Application process

Selection of supervisor(s)

When a prospective student approaches a department, the Head of the Department shall direct the candidate to work under the guidance of a Supervisor who shall be appointed by the Senate on the recommendation of the Head of the Department and Faculty.

Generally one internal supervisor is preferred for the candidates.  When students require an additional supervisor, the internal supervisor will be considered as the main supervisor. Maximum number of supervisors should be three and in such situations students need to justify the multi-disciplinary nature of research for requiring three supervisors. In case of more than one supervisors, the main supervisor will have the ultimate responsibility.

For MPhil candidates, supervisors who possess an MPhil or an equivalent qualification are essential. For a PhD candidate, supervisors who possess a PhD or a professorship are essential. To ensure quality of research and supervision, it is required that the proposed research falls within the research interests and capabilities of the selected supervisors.

For candidates who are academics of the faculty, an international eminent academic is encouraged as one other supervisor; as such arrangement would provide the required international exposure. Preferably a part of the study shall be undertaken in this supervisor’s country with necessary Senate approvals. Split-site PhDs are permissible in such situations.  

Submission of application

As explained above, an applicant wishing to pursue a postgraduate research degree shall find a supervisor and prepare the application for registration. Application for registration for the postgraduate degree shall be made by the applicant on the application form (available at the PGS division or downloadable from the website) with supporting documents recommended by the Supervisor. Students are required to submit two recommendation forms in sealed envelopes with the application form. At least one referee should be a teacher at the undergraduate or postgraduate level (preferably non-supervisors of the proposed research degree programme).

With the supervisor’s consent on the research proposal, the student should forward the application to the RC of the Department. RC, in the consultation with HOD and the Director/ PGS, will perform certain checks on eligibility, any requirement for co-supervisors and technical writing of the research proposal.

Interview

Once the checks are undertaken and any changes are addressed, RC on behalf of the HOD will arrange a formal interview in coordination with the PGS division.

The interview panel should comprise of following members:

• HOD or nominee as chair
• Director/PGS or nominee
• Department RC or nominee
• Supervisor and
• At least 2 members of the FHDC, outside the department 

The interview shall verify the acceptability of the research proposal and determine the availability of resources for the research at the department. The interview results will be recorded in the prescribed form. The convener of the interview is normally the RC. The interview record form and the application for registration should be forwarded to the Director/PGS. 

The Director/PGS submits the application to the FHDC where the recommendation is forwarded to the Faculty Board stating the clauses of the relevant by-law under which the candidate is eligible and under what clause student may be registered. The Faculty Board will approve and send the form for Senate approval through Senate Higher degrees committee. When the application is confirmed in the Senate, the student can start the formal registration process.

Timing of applications for specific intakes

Application forms with completed research proposal should be forwarded to the department by the candidate by the 1st week of the month, allowing time for the RC to perform the checks and call for the interviews and submit to the FHDC meeting which is held generally on 4th Thursday of the month. The applications approved by the FHDC, would be sent to the following month’s Faculty Board, Senate Higher Degrees Committee and Senate for approvals. After the confirmation in the next Senate, student could register. Hence, the whole period for approvals generally takes two months. However, applications will not be forwarded for approvals every month by the FHDC, as the faculty admits students in quarterly intakes. Hence,

• application received from August up to October FHDC meeting, will be collected and forwarded for Faculty and Senate approval in November for January intake.

• applications received from November up to January FHDC meeting, will be collected and forwarded for Faculty and Senate approval in February for April intake.

• applications received from February up to April FHDC meeting, will be collected and forwarded for Faculty and Senate approval in May for July intake.

• applications received from May up to July FHDC meeting, will be collected and forwarded for Faculty and Senate approval in August for October intake.

Students will be notified by the PGS division to register after Senate confirmation and the students are expected to register within a month of Senate confirmation to consider for the following intake. For example, to consider for the January intake, students should register within a month, after the December Senate confirmation. However, the Senate approval for a particular application is generally valid one year and any student who wishes to register later than one month can inform the PGS division and defer to a later intake.