Separate entrance test for PhD & MPhil this year: DAVV

Students appearing for PG final semester exams can also take DET but they will have to produce their results during interviews

Indore: Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, which conducted combined entrance test for PhD and MPhil courses last year, has changed format of the examination.

“There will be separate entrance tests for PhD and MPhil courses this year,” said Prof VB Gupta, chairman of PhD cell at DAVV.

He said that the university decided to split the doctoral entrance test (DET) for two courses because MPhil course had suffered due to combined DET last year.

“MPhil course had found few takers due to joint DET,” Gupta said.

Qualifying marks for the DET-2017 were 50 percent for both PhD and MPhil courses.

So most of the candidates declared qualified had opted for PhD. However, many of them could not clear interviews as a result they could not be enrolled in PhD programme.

Gupta stated that taking a lesson from DET-2017, the university has decided to hold separate exams for PhD and MPhil courses this time.

“We will hold PhD entrance exam first and then MPhil entrance test. There will be one month gap between both the exams so that those who cannot secure admission in PhD can try their luck for MPhil,” he said.

Gupta said that they would allow students appearing for PG final semester exams to take DET to be held in April but they will have to produce their results during interviews for confirmation of admission.

PhD entrance test date extended

The university, which had announced to hold PhD entrance test on April 1 had extended the exam by a week.

“The exam will be held on April 8,” Gupta said. He said that the exam date has been extended due to administrative reasons.

“We will start accepting applications for PhD entrance test from next week,” he said.

 MPhil entrance test will be held in first week of May, nearly a month after PhD entrance test is conducted.

Over 500 in PhD and 420 seats in MPhil vacant

More than 500 seats in PhD course and 420 seats in MPhil course are vacant which will be filled through upcoming entrance tests.

In DET-2017, merely 20 per cent seats in PhD course and 10 per cent seats in MPhil course were filled.

The seats remained vacant and newly fell vacancies will be filled through upcoming entrance tests.

The university has sought details of vacancies with each guide.

DET-2018 to be held in offline mode

DET-2017 was partially online. Exams for management and commerce subjects were held in online mode and the reset subjects in offline mode. The university had announced plans to hold DET-2018 totally online. But it is now mulling holding DET-2018 in offline mode.

“We have not done preparation for online exams so far. If we want to hold online exam, it can’t be held before May. We may not delay DET till May so may hold test in offline mode this time,” Gupta said.

DET to be held in April and Sept

As per University Grants Commission (UGC) norms, DET should be conducted twice in an academic year but the DAVV could not meet this norm for the past two years. The DAVV said that it would adhere to the norm from this year. “The PhD entrance test will now be held twice in a year – first in April and second in September,” Gupta said adding that the varsity would strictly adhere to this schedule.