Indira Gandhi National Open University offers Research Degree Programmes in different Disciplines under the respective Schools. The Research Degree Programmes are managed in accordance with the Ordinance on Research Degree Programmes and the Guidelines for M.Phil. & Ph.D. Programmes.
IGNOU also offers Research Fellowships to students who are not receiving any financial support for pursuing Ph.D. These Fellowships are tenable only at IGNOU. Expansion of research activities through a scheme of grants for major and minor research in different areas is also under consideration. The research activities of IGNOU are coordinated by the Research Unit of the University.
RESEARCH DEGREE PROGRAMMES & ELIGIBILITY
The University offers M.Phil./ Ph.D. Programmes for July 2012 in the Disciplines listed below:
1 | History (Ph.D.) | 11 | Nutritional Sciences (Ph.D) | 21 | Arabic (Ph.D) |
| 2 | Economics (M.Phil/Ph.D) | 12 | Gender and Development Studies (Ph.D) | 22 | Extension & Development Studies (Ph.D) |
| 3 | Sociology (M.Phil/Ph.D) | 13 | Women’s Studies (Ph.D) | 23 | Education (Ph.D) |
| 4 | Political Science (M.Phil/Ph.D) | 14 | Chemistry (Ph.D) | 24 | Distance Education (M.Phil/Ph.D) |
| 5 | Public Administration (M.Phil/Ph.D) | 15 | Journalism &Mass Communication (Ph.D) | 25 | Translation Studies (M.Phil/Ph.D) |
| 6 | Library & Information Science (M.Phil/Ph.D) | 16 | Civil Engineering (Ph.D) | 26 | English (Ph.D) |
| 7 | Gandhian Thoughts and Peace Studies (M.Phil & Ph.D) | 17 | Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D) | 27 | Fine Arts (Ph.D) |
| 8 | Vocational Education (Ph.D) | 18 | Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Studies (Ph.D) | 28 | Music (Ph.D) |
| 9 | Rural Development (Ph.D) | 19 | Astrophysics (Ph.D) | 29 | Theatre Arts (Ph.D) |
| 10 | Child Development (Ph.D) | 20 | French (Ph.D) | | |
The admission to M.Phil./Ph.D. Programmes of the University is offered through two parallel streams. The eligibility conditions in these streams are as given below:
Stream A: Candidates must have 55% marks at the Post-Graduation level (50% for reserved category) and should have obtained the M.Phil. Degree.
OR
Candidates must have 55% marks at Post-Graduation level (50% for reserved category) and should additionally have at least five years of relevant teaching / professional experience after having obtained the Post-Graduate Degree.
Stream B: Candidates must have 55% at Post-Graduate level (50% for reserved category) and should have qualified the Entrance Test of IGNOU.
Note: 1. Candidates having qualified in the UGC NET/ JRF / JEST / GATE or such equivalent examination will be exempted from the Entrance Test.
2. Some Disciplines have prescribed specific eligibility criteria in addition to the one stated above. These will be applicable in relevant cases.
3. ADMISSION PROCEDURE
- Applications for admission in M.Phil./Ph.D. Programmes, on the prescribed form which can be downloaded from the website www.ignou.ac.in, must be sent to the Research Unit of the University at the following address:
The Director
Research Unit
Block No-6, Room No-18
IGNOU, Maidan Garhi
New Delhi - 110068
- The applications so received by the Research Unit will be forwarded to relevant Disciplines/ Schools for scrutiny. Names of students shortlisted for admission will be communicated by the concerned Discipline to the Research Unit.
- Candidates in Stream B will appear in the Entrance Test conducted by respective Disciplines in coordination with the Research Unit at a place and on a date announced in advance. Candidates successful in the Entrance Test will be advised to appear in the interview / make presentations about their Ph.D. proposals before the Doctoral Committee of the Discipline.
- Candidates in Stream A will be called to make a presentation of their research proposals before the Doctoral Committee of the Discipline concerned. The research proposals of some candidates may not be found up to the mark at the time of short-listing. However, if the faculty considers that the research proposals need any modification, the Director of the School concerned may intimate the applicants to resubmit the proposals by carrying out necessary modifications. Otherwise the applications will be rejected. It will not be obligatory on the faculty to accept the modified proposal.
