The Allahabad High Court while disposing the petition of a Ph.D student has directed that even retired Ph.D supervisors shall be given due credit for their supervision in the thesis.
A Single Bench of Justice Ajay Bhanot passed this order while hearing a petition filed by Preeti Mishra.
The petitioner has assailed the order dated 8.10.2021 issued by the competent authority in the University changing Professor Anupam Dixit her erstwhile Ph.D supervisor and nominating Professor Girijesh Kumar as her Ph.D supervisor.
The Court noted that,
The petitioner had enrolled as a Ph.D candidate in the department of Botany in the Allahabad University on 30.10.2017. The standard of Ph.D programmes are governed by the University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil/Ph.D Degrees) Regulations, 2016.
The duration of the programme being relevant to the controversy provided in Clause 4, which is extracted here as under:
“4.2. Ph.D programme shall be for a minimum duration of three years, including coursework and a maximum of six years.”
As per the aforesaid regulation, the petitioner could have completed her Ph.D programme earliest by 30.10.2020.
The Ph.D supervisor of the petitioner Professor Anupam Dixit, who was supervising her research since her enrolment, superannuated from service on 14.7.2019. Thereafter she was granted extension for the academic session till 30.6.2020. Professor Anupam Dixit was finally engaged as UGCBSR Faculty in the department for three years, which concluded in January, 2023.
On account of the superannuation of Professor Anupam Dixit, the University lawfully appointed Professor Girijesh Kumar of the department of Botany, Allahabad University, Prayagraj as the Ph.D supervisor of the petitioner. No fault in the aforesaid appointment can be made.
However, Kunal Ravi Singh, counsel for the University, upon instructions, submitted that the University intends to facilitate his Ph.D scholars and shall take steps to expedite the processing of the Ph.D thesis, which the petitioner may submit before Professor Girijesh Kumar.
“In view of the above, no relief can be granted to the petitioner. However, Professor Anupam Dixit shall be given due credit for his supervision in the thesis”, the order reads.
The Court disposed of the petition in terms of submissions made by Kunal Ravi, counsel for the University.