Gondwana University teachers' body seeks PET exam for PhD research eligibility

The Gondwana University Young Teachers' Association has submitted a memorandum to the university's Vice-Chancellor, Dr Prashant Bokare, demanding that the PET exam be held as the eligibility test for PhD research. Association president Dr Sanjay Gore, secretary Dr Vivek Gorlawar, vice-president Dr Vijay Wadhai and senior office-bearers Dr Ramdas Kamdi, Dr Akshay Dhote and Dr Rahul Savlikar were among those present, along with other office-bearers. The Vice-Chancellor assured the delegation that a circular for the PET exam would be issued immediately.

The association has submitted several memoranda earlier as well on holding the PET exam as the eligibility test for PhD research. However, there appears to have been no concrete action by the administration on them. The association therefore submitted another memorandum to resolve the issue and explained its position on the PET exam to the Vice-Chancellor.

The association pointed out to the Vice-Chancellor that several reputed universities, including the University of Mumbai, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University and Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University, are holding the PET exam as the entrance eligibility test for the PhD and are thereby giving students a chance to do research. Gondwana University, however, has stopped holding the PET eligibility exam since September 2023. As a result, the doors to research have closed for poor and aspiring students from rural and tribal-dominated areas, the association told the Vice-Chancellor.

The Vidya Parishad (Academic Council), the Adhisabha (Senate) and the Management Council of Gondwana University have already discussed holding the PET exam in detail at their meetings and approved it. Yet many months have passed and the university has not issued a circular for holding the exam. As a result, there is a perception in society that Gondwana University is indifferent to holding the PET exam and is keeping poor and aspiring students from rural and tribal-dominated areas away from research.

In such circumstances, the association has taken the position that there will be no option but to seek justice by agitating through constitutional means. On behalf of the association, it has been demanded that prompt action be taken to hold the PET exam as the entrance eligibility test for the PhD, that the circular be issued at the earliest, and that students be given the opportunity to earn a PhD.