- Selected candidates in both the Streams A & B will be informed of their result through offer letters issued by the Research Unit. Upon receipt of the offer letters candidates shall prepare a demand draft of the programme fee drawn in favour of IGNOU and payable at New Delhi. This shall be submitted to Research Unit. Details of programme fee are given in Para 4 below.
- The Research Unit shall issue a confirmation letter informing the student of his provisional admission (in cases where Research Proposal is yet to be prepared) or provisional registration (in cases where Research Proposal has been presented and approved by the Doctoral Committee).
- The admission / registration of a candidate is confirmed when the Research Proposal, Research Supervisor and the mode of study (Stream A/ Stream B) are approved by the Doctoral Committee and the School Board/ Area Committee and are also approved by Research Council Standing Committee/ Research Council of the University.
4. PAYMENT OF FEES
The programme fee includes registration fee, fee for the course work, if any, and evaluation fee. All fee is charged on annual basis. All registered candidates shall pay full fees on re-registration for 2nd year in Stream A and 2nd and 3rd year in Stream B. The fee structure is indicated hereunder.
Sl.No | Name of the Programme | Programme Fee (Rs.) |
| 1. | M.Phil. | 10500/- (One time payment) |
| 2. | Ph.D. - Stream B | 7000/- per annum for 3 years |
| 3. | Ph.D. - Stream A | 7000/- per annum for 2 years (In case course work is assigned, an additional payment of 7000/- shall be charged in the first year). |
| 4. | Ph.D. (Integrated Mode) | 10500/- in the first year and 7000/- each in 2nd and 3rd year respectively |
5. DURATION
Minimum and the maximum duration for M.Phil. programme shall be 1½ to 4 years. The minimum and maximum duration for the Ph.D. programme shall be 2/3 years to 5 years depending upon the Stream. However, the maximum duration can be extended by one more year with due permission of the competent authority subject to satisfactory progress of the candidate.
6. PROGRAMME STRUCTURE
A) M.Phil. programme
i) The M.Phil. programme is of 48 credits out of which 32-36 credits comprise course work. The candidate may simultaneously undertake course work and dissertation work.
ii) M.phil. students shall submit two hard bound copies of the dissertation along with one in the electronic form to the Research Unit through the Director concerned. The dissertation shall include a certificate signed by the supervisor(s) about the originality of the work.
iii) The dissertation shall be examined by an external examiner nominated by Vice-Chancellor from a list of at least 5 experts submitted by the Supervisor through the School Board concerned.
iv) Successful evaluation of the dissertation by the external examiner will be followed by the viva-voce to be conducted by a panel comprising the external examiner, the supervisor of the candidate as Convener of the panel and the Director concerned as the Chairperson of the panel. The reports of the evaluation and the viva-voce will be given on prescribed formats.
v) For successful completion of the M.Phil. programme, the candidate shall have to secure a minimum of 50% marks in each course, 50% in the dissertation work and 50% in viva- voce.
B) Ph.D. Programme
i) The Ph.D. is of 96-100 credits out of which 32-36 credits comprise course work. However, M.Phil. holders pursuing Ph.D. will be exempted from course work.
ii) Under Integrated mode the candidate will have to complete course work of 32-36 credits at the M.Phil stage itself before proceeding with Ph.D thesis.
iii) Each student will give at least two seminars during the whole duration of the program before the Doctoral Committee, not necessarily at the HQs.
iv) Before the submission of the thesis there shall be a pre-submission seminar to be organized by the Discipline concerned. The report of this seminar will be sent to Research Unit for records.
v) At least one research paper in the area of study for Ph.D. should be published / accepted for publication in a peer reviewed / refereed journal before the pre-submission seminar.
vi) The candidate shall submit five hard copies of the summary of the thesis (3000-5000 words), duly approved by the supervisor(s) at least 45 days before the submission of thesis.
