Jharkhand Governor Raises Alarm Over Poor Quality PhD Theses

CP Radhakrishnan Calls for Stricter Plagiarism Checks in State Universities

Governor cum Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan has voiced serious concerns regarding the substandard quality of PhD theses in Jharkhand’s universities, revealing plagiarism levels between 8 to 54 percent. In response, he has mandated stringent reviews and originality certifications for theses to uphold academic standards.

RANCHI – Governor cum Chancellor CP Radhakrishnan has raised significant concerns about the deteriorating quality of PhD theses submitted in the state’s universities.

A recent initiative by Raj Bhavan to scrutinize theses for plagiarism and internet content revealed that the majority of the submissions had plagiarism percentages ranging from 8 to 54 percent, with only one thesis meeting the expected standards.

In light of these findings, the Governor has issued directives to enhance the quality control of PhD theses.

Principal Secretary Dr. Nitin Madan Kulkarni, acting on the Governor’s instructions, has communicated with the Vice Chancellors of all government universities in the state.

The communication emphasizes adherence to UGC guidelines, which stipulate that plagiarism should not exceed 10 percent in original academic work.

Governor Radhakrishnan has instructed that all PhD theses should undergo a thorough review by the respective Departmental Research Councils (DRC) and Ethical Committees, both before and after the pre-submission seminars.

Furthermore, in addition to the certification provided by the scholar supervisor, PhD candidates must now obtain a certificate of originality before being awarded their degrees.

This new measure aims to ensure the integrity and quality of academic research in the state.

The Principal Secretary has called for the immediate implementation of these instructions, signaling a move towards stricter academic standards and practices in Jharkhand’s higher education institutions.