AICTE proposes PhD reforms with shorter timelines and stricter research norms

PhD rules in engineering and allied fields may soon undergo significant reform, with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) considering proposals to shorten completion timelines and tighten research norms.

A task force set up by AICTE has suggested that candidates could finish their doctorate in as little as two and a half years if their research is published in high-impact journals.

The draft regulations specify that PhD scholars in technical education must publish in peer-reviewed journals or conferences, with the student listed as the first and corresponding author.

Publication in Scopus-indexed Q1 journals could make a candidate eligible to submit the thesis after 2.5 years, compared with the current requirement of three to six years.

The panel also proposed that the use of artificial intelligence in research must be disclosed.

Any AI-generated content would need to be properly attributed and limited to a fixed percentage of the thesis to safeguard academic integrity.

Other recommendations include allowing doctoral candidates to transfer between universities during their program and permitting retired professors to serve as co-supervisors after retirement.

The task force has additionally framed guidelines for awarding the Doctor of Science (DSc) degree in engineering, applied sciences, and related areas, suggesting completion within one to three years.

These changes will take effect only after approval from the Ministry of Education and a formal notification by AICTE.