MPhil is no longer a recognised degree: What does it mean for students?

On Wednesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) issued a notification cautioning students against pursuing Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programmes from Indian universities. The development comes after it cancelled the course, despite which some universities persist in offering it. Why is the MPhil no longer a valid degree? What’s next for students who wish to pursue a career in academia or research? Let’s take a closer look. MPhil is no longer a recognised degree Higher education institutions were instructed not to offer MPhil programmes, as the commission had previously announced that advanced research course offered at all universities would no longer be legitimate, according to NDTV. Additionally, the university authorities have been asked to take steps immediately to stop accepting new students into the MPhil programme for the 2023–2024 academic year. As a result, universities throughout the country — except Tamil Nadu and Karnataka — ceased offering the programme, as per Telegraph India. Thus, in an official notification issued on Wednesday, the UGC stated, “It has come to the notice of the UGC that a few universities are inviting fresh applications for MPhil (Master of Philosophy) programme. In this regard, it is to bring to the notice that the MPhil degree is not a recognised degree.” The notification emphasised Regulation No. 14 of the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations 2022, which clearly prohibits higher educational institutions from offering MPhil programmes. Notably, the nation is seeing a large increase in the number of new universities, many of which are offering programmes that are not approved by the UGC, reported Livemint. The Ministry of Education announced earlier on 24 December that during the previous five years, up to 140 private universities have been founded nationwide, with Gujarat leading the way, followed by Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Why? The National Education Policy (NEP-2020), which promotes a four-year Bachelor’s degree and a research-intensive Master’s degree, eliminating the necessity for an MPhil for a PhD, is the main cause of the discontinuance of the advanced post-graduation research programme, as per another Livemint report. The document goes into further detail about the modifications being made to the post-graduation and graduation programmes. “Higher education institutions will have the flexibility to offer different designs of master’s programmes: (a) there may be a two-year programme with the second year devoted entirely to research for those who have completed the two-year Bachelor’s/Master’s programme. Undertaking a PhD shall require either a master’s degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree with research. The MPhil programme shall be discontinued,” the NEP states. The Union government has come under fire from experts for implementing the NEP without sufficient state consultations or discussion in Parliament. The governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had already established committees to draft their own state education policies, explained Telegraph India. Moreover, the Education Ministry’s 2023 All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) report showed that, over the previous five years, the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) for MPhil programmes was -21.2 per cent. It had dropped dramatically from 43,267 in 2016–17 to 16,744 in 2020–21 or approximately 61.3 per cent, according to The Print. Notably, in the current academic year, the MPhil and Certificate programmes were the only two levels where total enrollments decreased. 8,696 independent institutions, 40,176 colleges, and 1,084 universities responded to the AISHE report. What’s next for students An MPhil degree in India is an advanced postgraduate research degree that serves as a foundation for a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). The degree is nearing a doctorate, yet it is classified as a master’s degree. Even though both degrees require research, the PhD is a more sophisticated and demanding curriculum in terms of scope, depth, and duration of the research. For individuals seeking advanced knowledge without the commitment to a lengthy doctoral study, the MPhil can served as a terminal degree or a stepping stone to a PhD. After the discontinuation of the course, postgraduates who want to continue a career in academia or research can pursue a PhD.