Research Programmes include M. Phil. and Ph. D. Programmes.

• Information about M. Phil. is available in the respective Departments.
• Notification for Ph. D. admission is given during November/December every year. More Information about Ph. D. is available in the respective Departments.

1. The management and organisation of research programmes leading to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) shall remain vested with the Research Council subject to the general approval of the Academic Council.
   
   
2. Eligibility:

   Any person having a Master's Degree in a subject in the faculties of Arts, Science, Commerce, Law, Engineering and Medical Science of the Gauhati University or any University recognised by Gauhati University with nor less than 50(fifty) percent of marks or equivalent grade in the subject may apply for admission to the Ph.D. programme. Provided further that a person holding a second class Master's Degree of this University with at least 10(ten) years' teaching experience in an educational institution within the state of Assam may be considered eligible by the Research Council on the recommendation of the Dean of the Faculty concerned.
   
   

3. Provisional Registration:
   1. Candidates intending to pursue research programmes leading to Ph.D. Degree will apply for admission either in January or in July every year. However post-January and post July admission for awardees of Fellowship etc. will be considered by the DRC/FRC when deemed necessary. (Please see Annexure I for composition of DRC/FRC).
   2. Candidates will apply in prescribed forms in duplicate. Application forms will be available in the office of the Academic Registrar, Gauhati University, on payment of the prescribed application fee.
   3. The application in duplicate along with two copies of statement on board areas of research signed by the concerned recognised guide(s) (Please see Annexure II for recognition of Ph.D. Research Guide) shall have to be submitted to the concerned Head of the Department of Gauhati University/the Dean of the concerned Faculty in the case of Engineering and Medical Sciences.
   4. The DRC/FRC will scrutinise the application forms and finalise the list of students and forward the same to the Academic Registrar along with a copy of each application for provisional admission. The DRC/FRC will also decide the number of scholars to be admitted in a particular session and number of scholar to be allotted to a guide.
   5. Candidates may also be admitted under the guidance of retired teachers of the University with the approval of DRC/FRC.
   6. Candidate serving in an institution other than the University shall be required to submit a no objection certificate from his/her employer along with the application.
   
   
   
4. General Category of Scholars:

   Research Scholars with Master's/ Post-Master's Degree holders in any of the Science (pure/applied) or Engineering/Medicine but working for PhD Degree in some literature/humanities based subjects (like Biography, Scientific literature in a language and so on) or in areas like History and Philosophy or Science etc shall be admitted to the Ph.D. degree under General Category. Candidates willing to work for Ph.D. Degree under General Category will submit their applications for admission to the Academic Registrar with necessary recommendation from their Guide(s). Their applications will be considered by a Committee Composed of the Chairmen, Research Council, all the Deans the concerned Guide(s) and the Academic Registrar as its convenor.
   
   

5. Fees payable by the Research Scholars:

   The students declared eligible for admission will be provisionally admitted on payment the following admission fees at the prescribed rate.

   1. Registration fee
   2. Identity Card fee
   3. Library fee
   4. Caution deposit fee
   Provided that :
   1. A full-time scholar shall be required to pay a monthly fee at the prescribed rate. The monthly fee will have to be paid in two installments per annum from the date of provisional registration till the date of submission of the thesis.
   2. A part-time internal scholar working in this University or in an affiliated College of this Universy will have to pay an enrolment fee at the prescribed rate per annum in single installment from the date of provisional registration till the date of submission of the thesis.
   3. A Scholar pursuing research in recognised institution outside the University (please see Annexure II for rules for recognition of Institute/Department/ Centre/ Laboratory/ Museum for PhD Research) under the supervision of recognised Guide(s) not in the University service, will/ have to pay an enrolment fee at the prescribed rate per annum in single installment from the date of provisional registration till the date of submission of the thesis.
   4. The awardees of Fellowship/Scholarship etc like the JRF etc will be required to secure admission by paying the above admission fees and they will be treated as full-time Scholars for the purpose of monthly fees.
   5. All other scholars not covered by (a), (b), (c) and (d) above will be treated as part-time external scholars and they shall be required to pay an enrolment fee and also an external fee at the prescribed rate from the date of provisional registration till the date of submission of the thesis in single installment per annum.
   
