Higher education can make an important contribution to building a stronger society, ending extreme poverty, and boosting shared prosperity. It can serve the community by contributing knowledge and advanced skills as well as basic competencies and research. Knowledge plays a growing role in the global economy, driving economic growth and productivity. Economic studies have shown a positive relationship between education and economic growth, particularly those that take into account the quality of education (Barro 2013). Higher Education fulfills multiple roles that go beyond educating students. Specialists often identify three distinct but interrelated missions i.e. (i) teaching and learning; (ii) research; and (iii) community engagement. In practice, these missions are not discrete, and they interact and complement each other.

Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology And Sciences (SHUATS) is strongly focused on education and research activities mainly in the field of Agriculture, Technology, Engineering and Sciences and also has high level of internal communication, collaboration, and coordination within its education system.
Research at SHUATS varies greatly, ranging from applied research to pure research, which gives strong foundations for future innovation and complements education.

In India, higher education also facing  many perennial challenges, including expanding and promoting equitable access, improving learning achievement, fostering educational quality and relevance, strengthening knowledge and technology transfer, encouraging desired values, behaviors, and attitudes and above all respecting Intellectual Property Rights and Research ethics.

The Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies, SHUATS works closely with Institute/schools/Colleges and the Departments for Regulations, Procedure, Standards and Requirements for Quality Doctoral and Master’s Programs at the University from Admission till the award of Degree. The primary role of Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies, SHUATS is to facilitate strengthening of the Institute's research capabilities, proactively promote basic , applied and pure research and monitor quality of research work done and to achieve it we operates under a formal quality assurance system covering all aspects of activities, curricula and teaching, research planning and innovation, administration and support services to every individual student.

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of the Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies, SHUATS  are

1. To assure that the students who have begun a programme in SHUATS will get the world class working environment for research, be able to maintain the positive impact on country’s innovative research goals with high academic standards and ethics and earn the degree within due time limits under the rules and regulations of the University.

2. To reconfigure their Post Graduate and Doctoral programs to better prepare aspiring Educationist and Researchers for the service of the nation.

REGULATIONS

1. At Present all the Doctoral and Master’s programmes offered in the University are governed by “University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.PHIL./PH.D Degrees) Regulations, 2016” notified in The Gazette of India, No. 278 , TUESDAY, JULY 5, 2016  and SHUATS Academic Regulations 2017, approved from 43rd Academic Council of the University.

2. As per the UGC guidelines and notification of Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Govt. of India, vide Letter No. Do No. F.1-18/2010(CPP-II) dated 6th August, 2018 and published in Gazette of India Dated   31st July, 2018, “URKUND” plagiarism detection software is being used in SHUATS to check the Plagiarism of Ph.D. thesis.

In addition to that Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies, SHUATS time to time makes the necessary amendments in Academic Regulations of the SHUATS in the light of the latest government guidelines and Gazette notifications. The act and rules constitute the formal framework for a Doctoral and Master's programme, which specifically stipulates the standards and requirements for the quality of the programme, such as what is required of supervisors, schools, faculties and credit requirements for Major, Minor and Supporting course work as per the guideline of Statutory bodies like ICAR, UGC etc. These Standards and Requirements for the Quality Doctoral and Master's programmesat SHUATSare the University's approved policy set by the University Academic Council and Board of Management.

RESPONSIBILITIES HANDLED BY THE OFFICE OF DEAN, POST GRADUATE STUDIES, SHUATS

The office of DPGS works with the Institute/Schools to address the issue of mainstreaming Masters’ students and Ph.D. scholars in research and teaching programmes. In the light of the above act and regulations the responsibilities handled by the Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies, SHUATS based on professional and quality premises of a Doctoral and Masters programme are :

