Gujarat University has introduced a fully digital system for evaluating PhD theses, a move aimed at speeding up the assessment process and helping research scholars receive their doctoral degrees sooner.
The university, where around 25 research scholars submit their theses every month, has awarded nearly 5,700 PhD degrees since its inception.Under the earlier system, theses were sent to external examiners through a time-consuming process involving postal communication, consent letters and physical copies.
Delays caused by postal services, address issues and logistics often stretched the evaluation period from six months to more than a year.With the new system, all communication with external examiners will be conducted through official university email.
Consent received via email will be accepted, theses will be shared digitally, and evaluation reports submitted electronically will be treated as official records.University officials said the digital process will reduce evaluation time, speed up the declaration of results and enable faster award of PhD degrees.
It will also cut printing, packaging and postal costs while supporting the Centre’s Digital India initiative for efficient and transparent academic administration.
Vice-Chancellor Jagdish Joshi said the new system will make PhD thesis evaluation faster, more transparent and more student-friendly.