NEP 2020 and the Discontinuation of the MPhil Degree

The author thanks the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments on the earlier version of this article. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is all set to transform the landscape of education in ­India, including higher education. Spearheaded by the idea of internationalisation and massification of higher ­education, the policy touches upon several critical aspects of under-graduation, post-graduation, and doctoral progra­mmes. It aims for both—a quality higher education and an inclusive higher education. The policy aspires to increase the gross enrolment ratio in higher education from 26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035. Expanding higher education to reach out to more and more youths in the country happens to be the central idea of the NEP. The policy is viewed as student-centric and empowering to the student community as it provides them with more exit and entry options and a transferable credit system across the universities. Accordingly, it proposes sweeping changes in the way degrees are conceived and offered in the colleges and universities in the country. One such change that the NEP has proposed is the discontinuation of the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme.

The MPhil degree has come a long way in our university system and has had its own ups and downs. The MPhil degree, which is often looked at as a “junior” research ­degree, has contributed immensely in building the research culture among students. The training in research methods and exposure to the vast literature in domain areas that the students get during an MPhil programme go a long way in producing more quality Doctors of Philosophy (PhDs).