New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS): The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a notification warning that students should not enrol in MPhil Degree courses being offered by universities as they are no longer recognised.

The notification comes as the UGC had earlier directed all higher educational institutions not to offer MPhil programmes and some universities are continuing with it, despite the instructions issued by the commission.

UGC Chairman Professor M Jagadish Kumar said, “The UGC has asked universities to take immediate steps to stop admissions for the 2024-25 session. However, this will not affect students already doing MPhil.”

On questions being raised on validity of MPhil Degree for existing students, the UGC Chairman said that higher education institutions can award only the degrees specified by the commission. The UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations were notified on November 7, 2022.

Professor Kumar said that Rule 14 of the above notification states that the MPhil programme started before the notification of PhD rules will not be affected.

As per the rule, the students who took admission before the notification was issued, will be allowed to complete the programme and would be given the MPhil Degree. But it also clearly states that after the notification of the above rules, no higher educational institution across the country can offer MPhil programmes.