   
6. Joint Guideship:

   In the event of a scholar pursuing the research programme on a topic with ramifications stretching to two or more disciplines he/she may apply to work under supervision of two guides not from the same discipline. The PhD Committee (please see Annexure IV for constitution of Ph.D. Committee) after scrutinising the research proposal submitted by the candidate will take the final decision. The scholars pursuing research programme in an institution outside this University shall have to take a Joint Guide if necessary from the concerned Department of Gauhati University.
   
   

7. Procedure for Provisional Registration:

   Every application for provisional registration for PhD Degree shall be placed along with the synopsis of the proposed research before a Ph.D. Committee consisting of the Vice Chancellor, the Dean of the Faculty concerned, the Head of the Department concerned (where applicable) and the guide(s). The PhD Committee shall consider written opinion of at least one expert to be selected by the Vice Chancellor from a panel of 4(four) names of external experts submitted by the guide. The PhD Committee will recommend provisional registration of a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree after satisfying itself that the investigation may profitably be carried out by the applicant under the guide(s) and that adequate facilities and materials will be available in the laboratory/place of research. The Ph.D. Committee shall have the discretion to modify the research topic and shall specify the faculty and the subject to which the topic belongs.

   On his/her candidature being provisionally accepted by the PhD Committee, the applicant shall be provisionally registered on such conditions and on such topics as may be fixed by the PhD Committee on payment of the prescribed registration fee.

   The scholars proposing to carry research work in the Science Department of Gauhati University requiring laboratory facilities shall pay 'Laboratory fee' at the prescribed rate and should enclose the duplicate copy of the receipt along with the application for provisional registration.
   
   

8. Final Registration:
   1. Candidate provisionally registered for Ph.D. Degree shall be required to apply for final registration in the prescribed form within 24(twenty four) months from the date of provisional registration.
   2. Candidate failing to apply for final registration within 24 (twenty four) months from the date of provisional registration due to unavoidable circumstances may on the recommendation of the concerned guide be allowed under orders of the Vice-Chancellor to apply for final registration upto 36(thirty six) months from the date of provisional registration on payment of late Registration fee at the prescribed rate. If a candidate does not apply for final registration within 36 months his/her provisional registration will stand cancelled.
   3. Application for final registration in prescribed form shall be placed before the PhD Committee. A report from the Guide(s) through the concerned Head of the department testifying to the candidate's defence of his/her research programme in one open seminar alongwith the progress report from the scholar countersigned by the Guide(s) must be enclosed. The Ph.D. committee will consider such report and accord approval for the final registration of the scholar for the PhD Degree. The PhD committee shall finally decide the title of the thesis, the subject and the faculty under which the thesis should be submitted.
   4. The date of final registration shall be effective from the date of provisional registration.
   5. Candidates with Master's degree from a University, other than Gauhati University shall be required to submit a copy of Gauhati University registration certificate alongwith the application for final registration.
   
   
   
9. Attendance and Library and or Laboratory work:
   1. Full-time research scholars shall attend their respective departments and or laboratories according to the pre-arranged time-tables and the records of their attendance shall be maintained by the concerned Guide(s).
   2. In case of part-time scholars and scholar working in recognised research laboratory outside the Gauhati University, the Guide(s) must be satisfied that the scholar has done work for at least six months in the University Library/Laboratory/Department or in any other Library/ Institute /Establishment/Laboratory recognised by the University for the purpose. This period of six months may include actual field-work where applicable and to this effect the candidate shall be required to submit a certificate from their Guide(s) at the time of submission of their thesis.
   3. Scholars employed in non-academic establishment shall be required to take at least 6(six) months' leave from their duty, but not necessarily at a stretch.
   
