Shimla: The inaugural PhD admission process at the University Institute of Technology (UIT), Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), has sparked controversy, with allegations of rule violations surfacing. The state government has ordered an inquiry into claims that a non-fellowship holder and government employee were granted admission, contravening University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations.
The complaint, filed through the Chief Minister Helpline, highlighted that while PhD admissions in 27 other departments at HPU were restricted to candidates holding national-level fellowships, UIT allegedly made an exception. According to UGC norms, only fellowship holders are eligible for admission to PhD programs in such cases.
Meanwhile, it’s learned that no admissions have been finalized at UIT. “The application in question has yet to be approved by the standing committee of the concerned faculty. The UIT director has assured that all facts will be placed before the committee, and any decision will strictly adhere to the prescribed rules,” an HPU official claimed.
The complaint said that HPU invited applications for PhD admissions across 28 departments exclusively for candidates with national-level fellowships in November. Unlike previous years, no entrance examination was conducted, emphasizing the fellowship criterion.
The government has instructed HPU to thoroughly investigate the matter and take appropriate action to ensure compliance with UGC guidelines.
This controversy casts a shadow over the credibility of UIT’s maiden PhD admission process and highlights the need for strict adherence to established rules to maintain academic integrity. The university’s standing committee must review the case and decide accordingly.
