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Guidelines regarding online evaluation

Guidelines regarding online evaluation of Ph.D. and masters thesis/dissertation in view of covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown


1. FOR Ph.D. STUDENTS

As per the UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown, April 2020, Point No. 12.
Point No.12 of UGC Guidelines:     

“The universities may conduct the Ph.D. and M. Phil. Viva -Voce Examinations through Video Conferencing using Google, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology, subject to the approval of the concerned statutory authority of the university, in compliance of Clause 9.6 to 9.9 of the UGC Regulations, 2016 regarding award of M. Phil / Ph.D. Degree. While conducting the Viva-Voce Examination through Video Conferencing using electronic means, it may be ensured that it will be open to be attended by members of the Research Advisory Committee, all faculty members of the department, research scholars and other interested experts/ researchers, besides the Research Supervisor and Expert(s)/Examiner(s), as applicable. It is also imperative on the part of the university to maintain due record of the same, including the report signed by Expert(s)/ Examiner(s) appointed for conducting the same.”

A. For those students who have submitted the thesis at the office of the Dean, Post Graduate Studies before the lockdown and only final viva-voce examination is pending

(a) Those students who have completed all the necessary requirements and submitted their thesis at the office of the Dean, Post Graduate Studies, SHUATS before the lockdown and their external examiners are already appointed, on the request of the supervisor to Dean, PG Studies, soft copy of the submitted thesis will be send online to the External Examiners for evaluation. After getting the positive report from both the examiners, it will be forwarded to the Student (through Supervisor), Supervisor, Head of the concerned department and the Chairman of the SAC.

(b) Supervisor will contact to the student and monitor the steps regarding corrections suggested by the external examiners. When all the corrections are incorporated by the student, supervisor will write a certification mail to the Chairman (cc to Dean, PGS and HoD) and request for finalizing the date of Final examination.

(c) When Chairman is satisfied with the corrections and every protocol, he may talk to the External Examiner telephonically or by email and fix the date for Final Viva-voce examination and inform to the supervisor to host and conduct Final Viva-Voce Examination using Video conferencing through Google meet, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology as described in point No. 12 of UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown, April 2020.

(d) Final Viva- Voce Examination must be attended by the all the SAC members essentially, all the faculty members, Research scholars of the department and other interested experts/ researchers of the university besides the Research Supervisor and Examiner(s) as applicable in compliance of Clause 9.6 to 9.9 of the UGC Regulations, 2016 regarding award of Ph.D. Degree as described in point No. 12 of UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown, April 2020.

(e) On successful completion of the viva-voce, supervisor through Head of the Department shall submit a final report to the office of Dean, PGS. Dean PGS will send his/her recommendation to the Controller of Examination regarding successful completion of the viva voce and for issuing final semester mark sheet. Supervisor, Head of the Department shall maintain due record of the same, including the report signed by the External Examiner appointed for conducting the viva –voce examination, recordings of the Final viva-voce Examination etc. and shall submit a copy to the office of Dean PGS.

(f) PDC will only be issued once the University is allowed to be functional after lock down by central and state Governments and when research scholar will submit all the necessary documents in hard copy at various offices.

(i) Required number of bound copies of the thesis duly signed by all the SAC members and external examiner at the office of Head of the Department.

(ii)Soft copy of the thesis in CD along with thesis completion certificate and certificate of final Viva- Voce examination duly signed by all the members at the office of the Dean PGS and Director Research.


B. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR RESEARCH WORK AND WANT TO SUBMIT THE THESIS Point No. 13 of UGC Guidelines

“Research Scholars, whose maximum period for submission of Ph.D. Thesis prescribed under relevant rules/ regulations/ ordinances is expired/expiring during the Corona pandemic period, may be allowed to submit their Thesis, including completion of pending formalities, within six months from the date of expiry of regular prescribed period. The extension of six months may also be considered for those students who are yet to submit their Thesis”.

As per the recommendation given in UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown, April 2020, relaxation of 6 months may be given to such students by the university.

B. FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR RESEARCH WORK AND WANT TO SUBMIT THE THESIS
Point No. 13 of UGC Guidelines
“Research Scholars, whose maximum period for submission of Ph.D. Thesis prescribed under relevant rules/ regulations/ ordinances is expired/expiring during the Corona pandemic period, may be allowed to submit their Thesis, including completion of pending formalities, within six months from the date of expiry of regular prescribed period. The extension of six months may also be considered for those students who are yet to submit their Thesis”.

As per the recommendation given in UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown, April 2020, relaxation of 6 months may be given to such students by the university.

2. FOR FINAL YEAR MASTERS STUDENTS

(A) REGARDING COMPLETION OF THE DISSERTATION/ THESIS

(i) For those who are doing their dissertation on Theoretical Problem/ Simulation/ modelling or Data Analysis

(a) Final Year Masters students, who are doing their masters’ research on Theoretical Problem/ Simulation/ Modelling or Data Analysis (specially from Faculty of Engineering), may continue their research work from home in consultation of their supervisor/SAC members through Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology, telephonically and through email.

(ii) For those students who are doing their research work in Lab or through Field trial

(a) Those students, who were working or conducting experiments in their respective Labs or on specific crop(s) or conducting field trials and have completed all the experiments/trials, can do their analysis and writing work from home in consultation of their supervisor/SAC members through Google meet, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology, telephonically and through email.

(b) Students who are working in the lab or on field trial and have completed their work partially (near to the completion specially in case of trials based on Rabi crops before the lockdown) and if the SAC committee feels that research work can be summarized or winded up to complete the thesis, it may recommend to concern HoD accordingly.

(c) Students who are still working in the lab or on field trial (before the lockdown) and could not complete their work as per their objectives, they can continue working on their thesis writing for parts not required in the lab/field. However, their Lab/field work may continue after the lockdown period as per the directives of the State and Central Governments.

B. REGARDING EVALUATION OF THE THESIS/ DISSERTATION

(a) Once the work of the student is completed and supervisor is satisfied, pre-submission viva may be conducted by Video conferencing using Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology as described in point No. 12 of UGC Guidelines on Examinations and Academic Calendar for the Universities in View of COVID-19 Pandemic and Subsequent Lockdown, April 2020. Pre-submission viva-voce seminar will be hosted by the Supervisor and must be attended by all the SAC members necessarily. The corrected soft copy of the dissertation/ thesis along with the SAC form (Scanned copy/ jpg file etc.) along with the Pre-submission certificate and email address of all the SAC members and Chairman may be submitted through email to the Dean, PGS by the supervisor with a copy to concerned HoD.

(b) The softcopy of the thesis will be forwarded to all the SAC members through email by the Dean, PGS for evaluation

(c) The evaluation report of the SAC members and Chairman will be submitted to the Dean, PGS online and a copy will be forwarded to the supervisor for incorporating corrections.

(d) Supervisor will send a certification email to Dean, PGS (CC to HoD and Chairman) when all the corrections will be incorporated by the student.

(e) After receiving the certification mail from supervisor, Dean, PGS will forward all the reports to Chairman and a copy to supervisor to conduct the final viva-voce examination.

(f) Final thesis/dissertation defense (viva-voce examination) may also be conducted by Video conferencing using Google Meet, Skype, Microsoft Technologies or any other reliable and mutually convenient technology and recording of Final Viva must be kept by the Department/supervisor.

(g) Supervisor through Head of the department shall submit a final report to Controller of Examination with all the relevant documents and copy to Dean, PGS approving the successful completion of the Viva recommend to issue the Final Semester mark sheet. Controller of Examination with the support of all relevant documents will issue the Final Semester mark sheet.

(h) PDC will only be issued once the University is allowed to be functional after lock down by central and state Government’s directives and when student will submit all the following necessary documents in hard copy at various offices and certified by supervisor/ Head of the Department.

(i) Required number of bound copies of the thesis duly signed by all the SAC members and Chairman to the office of Head of the Department.

(ii) Covering letter from Concern Head of the Department to Controller of Examination, SHUATS along with the copy of the duly filled and signed SAC form, evaluation reports by all the SAC members, Final Viva-Voce examination certificate and No dues from the department.