   
   
10. Period of Research Work:
    1. A scholar finally registered for Ph.D. degree may submit the thesis after completion of 3(three) years of research work from the date of registration, but not later than 5(five) years.
    2. If however, a scholar fails to submit the thesis within 5(five) years from the date of registration, he/she may be allowed with the permission of Vice Chancellor an extension of one year which will be effective after the completion of 5th year of registration, this may be followed by one more year.
    3. For each extension of one year the scholar shall be required to submit an application through the Guide(s) justify the need thereof by paying an extension fee at the prescribed rate. The same procedure will be operative for the subsequent extension in which case also another installment of extension at the prescribed rate is to be paid.
    4. The final registration of the scholar shall stand cancelled after 7(seven) years from the date of registration and his/her name shall be struck off from the PhD registration register and the scholar shall not be allowed to work on the same topic any further. However under very special circumstances the Vice-Chancellor may grant a scholar grace period of 90(ninety) days to submit the thesis after the expiry of the 7th(seven) year from the date of registration.
    
    
    
11. Independent Research:

    With the prior permission of Vice Chancellor, a candidate fulfilling the eligibility condition stated in Clause 2 above, and with at least 10(ten) years of teaching experience in the University Department or College within the territorial jurisdiction of Gauhati University and having adequate publication, may apply for pursuing his/her Ph.D. Research programme independently.

    While seeking permission from the Vice Chancellor, the candidate will have to submit certificates from two members of the concerned faculty of this University having experience in guiding research testifying the fitness of the candidate to pursue independent research. All other provisions and condition of these rules will be applicable to all such scholars working independently. A scholar having registered once under a guide shall not be permitted to submit his/her thesis independently.
    
    

12. Submission of Thesis:
    1. The scholar for the Ph.D. degree shall submit three copies (four copies incase of joint guides) of his/her thesis as per rules in Annexure V. The thesis should embody the result of research and show evidence of originality. Five copies of abstract not exceeding 1500 words shall be submitted atleast 3 months before the date of submission of the thesis. The abstracts are to be sent to the examiners for obtaining their consent.
    2. The thesis must contain a certificate from the guide(s) stating that:
       1. The scholar has fulfilled all requirements under these rules.
       2. The thesis is the result of the scholars own investigation.

       In case of a scholar submitting/ the thesis independently the above declaration is to be given by the scholar himself/herself.

    3. The thesis must also contain a declaration from the scholar to the effect that the thesis or part thereof was not submitted by him/her for any research degree to this University or any other University/Institution.
    4. At the time of submission of the thesis, every scholar shall pay a Ph.D. thesis examination fee at the prescribed rate. The fee once paid shall not be refunded.
    
    
    
13. Evaluation of Ph.D. Thesis:
    1. The thesis shall be examined by a Board of Examiners consisting of two external examiners and the guide(s), concerned and three examiners when there is no guide. For this purpose the Ph.D. Committee shall finalise a panel of atleast 7(seven) names of examiners in the subject besides the guide(s).

       Explanation :

       External examiner shall mean any examiner other than guide(s) not in the University service/not belonging to the institution of the candidates and the guide(s).

    2. From the panel finalised as above the Vice-Chancellor shall select the Board of Examiners and the Academic Registrar will take necessary steps for evaluation of the thesis. In case of joint guides, either a combined report or two separate reports may be obtained.
    3. All the examiners appointed to evaluate the thesis shall be requested to send alongwith the report on the thesis any questions to be put to the scholar during the Viva-Voce and /or practical examination.
    4. If the thesis is recommended for Ph.D. degree unanimously by all the examiners, then it will be processed according to clause 14 below.
    5. If the thesis is recommended for the Ph.D. degree by any two examiners and rejected or suggested for resubmission after revision by the third examiner, then the thesis will be referred to another external examiner (i.e., 4th examiner) from the panel already approved by the Ph.D. Committee as per selection to be made by the Vice-Chancellor. The assessment of the 4th examiner shall be final.

       If the 4th examiner suggests re-submission after revision, then the scholar will be allowed to re-submit the thesis after necessary revision in the light of the comments of this examiner within one year on payment of half the prescribed examination fees and the revised thesis will be sent only to this examiner who suggested revision.

       If the 4th examiner recommends the thesis, the report of the recommendation will be considered along with the other reports already received and will be processed under clause below.

    6. If the thesis is suggested for re-submission after revision by any two examiners, the scholar will be allowed to re-submit the thesis after revision of the light of the comments of the examiners within one year on payment of half the prescribed examination fees and the revised thesis will be sent to only those examiners who have suggested revision. If the revised thesis is recommended, the reports and the recommendations will be considered along with the other report already received and will be processed under clause 14 below.
    7. If the thesis is rejected by any two examiners, it shall be rejected.
    
