HYDERABAD: The University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi has allowed the validity of MPhil programme in Rehabilitation Psychology until the 2025-26 academic year.
The decision regarding the validity of MPhil course in Rehabilitation Psychology was taken, considering the important role Rehabilitation Psychology plays in delivering mental health services, the UGC said in a notification issued on August 13, 2024.
However, the UGC termed it as a partial relaxation, adding that MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology has been made valid only until the 2025-26 academic session.
“University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of PhD degree) Regulations 2022, notified on November 7, 2022, discontinued MPhil programme in accordance with the recommendation of the National Education Policy 2020. Considering the vital role played by Rehabilitation Psychology in delivering mental health services, the UGC has decided to extend the validity of MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology till 2025-26 academic session only, in partial relaxation to the above Regulations. Accordingly, students can be admitted to an MPhil in Rehabilitation Psychology programmes by HEls till 2025-26 academic session only,” reads the UGC notification.
Why MPhil course was scrapped
The MPhil programme was discontinued by the UGC according to the recommendations made in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The course was derecognised when alterations were made in the PG and undergraduate programme as per the NEP 2020.
NEP recommendations
The NEP advocated four-year Bachelor’s degree and research-intensive Master’s degree instead. “There may be an integrated five-year Bachelor’s/Master’s programme. Undertaking a PhD shall require either a degree or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with research. The MPhil programme will be discontinued,” the NEP had specified.
The UGC then announced that the MPhil programmes offered at all universities would no longer be valid and the higher educational institutions were instructed not to offer the courses.
“The Universities authorities, therefore, are requested to take immediate steps to stop admissions to M.Phil. programme for the 2023-24 academic year. Further, students are advised not to take admission in M.Phil. Programme. Higher Educational Institutions shall not offer the M.Phil. programme,” said a notification published in the Gazette on November 7, 2022.
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