PhD entrance: It’s advantage Channi as PU plans to slash passing marks for SC/ST students

Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | ByIfrah Mufti, Chandigarh

Sep 22, 2017 12:25 PM IST

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Panjab University syndicate will take a final call on the proposal at its meeting to be held on Saturday. The move will benefit all SC students who want to pursue MPhil and PhD.

In what may be good news for Punjab technical education minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who failed to clear Panjab University’s PhD entrance exam, vice-chancellor Arun Kumar Grover has suggested reducing the 50% limit to 40% for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) students to clear the first entrance exam.

The university syndicate will take a final call on the proposal at its meeting to be held on Saturday. The move will benefit all SC students who want to pursue MPhil and PhD. The proposal came weeks after HT reported that Channi, who belongs to the reserved category, failed to clear Panjab University entrance for PhD.

Poll veteran Channi ‘fails’ to clear Panjab University entrance for PhD in political science

A prominent dalit leader, Channi belongs to the reserved category. PU sources say, he has failed to make the cut. (Illustration by Daljeet Kaur Sandhu/HT)

University sources said the V-C’s suggestion came after the Ambedkar Students Association requested him to reduce the percentage of pass marks for the SC/ST students. In its letter to the V-C, the association said the test is conducted in English and since most of the SC/ST students have a rural background, it’s difficult for them to clear the first entrance exam.

To qualify for PhD, the candidate must obtain at least 40% (35% for SC/ST) marks in paper-2. Controller of examination has written to the dean, university instructions to take necessary action.

As per the prospectus of MPhil/PhD entrance test-2017, the initial evaluation has to be of paper-1 (objective type). The paper-2 will be evaluated only if the applicant obtains 55% (50% for SC/ST) marks. To qualify for the PhD enrolment, the candidate must obtain at least 40% (35% for SC/ST) marks in paper-2. Controller of examination Parwinder Singh has also written to the dean, university instructions to take necessary action.

He said more than 150 SC/ST students, who couldn’t clear their MPhil/ Phd entrance exam, will benefit if the syndicate gives nod to reducing pass percentage. He was asked to submit a report as to how many students did not clear the entrance exam in each subject. The report will be tabled at the syndicate meeting.