    
    
14. Viva-Voce and /or Practical Examination:
    1. After the thesis has been recommended by all the examiners for award of Ph.D. degree, the reports of the examiners will be made available to the Guide (s) by the Academic Registrar and the scholar shall be asked to appear at a Viva-Voce and /or practical examination to be conducted as per the prescribed rules as laid down in Annexure VI.
    2. The Viva-Voce and/or Practical examination will be conducted internally by a Research Board consisting of the Head of the concerned Department, the internal examiner(s) and not more than 3(three) other members of the DRC (to be nominated by the Vice-Chancellor). The Research Board will submit a joint report.
    3. Candidates shall be required to pay a Ph.D. Viva-Voce fee for appearing in the Viva-Voce and /or Practical Examination at the prescribed rate on or before the date of the said examination. The fees for re-appearing at the Viva-Voce and/or Practical Examination shall be half the prescribed Viva-Voce fees.
    
    
    
15. Award of the Doctorate (Ph. D.) Degree:

    If the thesis is recommended for award of the Ph. D. degree after the Viva-Voce and or Practical Examination, the Academic Registrar with the approval of the Vice-Chancellor shall submit the recommendation to the Executive Council for declaration of the result. The Executive Council shall approve the award of Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and shall cause his/her name of published with the title of thesis, name of the guide(s), name of the faculty and the Department to which the thesis belongs.
    
    

16. A Certificate under the seal of the University and signed by the Vice-Chancellor will be given to each successful candidate at the next convocation for conferring the Degree.
    
    
17. For all other matters not covered above, the decision of the Research Council based on the recommendation of the PhD. Committee shall be final and binding.

Annexure I:

1. Constitution of Departmental Research Committee (DRC) at all faculties.

   The Department Research Committee will be constituted as follows.

   1. Head of the Department - Chairman & Convenor.
   2. All the recognised Research Guides of the Department- Members.
2. For Engineering and Medical faculties there will be a Faculty Research Committee constituted with
   1. Dean of faculty as convener and chairman
   2. Five heads of Departments of concerned faculty to be chosen by rotation for a period of three years.
   3. Concerned Research Guides.
   4. Two members of concerned faculty to be chosen by the concerned faculty for a period of three years.
3. The Research Guides from other recognised Institutions/Colleges/Universities to be selected by Departmental Research Committee.

Annexure II:

Recognition of Ph.D. Research Guide.

The Research Council shall recognise Ph. D. Research Guides on the recommendation of the Ph. D. Committee.

Any teacher of University Department or an affiliated college within the territorial jurisdiction of the Gauhati University and having a Doctorate Degree and or adequate research experience as evidenced by publication in journals of national and international standing may be recognised as Ph.D. Research Guide. Retired teachers of the University Departments may also be allowed to continue to act as Research Guides provided adequate facilities are available in the concerned departments.

Provided that any other person of eminence of recognised Research Laboratory, Museum, Library of Research Institutions with adequate Research Publications and with other merit may also be recognised as Ph. D. Research Guide. Such person should normally be a resident within the territorial jurisdiction of the University.

Provided further that on the recommendation of the Research Council, the Executive Council shall have the right in very special cases to waive the condition of Research Degree and territorial jurisdiction for recognition as Ph. D. Research Guide.

Annexure III:

Rules for recognition of Institute/Department/Centre/Laboratory/Library/Museum/for Ph D. Research.

