The chancellor's secretariat in Bihar has issued a directive on Tuesday, instructing all universities in the state to discontinue the pre-PhD Admission Test (PAT) and mandatorily adopt UGC-NET scores as the basis for admission to PhD programmes. The order, signed by principal secretary Dipak Kumar Singh, was addressed to vice-chancellors of all universities.
Key Directives for Universities
According to the directive, no university in Bihar will advertise or conduct PAT for the academic sessions 2024 and 2025. This move aligns PhD admissions with the latest University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. However, universities that have already completed admissions through PAT for the 2024-25 session may continue to run those programmes without affecting the admitted batches.
Withdrawal of Ongoing Processes
The letter further stated that universities which have already issued advertisements for admissions through PAT, but have not yet conducted the examination or are in the process of initiating it, must immediately withdraw such advertisements. They are also required to revoke the ongoing process and refund application fees collected from candidates, if any.
Compliance and Reporting
Universities have been directed to use UGC-NET scores as the eligibility and selection criterion for PhD admissions in place of PAT. The chancellor's secretariat has instructed all universities to ensure strict compliance with the notification and submit a compliance report at the earliest.
Reactions from Universities
Patliputra University registrar Abu Bakar Rizwi confirmed that the university had already completed admissions through PAT and had begun course work. "However, it would not hold any PAT henceforth in strict compliance of the chancellor's directive in the light of the UGC letter," Abu Bakar told this newspaper.
This decision marks a significant shift in the PhD admission process in Bihar, bringing it in line with national standards set by the UGC. The move is expected to streamline admissions and ensure a uniform criterion for research aspirants across the state.
