Professors join PhD students in protest as 8-month delay stalls guideship, hits research
Proposals across humanities and science departments sent in early 2024 remain unanswered. File pic
The University of Mumbai, already under fire for its handling of PhD student issues, now faces fresh heat from its own professors over delayed RRC (Research Recognition Committee) results.
RRCs, held multiple times a year, review students’ research proposals and applications from faculty members seeking guideship. While MU conducted its last RRC in December 2024, many teachers are still awaiting results eight months later — even as the university has already begun holding new RRCs for the fresh academic year.
“We estimate 25-30 such cases are pending, and we submitted five of them to Mumbai University in September,” said Dr Vijay Pawar, president of Maharashtra’s Union of Secular Teachers (MUST) and a Senate member at MU. As per procedure, guideship applications are reviewed at a Board of Directors meeting following the RRC. While MU held this meeting in March 2025, many applicants are still in limbo.
“It’s not just about teachers,” Pawar explained. “Since they lost an academic year when they could have taken PhD students, opportunities for students have also shrunk. A guide can only take a set number of students, so fewer guides means fewer research seats.” Proposals across humanities and science departments sent in early 2024 remain unanswered. In response, the teachers’ union has demanded more frequent RRCs — at least three a year — along with streamlined communication and digitisation of the process for greater transparency.
“I’ve been applying for guideship for two years. Now, even with three published papers and all qualifications, the list didn’t come out in time for the current RRC,” said one frustrated applicant. When contacted, a senior MU official said, “The RRC has taken decisions on the proposals of the teachers for PhD. They will be informed as soon as possible. The process is underway.”
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