1. The Institute/Department/Centre/Laboratory/Library/Museum etc. should apply to the Academic Registrar in triplicate with an application fee at the prescribed rate which is non-refundable, preferably in the month of June every year together with three copies of report containing informations as in the rule. The Research Council may also consider the applications from outside the territorial jurisdiction of the University. In such cases the applying authority will have to bear the total cost of T.A./D.A. etc. in connection with the inspection in addition to the application fee.
2. A team consisting of atleast two experts alongwith Academic Registrar will visit the Institute/Department/Centre/Laboratory/Library/Museum etc. and shall inspect the facilities for their satisfaction in the following aspects (where applicable) :
   1. A library with adequate number of books ( about two thousand ) and journals (about10) of National and International standard on the subject and allied fields of study.
   2. A full time qualified Librarian with supporting staff.
   3. Adequate reading room facilities.
   4. A Laboratory with adequate equipment and space (where applicable).
   5. Adequate staff facilities for fabrication of specialised equipments needed for research (where applicable).
   6. Adequate staff for running and maintenance of the range of equipments needed for research (where applicable).
   7. Manuscript or Microfilming may be accepted as alternative (where applicable).
   8. At least one person who has been recognised as Guide of the subject/discipline for which Ph. D. recognition is sougtht.
      1. Details regarding land and building.
      2. Areas of land stating whether permanent and belonging to the Institute.
      3. Nature and type of building.
      4. Number of rooms with space in which the concerned Institute/ Department/ Centre/Laboratory/Library/Museum is situated.
   9. Details of financial sources of the concerned Institute/ Department/Centre/Laboratory/Library/Museum etc.
      1. Recurring grant received durring the year previous to the visit and in the visit year (if available).
      2. Non-recurring grant/grants received durring the year previous to the visit and in the visit year (if available).
      3. Any other financial sources (with details of magnitude and nature (including interest from fixed deposits, if any.
   10. A whole time executive in charge of administration of the Institute/department/Centre/Laboratory/Library/ Museum.
3. The committee will submit its report to the University with full-details covering the above aspects along with its critical observations & recommendation, which will be submitted to the Research Council for further course of action. The recommendation of the Research Council will be placed in the Executive Council for approval.
4. The matter regarding recognition will be subject to renewal on the basis of report submitted by the Institute/Department/Centre/Laboratory/Library/Museum etc. and after a period inspection, if necessary after every two years.
5. Recognition will be accorded for a period of three years subject to renewal on the basis of report on activities to be submitted along with a non-refundable renewal fee at the prescribed rate.

Annexure IV:

Constitution of Ph.D. Committee :

There will be a Ph.D. Committee for recommendation of :

1. Provisional Registration
2. Final Registration
3. Panel of Examiners
4. Research Guide.

The composition of Ph.D. Committee is given below :

1. Vice-Chancellor-Chairman
2. Dean of the concerned faculty-Member
3. Head of the concerned Dept.-Member
4. The concerned Guide (s)-Member
5. Academic Registrar-Convener

Annexure V:

Rules for submission of Ph.D. thesis :

1. All copies shall have the standard A-4 size. A margin of at least 3 cm. shall be left on all sides.
2. The content of the thesis should be typed/printed in double space.
3. The maps and drawings may have appropriate size as advised by the Guide.
4. All copies must be bound in cloth or rexin with the title of the thesis, the name of the degree, the year of submission and the name of the scholar embossed/printed on the spine and front page of the cover.
5. The colour of the thesis cover and the letters thereon will be as given below :

Faculty Colour of the cover Colour of the letters

Arts, Commerce, Law	Black	White
Science	Dark-Cherry-Red	White
Engineering
Medical

Annexure VI:

Rules regarding Compulsory Viva-Voce Examination for Ph.D. Degree

1. The Viva-Voce Examination will be an open one and its arrangement will be the responsibility of the Guide (s) concerned in consultation with the Head of the concerned department. A General notice should be issued by the concerned Guide (s) for this purpose with a copy to the Academic Registrar and Head of the concerned department.
2. The Viva-Voce Examination may be held in the presence of research scholars and the teachers of the concerned department.
3. The Viva-Voce Examination should not be generally held on a any University holiday.
4. The Examiners of the Viva-Voce Examination may ask question beyond the subject of the thesis in order to satisfy themselves that the Scholar has adequate knowledge of the particular branch of studies on which he/she has submitted the thesis.
5. The Examiners, if they are satisfied with the Viva-Voce Examination, shall submit a join report recommending the work of the scholar for award of Ph. D. degree. If they are not satisfied, they shall not recommend the work for an award of Ph. D. degree and shall recommend the Scholar to re-appear in another Viva-Voce Examination after 6 (six) months but not later than 12 months to defend his/her thesis. The Scholar in such cases shall have to pay a Viva-Voce fees at the half the prescribed rate.

(This Regulation will be effective from the date of approval of the Executive Council).