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The new set of regulations announced by government on Tuesday to relax college and university teachers and doctoral students pertaining to issues ranging from teaching hours to guidelines for Ph.D. and M.Phil. courses.

While earlier, the weekly teaching workload was 16, 14 and 14 hours for assistant professors, associate professors and professors, these are now 18, 16 and 14 hours, respectively. This happens at a time when teachers’ bodies of Delhi University have already begun protests against the regulations.

In a joint press conference with UGC chairman Ved Prakash, Higher Education Secretary Vinay Sheel Oberoi sought to dispel the perception that an increase in workload at assistant professor and associate professor levels for regular faculty members would throw out ad hoc teachers.

‘Advisory’ role

“The two hours' increase in teaching workload at these two levels are in the form of an advisory to help students with special needs. They will not be counted in API scores,” Mr. Oberoi said.

A new set of regulations has capped the time period allowed for completion of Ph.D. to six years, he said.The minimum permissible duration will be three years. Similarly, the M.Phil. course would have to vary from a minimum of one year to a maximum of two.

There is, however, a relaxation of two years for women pursuing research leading to a Ph.D. and one year for M.Phil. The relaxation would also apply to candidates with more than 40 per cent disability.