vii) Finally, four hard bound copies of the thesis along with one in the electronic form shall be submitted to the Research Unit through the Director concerned. The thesis shall include a certificate signed by the supervisor (s) about the originality of the work.
viii) The thesis shall be examined by three external experts nominated by the Vice Chancellor from a list of seven experts submitted by the supervisor (s) through the Director and the School Board concerned. The report of the evaluation will be given on a prescribed format.
ix) After evaluation of the thesis by the examiners an open defense of the thesis shall be conducted at the place of research / or at IGNOU by a panel comprising one of the external examiners nominated by the Vice Chancellor and the principal supervisor of the candidate. The Director concerned shall be the Chairperson of the panel. The supervisor shall be the convener of the panel. The date for open defense, venue, topic of the thesis with a brief abstract shall be given publicity by the Research Unit through a national communication so as to facilitate wider participation in the session.
x) The report of the open defense prepared by the panel on the prescribed format shall be placed before the Vice Chancellor for approval after which notification about the award of doctoral degree shall be issued by the Research Unit.
7. STATUS OF RESEARCH CANDIDATES
The M.Phil./Ph.D. Programme of IGNOU can be pursued full-time as well as on part-time basis. All those candidates who are offered a fellowship by the University or any other agency shall register with the University to pursue M.Phil./Ph.D. Programme of the University on a full-time basis and shall comprise the category of full-time candidates. Besides this, the Research Council, based on the recommendation made by the candidate’s research supervisor (s) / School Board may permit candidates without a fellowship to register as full-time candidates. All full-time candidates shall work towards their M.Phil./Ph.D. Programme at the University headquarters or at its Regional Centers or at any other Institution recognized by the University for a specific purpose.
Persons employed in any organization and desirous of pursuing the M.Phil./Ph.D. Programme may register as part-time candidates, if they want to pursue their research studies at their own place of work. The research supervisor(s), Programme Coordinator and Director of the School concerned shall take such decisions and advise the candidates accordingly.
8. RESEARCH SUPERVISION
Every candidate registered for the Research Degree Programme shall be required to pursue the Programme under the approved research Supervisor(s) of the University. Supervisors / Joint Supervisors shall be assigned by the respective Doctoral Committees & School Boards. Experts who do not belong to the University can also be empanelled as research Supervisors on presentation of their CV and recommendation by the respective School Board. The number of students working under a research Supervisor will be in accordance with the Ordinance on Research Degree Programmes.
9. PROGRESS OF RESEARCH CANDIDATES
The progress of the student shall be monitored by the Supervisor (s). However, generating six monthly progress reports on the prescribed format will be the responsibility of the student. S/he will submit progress report to the Supervisor for consideration and approval of the Doctoral Committee. The recommendation of the Doctoral Committee will be placed before the School Board. The minutes of the Doctoral Committee and that of the School Board will be forwarded by the Director of the School for placing before the Research Council Standing Committee/ Research Council. In case of unsatisfactory progress and / or non submission of timely report, the University reserves the right to cancel the registration.
10. CHANGE OF STATUS, TOPIC OF RESEARCH ETC.
a) Students enrolled in M.Phil./Ph.D. Program may work on full-time basis at the University or on part-time basis. Change from part time to full time or vice versa will have to be approved by the Doctoral Committee and the School Board and placed before the RC/RCSC for approval.
b) Change of title in Ph.D. thesis should be effected within 1½ years of registration for Ph.D. Change of title shall be approved by Doctoral Committee, School Board and thereafter placed before RC/RCSC for approval. No change of title will be permitted after 1½ years.
c) In case there is a major change of topic/ discipline the candidate will have to go through the process of fresh registration.
11. AWARD OF M.PHIL. / PH.D. DEGREE
A candidate shall be awarded the M.Phil./Ph.D. Degree, with the approval of the Academic Council of the University. The Registrar, Student Evaluation Division of the University shall issue the Provisional Degree and Final Degree to all qualified candidates. Research Degree Programmes of the University shall be guided by the existing Ordinance and Regulations of the University.
