The MPhil course offered by Delhi University will be discontinued from the next academic year, university officials said on Friday.
A notification issued by the university said that the Executive Council of DU had passed a resolution to discontinue the ongoing program in various departments in line with the National Policy on Education (NEP), 2020.
The NEP states that higher education institutions will have the flexibility to offer various designs of master’s programs, including a two-year program, with the second year devoted to research, for those who have completed a three-year undergraduate program Is. Students who have completed a four-year bachelor’s program with coursework can pursue a one-year master’s program. It has suggested that the MPhil program be discontinued as doing a PhD would require either a master’s degree or a 4-year bachelor’s degree with research.
Reacting strongly to the university’s decision to discontinue the MPhil course, DU teachers described the move as “unfortunate”. Teachers said the curriculum provided students with an opportunity to pursue a short-term research programme, giving them exposure to research work and added to their CVs.
“Social scientists believe that students with MPhil perform better in their Ph.D. This degree is being discontinued not because of any biological requirement of the system but because of NEP 2020. This policy is for the rich and the underprivileged. It is about widening the gap between those who are either committed to pursuing PhD or remain without a research degree,” said Abha Dev Habib, secretary, Democratic Teachers Front and former member, executive council, DU.
He said the NEP, which is being promoted to give “choices” to the students, is actually taking away the choices of the students. Ms. Habib, who teaches at Miranda House, said, “Students from disadvantaged backgrounds, especially women, looked to M.Phil as a research degree they could afford before turning to teaching.”
Teachers of the MPhil course said that the program has helped several generations of students at DU and other universities develop research aptitude through strong course work and introduction to higher research.
“The MPhil research degree has been a separate degree in itself, and above all, a master’s degree. It is extremely unfortunate that NEP 2020 has called it off,” said Mithuraj Dhusia, member, academic council, DU.