Worried About My Ph.D. Being Challenged Due to a Concurrent Diploma – What Should I Do?

I have completed a Ph.D. from a university in Delhi (from 2012-2017). During my Ph.D., I pursued a 1-year regular diploma from another university in the same city. However, I did not seek permission or inform my Ph.D. institution about undertaking the diploma in 2016. I am currently employed at the same university where I obtained my Ph.D.

The essential and desirable qualifications for my current job did not include the diploma I obtained. I did not utilize the diploma to secure my current position in a government institution, nor was it a requirement by my employer in any way. The job necessitated a Ph.D. as a crucial qualification.

Now, I am concerned if my Ph.D. could be contested by my employer upon discovering that I simultaneously pursued a diploma. I reached out to the University Grants Commission (UGC) regarding this matter, and they informed me that there were no guidelines prior to April 2022 concerning the concurrent pursuit of a degree and diploma in regular mode. Therefore, there are no specific regulations against it.

Please advise.

Dear member, A student can pursue two academic courses concurrently. However, as per the UGC guidelines, both courses should not have equal status, i.e., both graduate, both post-graduate, etc. In your case, one was a Ph.D. and another was a diploma. Both have unequal status. Therefore, legally nothing is wrong per se.

Each university has rules for the students on pursuing two courses concurrently. However, the university just ratifies the UGC guidelines and does not create anything on its own. Therefore, please check the rules of Delhi University once again.

If the employer challenges the pursuit of two courses simultaneously, the course of higher order will take primacy over the lower order. Therefore, the sanctity of your Ph.D. will remain intact.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Mr. Dinesh Divekar, I am also a PhD research scholar. Along with my PhD, I am considering pursuing a diploma. Based on your advice, it seems that UGC allows this. Could you please send me an official document from UGC stating that I can pursue a diploma alongside my PhD? My email ID is [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons], and my WhatsApp number is [Phone Number Removed For Privacy-Reasons].

Regards, Chandrakanta Das

Dear Chandrakant Das,

Please refer to the following links:

- https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/57293...ltaneously.pdf
- https://www.jagranjosh.com/news/plan...es-here-163073

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Dear Mr. Dinesh Divekar,

Thank you for your reply. Upon further checking, the first link (https://www.ugc.gov.in/pdfnews/5729348_Guidelines-for-pursuing-two-academic-programmes-simultaneously.pdf) specifically mentions that a dual degree can be pursued by students other than Ph.D. students.

The second link (https://www.jagranjosh.com/news/planning-to-pursue-two-degrees-together-check-ugc-important-guidelines-here-163073) is a newspaper article. Is there any official document that specifically states that even Ph.D. students can pursue a dual program like a degree or diploma?

I am asking because I am also having trouble finding such a document, and I will look forward to your reply.

Regards, Chandrakanta Das

Dear Chandrakant Das,

Before applying for the diploma, apply for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the university where you are pursuing a Ph.D. In your application, provide the details of the diploma, the institute or university from where you will pursue it, and the start and end dates of the course. With the NOC at hand, you can proceed with your diploma.

Before issuing the NOC, the authorities concerned will need to check the UGC guidelines. They will not issue the NOC unless they have the necessary information.

In the meantime, I will try to gather more information about your case from my network.

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar