New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released official notification for First Amendment in the MPhil and PhD Regulations. A relaxation of five per cent marks has been made for the reserve category candidates in the entrance examination, conducted by the University for PhD/MPhil Admission.

The notification said  “A relaxation of 5 % of marks (from 50% to 45%) shall be allowed for the candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC(Non-Creamy layers)/Differently-abled category in the entrance examination conducted by the Universities.”

Also the notification informed that if in spite of the above relaxation, the seats allotted for SC/ST/OBC(Non Creamy layer)/Differently-Abled categories remain unfilled, the concerned Universities shall launch a Special Admission Drive, for that particular category within one month from the date of closure of admissions of General Category. The concerned University will devise its own admission procedure, along with eligibility conditions to ensure that most of the seats under these categories are filled.

This new regulations will be known as UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil/Ph.D Degrees) (1st Amendment) Regulations, 2018.

In 2016, the UGC had introduced a new regulation to streamline the process for admission to PhD and M Phil programmes across all universities and higher educational institutions.

As per the PhD Regulations 2016 Higher Educational Institutes shall admit candidates by a two stage process through: (I) An Entrance Test shall be qualifying with qualifying marks as 50%. (II) The syllabus of the Entrance Test shall consist of 50% of research methodology and 50% shall be subject specific.

Now after amendment of regulations, General candidates have to score minimum 50% marks in the PhD Entrance Test. While Reserved categories candidates have to score minimum 45% marks in the PhD Entrance Test.