Operations of PhD. Programme

I. Admission
A candidate is normally admitted to the Ph.D. programme after passing his/her Ph.D. qualifying examination. A few candidates may be admitted to the programme as provisional candidate before passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination. This provision is applicable to full time On-campus Ph.D. students. Their admissions are confirmed once they clear the Ph.D. qualifying examination.


II. Registration
All Ph.D. students have to register each semester till the submission of his/her thesis. In the beginning of each semester, all the candidates will sign the registration card confirming their registration for the semester. This card indicates the courses in which he/she is being registered in that particular semester. An off campus candidate will receive this card by post. This card should be duly signed by the candidate and returned to the Dean, ARC Division for further processing . Semester fee and all other dues are to be cleared before registration. in each semester. On-campus candidates will have to register on the registration date in each semester.

A candidate can seek permission for not registering in a particular semester by making an application to the Dean, ARC Division well before the beginning of semester giving valid reasons for the same. The application has to be recommended by the supervisor.


III. Topic of Research And Supervisor
Each candidate should carry out a comprehensive literature search, understand the background and scope of research in the particular area of interest and consult his/her proposed supervisor. Application enclosing the outline of proposed topic of research has to be submitted through the proposed supervisor in the prescribed format for approval of the Research Board of the Institute latest by 30th September for I semester and by 28th February for II semester processing. Guidelines for submission of Doctoral Research Proposal should be consulted for this purpose. Normally the approval has to be obtained within one or two semesters of the first registration in the Ph.D. programme after passing the Ph.D. qualifying examination.

Registration in BITS C799T Ph.D. Thesis (10 units/semester) is permitted only after the Research Board has approved the Topic of Research and Supervisor.

If the date of this approval is much beyond the beginning of the semester, the registration in Ph.D. thesis is postponed to the next semester.


IV.Semester’s Work
The operation of the courses in which the candidate is registered has to be carried out as per details outlined in the course handout of the course and evaluation form for Ph.D. courses. The following documents are to be submitted each semester as per schedule indicated in the calendar of events .

  • Plan of work for the semester courses in which the candidate is registered
  • Mid. Semester evaluation forms and work reports
  • Final semester evaluation forms and work reports

The Dean, R&C Division or designated individual acts as mentor pending approval of the supervisor. Non receipt of evaluation forms and reports by the due dates may result into a `NC’ (Not Clear) in the particular course. Award of these in two consecutive semesters may debar a student from being on the rolls of Ph.D. students


V. Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC)
Doctoral Advisory Committee (DAC) is appointed for each admitted candidate under the convenorship of Dean, R&C. The other members of the committee are faculty members from the institute and the Supervisor/mentor. Normally it is a three member committee.


VI. Pre-submission Seminar

Every candidate is required to give a pre-submission seminar on his/her Ph.D. thesis at Pilani at a mutually convenient date to the candidate, members of DAC & Dean, R&C. The candidate is supposed to give the presentation of 45 minutes which is followed by question answer session. A candidate should submit his/her draft thesis ( as per guidelines )to the Dean, R&C at least 1 month in advance of his/her pre-submission seminar for the necessary review by DAC.


VII. Thesis Title Approval

The exact title of Ph.D. thesis will be discussed during the seminar.The proposed title of the Ph.D. thesis is submitted by the candidate in the specified form for the Title Approval through his/her supervisor to Dean R&C for required approval from DCC. The suggested title should be included by the candidate in the thesis certification. The title should be written in the "Title Case"


VIII. Submission of Thesis
The candidate can submit his/her Ph.D. thesis once the same has been approved by the DAC at the time of pre-submission seminar and the title has been approved by the Research Board, following the guidelines for submission.


IX. Examination of Thesis
The Thesis shall be examined by a committee of examiners appointed by the Chairman, Research Board. Please refer to Academic Regulations for details.


X. Change of Locale/Supervisor/Topic of Research
A fresh approval is required for any changes in place of work, topic of research and/ or supervisor.


XI. Annual Report Information
Research Publications by Ph.D. candidates are reported in the Annual Report of the Institute. Details of publications in research journals and conferences along with copy of the published papers should be sent to the Dean R & C latest by 31st October each year for inclusion in the Annual Report.