1. Analysis of Research seats availability and publishing it for wide circulation of aspirants and deciding the  deadlines for online applications for admission
2. Processing  and scrutiny of applications forms, Fixing eligibility criteria for Admissions in coordination with respective departments
3. Conducting Entrance Test in coordination with office of the Registrar
4. Scheduling and monitoring meetings of “Research Advisory Committee (RAC)” at every department for the allotment of supervisors of individual students and planning of their research problem based on the thrust area and research needs of state and the nation.
5. Monitoring the composition of a curriculum of every individual student decided by the “Students Advisory Committee (SAC)” on the basis of the nature of the research problem of the student within the academic autonomy of the departments.
6. Interacting Head of Departments and Supervisors time to time for monitoring of rules and standards and finding the solution of research related problems, if any.
7. Ties and MoU’s with other Research Organizations and Universities in coordination with the Director Research, SHAUTS to provide better Research Opportunity, Professional team work experience and exposure to the faculty members and Research Scholars of the University.
8. Controlling the quality of the research work using plagiarism detection software and ensuring the Intellectual Property Rights and Research Ethics among Faculty members and Students through “Plagiarism Control Officer” at the Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies 9. Solving various Academic and Research disputes in coordination with the Office of Pro Vice-Chancellor ( Academic Affairs an Quality Assurance)

Coordination between Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies and Faculties/ Institute/Schools of the University
Faculties/ Institute/Schools at the University offers Graduate, Masters and Doctorate programmes in accordance with the framework set out there by the Academic Council of the University. More detailed provisions are found in the special rules of Faculties/Institute/Schools and are confirmed by the University Academic Council.

 

Monitoring the progress of programmes and dropouts:
Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies in coordination with the Faculties/ Institute/Schools are regularly monitoring  students' progress in their studies, systematically promote measures to lower dropout rates and take appropriate measures if there are unexpected changes in students' progress in their programmes and intervene so that they get necessary support or assistance.

 

Monitoring of the quality of a Master's programme:
Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies in coordination with the Faculties/ Institute/Schools monitor that the Academic regulations of the University for the Quality of Master's Programmes/ Doctoral degree are enforced to maintain the high academic standards and Research ethics.

 

Internal and External quality assessment:
Office of Dean, Post Graduate Studies in coordination with the Faculties/ Institute/Schools regularly and formally assesses the quality of their majors and degrees on the Master's level/ Doctoral Research. This is done in accordance with the Internal Quality and Assurance for Higher Education. Faculties/ Institute/Schools systematically utilise the findings of internal and external assessments to strengthen their programme's quality so that plans, measures, monitoring and improvements form a continuous improvement process.

 

Academic and Research Grievances of the student:
A Master's student/ Research Scholar who feels that his grievances related to Academic and Research is not addressed by the supervisor, Head of the Department or the concerned Dean of the college, can submit a letter to the Dean, Post Graduate Studies. Dean, Post Graduate studies take every necessary step to resolve the students problem in dignified manner within the regulations of the University without hurting the professional career of the student.

 

GENERAL ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH ETHICS AND AVAILABLE FACILITIES:

Student:   Students shall work professionally and avoid doing anything, in their studies or conduct within or outside the University, that discredits them or diminishes their reputation or reflects badly on their programme or the University. They must acquaint themselves well with the rules and customs to which academic work adheres and in all ways customarily apply meticulous methods of research and handling of references.

 

Supervisor: Supervisors promotes good and constructive collaboration with their students since mutual trust between supervisors and Master's students/ Research Scholar is an important prerequisite for a successful programme. Supervisors not only providing their students’ academic counselling but also endeavor to assist them in acquiring the general and professional skills dealt with in these standards. In order to ensure the quality of supervision, each supervisor, shall generally not supervise more than the prescribed number of students as recommended by the statutory bodies time to  time.

 

Teaching Methods: Efforts are made to employ diverse teaching methods in a Master'sor doctoral  programme, and teaching methods in a relevant course and major shall be explained in the curriculum of that programme offered by respective Faculties/ Institute/Schools.

 

Research training: All Master's and Doctoral students are receiving practical training in different methods of research, analysis and interpretation in a relevant subject area. Every effort is made to give opportunities to students to participate in teachers' research work and engage in their own research under a supervisor's guidance.

 

International Experience: As far as possible students are provided with the  opportunities to acquire international experience. Among other things, by making it easy for them to use them to organize international courses and conferences within the university or sending them to take part in international conferences  at other Institutions/ Universities.

