from the date of registration, but in no case later than seven years ( including any academic leave) from the date of registration. The registration date is the date on which the DAC approves the research proposal.
Some schools may require doctoral candidates to publish at least two research papers in refereed journals/conferences before the submission of the dissertation and provide the acceptance letters/reprints.
The PhD. dissertation and synopsis will be first evaluated by the DAC who may provide suggestions for revision. After the approval by DAC, the candidate will submit the following documents to the Dean of Graduate School through the Programme Chair:
The dissertation supervisor will also suggest to the Dean of Graduate School a list of at least 8 external examiners who are experts in the subject area of the thesis.
The dissertation examination will be conducted by the Dissertation Examination Committee ( DEC). The DEC will be formed by the Dean of Graduate School and will comprise of the following members:
The dissertation examination will be open to the University community. Public notice within the University will be given at least two weeks before the date of the examination. The candidate will make a presentation of his/her research to the DEC and the audience. After the presentation and Q&A, the Chair will ask all in the audience ( except the DEC)to leave the examination room. The DEC will deliberate and come with a decision on the dissertation examination which will be communicated to the Graduate School Office.
If the decision is to pass the candidate with no revisions, then the Dean of the Graduate School will send to the student a Certificate of Completion and Requirements for Final Submission of Dissertation.
If the decision is to pass the student with revisions, the Dean of Graduate School will provide the student a letter stating the decision and listing the comments of the DEC on the revisions required and the person who will verify that the revisions have been incorporated in the thesis ( a copy of the letter will also be sent to the Chair of DEC).
Once the Chair of DEC sends to the Dean of Graduate School, the revised version of the thesis and a Certificate of Verification that the revisions have been incorporated, the Office of the Dean of Graduate School will either organize another examination ( if that has been recommended by DEC) or send the student a Certificate of Completion and Requirements for Final Submission of Dissertation.
Requirements of Final Submission of Dissertation: Three hardbound copies and a PDF file of the soft copy of the dissertation should be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School. The final dissertation document must contain a certificate of examination signed by all members of the examination committee.
After the final submission of the dissertation is completed, the dissertation process would be deemed to be completed and the candidate‟s name will be recommended by the Dean of the Graduate School to the Academic Council and Board of Governors for their approval so that the degree can be awarded in the following convocation. The University shall issue a provisional certificate to the candidate stating that the PhD degree has been awarded in accordance with the regulations of the UGC.
Following the successful completion of the evaluation process and announcement of the award of PhD, the University shall submit a soft copy of the PhD dissertation to UGC within a period of 30 days, for hosting the same in INFLIBNET, to make it accessible to all Institutions/ Universities.
Any patents or patentable materials that emerge from the research associated with a PhD degree will be subject to the IP policy of the University. For part time candidates working on the projects related to their organisation, an IP policy has to be mutually agreed upon prior to the start of the PhD research work.
A candidate who drops out of the doctoral programme because of an exigency can maintain his candidacy valid for one year subject to prior approval of Academic Council/Vice-Chancellor. The candidate must submit an application stating the reasons for such a break. The application must be recommended by the PhD supervisor or mentor and forwarded by the Dean of the School. The said candidate will be readmitted if she/he pays the appropriate fees at the end of the period of absence.
Ahmedabad University reserves its rights to change, amend any of the provisions of this document. Such changes will be made by the Graduate Faculty Committee and approved by the Academic Council.