2 weeks ago
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A prof successful the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) has alleged that the assemblage medication is intentionally delaying the support of ‘Form–J’ for a Ph.D. scholar. The pupil is presently studying astatine an institute successful Arizona, USA, nether a collaborative programme.
Sankar Natesan, Chairperson and Professor astatine MKU’s School of Biotechnology, explained that the probe student is pursuing probe nether his guidance successful Arizona. While there, the student co-authored and published probe papers successful journals alongside an planetary pupil arsenic portion of their collaborative work.
However, Mr. Natesan noted that obtaining Form–J is simply a captious prerequisite for attending the thesis’s pre-submission viva.
The university’s diary committee indispensable archetypal reappraisal and o.k. the submission earlier the pupil tin beryllium cleared to proceed with the viva.
In this peculiar case, contempt Form-J being submitted connected December 14, 2025, it was rejected connected March 13, 2026—exactly 3 months later.
Mr. Natesan alleged that portion different students usually person support wrong a time oregon adjacent an hour, his pupil paperwork was intentionally stalled.
“I was notified by the Research Section that my student’s archetypal insubstantial was rejected, and consequently, his thesis submission was not recommended. In this published paper, the pupil is explicitly listed arsenic having ‘contributed equally,’ which designates him arsenic a associated archetypal author,” helium said.
He emphasised that associated archetypal authorship was a globally recognised signifier successful the technological assemblage for collaborative probe wherever aggregate individuals marque important contributions.
He expressed astonishment that however a Chemistry Professor, who besides serves arsenic the Research Director, would assertion that lone the idiosyncratic whose sanction appears archetypal sequentially tin beryllium considered the archetypal author.
“It remains unclear whether this rigid stance stems from a genuine deficiency of consciousness oregon is simply a deliberate determination to obstruct the process,” helium remarked.
He further pointed retired that Section 11.4 (Research Publication) of the MKU Regulations, 2016, simply states: “The campaigner shall people 1 probe paper, applicable to the probe area, successful a National / International refereed diary arsenic listed by the UGC. This insubstantial shall beryllium published with the campaigner arsenic archetypal author, and the usher whitethorn beryllium the co-author, if necessary.”
To debar escalating the conflict, helium highlighted that due to the fact that the pupil registered successful 2019, his grade is governed by the 2016 MKU PhD Regulations aligned with UGC guidelines.
Under these rules, the pupil is afloat eligible to taxable his thesis with a azygous published paper.
“This is not simply a hold successful approving his probe paper; it is costing him enormously,” helium lamented.
“Because helium is presently successful the US, coordinating and traveling for his pre-viva league requires a monolithic fiscal commitment. If this hold stretches retired immoderate further, it raises a superior question implicit however helium tin proceed his education.”
MKU Registrar-in-Charge S. Muthaiah clarified that assemblage regulations strictly prohibit processing applications wherever the pupil is listed arsenic a 2nd author.
However, acknowledging the prof and student’s mentation regarding adjacent contribution, the medication has requested much clip to measure whether an objection oregon accommodation tin beryllium made for the paper, helium added.