 

Teaching Assistance: Depending on circumstances, few  students with having excellent academic records are also provided assistance for helping the teachers in practical classes at the undergraduate/ Masters level or in project works.

 

Earn While you Learn: In some cases the needy students with good academic records and poor economic background are also provided financial help in scheme “Earn While you Learn” by giving them additional task to help teachers in practical classes or in Lab  or library etc.  However, care to be taken that the workload is within moderate limits and does not delay normal progress of the programme in which student is pursuing the degree.

FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF DEAN POST GRADUATE STUDIES

A. AT DOCTORAL LEVEL

 

(Within the University)

1. To maintain the data regarding filled and vacant Ph.D. seats in each department.
2. Assisting Controller of Examination, SHAUATS in Ph.D. admission after declaration of Entrance results.
3. Scheduling the meetings of Departmental Research Committee (DRC) and allotment of Co-Chairman (Nominee of Dean, PG studies) for each department to approve synopsis of the thesis and to form SAC of individual research scholar.
4. To maintain records of approved synopsis and SAC committees of all the registered research scholars.
5. To address various issues and disputes related to doctoral thesis at University level.
6. To monitor necessary corrections suggested by SAC and external examiners in order to improve quality of the doctoral thesis and to take necessary steps.
7. To implement latest UGC regulations/ Academic Regulation, SHUATS in all ongoing doctoral research and to monitor all the necessary steps to be followed by the student and SAC.
8. To correspond SAC committee of individual students, Chairman and External examiners for timely evaluation of the thesis.
9. To monitor and arrange the Viva–Voce Examination of every research scholar in coordination with Supervisor, concerned Head of the Department, Chairman and Controller of Examination.
10. To maintain records of all completed doctoral degrees in SHUATS in hard and soft copy.
11. Issuing certificate of compliance of UGC regulations to the students.

(Outside the University)

1. To correspond to various examiners appointed  by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor for the evaluation of the doctoral thesis.
2. Sending of corrected thesis to external examiners and monitoring of evaluation reports.
3. To take necessary steps as per the reports of external examiner i.e. incorporating corrections, revision of the thesis etc.
4. To conduct final viva-voce examination in consultation with SAC committee of individual students, Chairman and External examiners.

B. AT MASTERS LEVEL
1. To  maintain the records of SAC forms of all Masters students of SHUATS
2. Allotment of chairman of SAC committee to conduct the final viva-voce examination of dissertation/thesis.
3. Monitoring of dissertation distributed to SAC members and to take necessary steps to incorporate corrections suggested by the SAC members.
4. To conduct the final viva voce examination through the chairman of the evaluation committee.

Traditionally, higher education has been a privilege largely enjoyed by students from higher socio-economic backgrounds, and current growth in enrollment raises questions about who gains access to it, and who derives benefits from it. Within higher education, there are potential issues in terms of access or enrollment (who attends), results or completion (who graduates and how fast), and learning and employability outcomes (what value-added graduates demonstrate).

Quality of Higher Education at SHUATS: Quality in higher education can be seen from multiple perspectives.
1. From an external perspective, quality is associated with higher education’s contributions to society, including economic and social benefits.
2. From student-centric perspectives, quality focuses on the student.
3. There are also higher education institutional perspectives that often measure quality by aggregating input and output data on students, faculty, programs, and institutions as a whole.

Institutions typically have information on facilities and staff, such as faculty credentials, student-to-instructor ratio, laboratory or library size. Institutions often measure faculty outputs such as number of articles produced or patents issued (Dwyer 2006). Institutions may also monitor quality through quality assurance, accreditation, and ranking, which can provide guidance to potential students and the institution’s administration.

Application of higher order thinking and understanding the mechanism that how researcher learn, has resulted great achievements  for SHUATS in  higher education and research and also contributing to the society through  transmission of knowledge gained. Improving teaching and learning in higher education can potentially include improving the selection of applied problem, potential instructors, and competencies through formal training, developing technological platforms and other innovative means. At SHUATS, a system of self-evaluation by students and professors also complements these initiatives. Improved Research facilities and quality education at SHUATS is also supported at the institutional and system level through quality assurance and accreditation mechanisms by various agencies.