A.P. University Of Law

Ph. D. - Regulations

Programme for Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy in Law, Doctor of Philosophy in Social Sciences with Law, Doctor of Philosophy in Science or any Other Allied Subjects with Law and Doctor of Philosophy in Human Rights Law

1. ELIGIBILITY :

A) Full time Ph.D. Programme :
An applicant seeking admission to full time Ph.D. Degree programme shall have:

A Master’s Degree in Law from any recognised University having scored a minimum of 55% marks in the aggregate

With a view to encourage interdisciplinary studies and research with strong legal component, the APUL encourages candidates from other disciplines also to register for Ph.D. full time programme. Such candidates must have :

i.	A Master’s Degree or equivalent degree or diploma in any subject relevant to the field of research with a Bachelor’s Degree in law; or
ii.	A Master’s Degree or equivalent degree or diploma in any subject relevant to the research with established research credentials by way of publications; or
iii.	A Master’s Degree or equivalent degree or diploma in any subject relevant to the research with long term indepth practical experience in the area to be researched; or
iv.	M.Phil. degree or equivalent degree or diploma in the relevant subject with excellent academic background.

B) Part time Ph.D. Programme : An applicant seeking admission to Part time Ph. D. Programme shall:

Be a Judge of any State High Court in India or Supreme Court of India; or
Have minimum of 10 years active practice in case of persons holding LL.B. degree and 5 years in case of persons holding LL.M. degree as an Advocate or experience as Judicial Officer or Law Officer in Government or semi Government undertaking or reputed Law Firm etc. for a similar period with aptitude for research demonstrated by research work.
Have Master’s Degree in Law with 3 years experience as a regular teacher in law in any University Department or Law College or Research Institution affiliated to a recognized University with aptitude for research evidenced by research work; or
Have Master’s Degree in Social Sciences or Science with three years experience as regular teacher or researcher in any University Department or Research Institution of P.G. College affiliated to a recognized University with aptitude for research as evidenced by research work and also by referral research papers.

C) Ph.D. in Human Rights Law

Candidates who have passed P.G. degree in Human Rights or P.G. Diploma awarded by the Indian Institute of Human rights, New Delhi are also eligible to apply for Ph.D. Full Time or part time Programme in Human Rights Law subject to the fulfillment of the conditions laid down in 1 (A) and (B). In addition, candidates who have passed P.G. Diploma in Human Rights should forward their applications through the Indian Institute of Human Rights, New Delhi.

2. ADMISSION PROCEDURE :

Eligible candidates, may apply to the Registrar, A.P. University of Law in the prescribed form, which can be downloaded from this website www.apulvisakha.org along with a fee of Rs. 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only) by Demand Draft drawn on any nationalized bank, in favour of ‘Registrar, A.P. University of Law’ payable at Visakhapatnam and submit the same duly filled in within the stipulated time (30-07-09) either in person or by post to: The Registrar, Andhra Pradesh University of Law, Swamy Gnanananda Guest House, Palace Layout, Peda Waltair, Visakhapatnam, 530017.

Candidate shall submit the following along with the application:

An outline of the theme of the research work with methodology and chapter-wise break-up of the proposed work in about 2000 words;
A certificate from the Head of the Institution / College / Department / Bar Council concerned testifying the length of service/practice, wherever required;
An attested photocopy of LL.M., M. Phil, or P.G. Degree or PG Diploma with certificate of equivalence whichever is applicable, along with the marks sheet; and
One set of published papers, monographs, articles and books, if any

3. REGISTRATION, ADMISSION AND FEE STRUCTURE :

Registration to the Ph.D. programme shall be based on the initial screening of the research proposals submitted by the candidates alongwith the application. Only selected candidates will be called for interview and presentation on the basis of which final selection will be made.

If the Admission Committee finds a candidate suitable for pursuing Ph.D. programme, the candidate will be allowed to provisionally ‘register’ for the Ph.D. programme on payment of Rs. 5,000/- in case of full time Ph. D. student and Rs. 10,000/- for part time Ph.D. student as admission fee. In addition, both the categories of Ph.D scholars shall pay the following fees:

Facilities Fee

Rs. 5,000/- per annum
Library Fee Rs. 5,000/- per annum
Library Deposit Rs. 2,000/- Refundable
Retention fee Rs. 4,000/- for every six months

4. DURATION OF THE PROGRAMME:

Submission of Ph.D. thesis
Minimum Period Maximum Period

Full Time Students
2 (two) years 3 (Three) years
Part time students 3 (three) years 5 (five) years

In exceptional cases relaxation may be made by the D.R.C.

5. DOCTORAL RESEARCH COMMITTEE (D.R.C.) :

On the completion of the admission formalities by the candidate, the Vice-Chancellor may constitute D.R.C. with the Principal Supervisor and one senior faculty of the University for every registered candidate. An outside expert may also be appointed as a member of the D.R.C. One of the faculty members having specialization in the area of Research selected by the candidate shall be the Principal Supervisor and shall be the Chairperson of the D.R.C. In exceptional cases, the Vice-Chancellor may permit an outside expert to be Research guide to supervise the Ph.D. thesis.

The D.R.C. may review the theme of the research work submitted by the candidate and make additions/alterations or change the nature and scope of the research problem in consultation with the candidate concerned. The D.R.C. shall also prepare a plan of work for the entire programme, stipulating the teaching assignments, the number of seminars to be presented by the candidate etc. and any other academic activity that the candidate should undertake. The plan of the work and the nature and scope of the research problem developed by the D.R.C. shall be subject to the approval of the Vice-Chancellor.

6. SUBMISSION OF THE THESIS :

At least three months before the submission of the Ph. D. thesis the candidate shall present a seminar to defend the findings of his/her research work.

The seminar shall be presented before the Faculty, the post-graduate students and other invited experts. In the light of the discussions and deliberations at the seminar, the thesis shall be finalized and five copies of the thesis shall be submitted for adjudication to the Registrar, A.P. University of Law.

The candidate shall comply with the following requirements while submitting five copies of his/her thesis to the Registrar, A.P. University of Law.

A certificate from the Principal Supervisor certifying satisfactory completion of the research work under his guidance and supervision;
A declaration by the candidate and attested by the Principal Supervisor to the effect that the research work is of original nature and not published or submitted to any University for the award of any degree or diploma
Receipt of having paid Rs. 5,000/- as thesis adjudication fee

7. ADJUDICATION OF THE THESIS :

The thesis so submitted by the candidate shall be referred for adjudication to three External adjudicators selected by the Vice-Chancellor, from out of a panel of external examiners of whom one shall be from outside India, recommended by the D.R.C. If the Vice-Chancellor thinks fit he may draw up a panel of additional names of adjudicators for the thesis in order to expedite the process of adjudication. The External Adjudicators shall send their evaluation reports in the prescribed form within a period of three months from the date of receiving the thesis. The majority opinion of the Adjudicators (of whom there shall be one from out side India) shall be taken into consideration for determining whether or not the thesis work has fulfilled the requirements of Ph.D. programme. The thesis shall include an abstract/summary of the thesis approximately in 600 words. The length of the thesis shall conform to the requirements as prescribed by the D.R.C.

The thesis shall be in English only and shall be the result of candidate’s own work attaining a satisfactory standard of literary presentation.

For award of the degree of Ph.D. in Law, Ph.D. in Social Sciences with Law and Ph.D. in Science with Law the thesis must form a distinct contribution to the knowledge in the subject and afford evidence of originality shown either by the discovery of new facts or by the exercise of independent critical analytical power.

The adjudicators shall recommend in writing in the approved form to the University giving their assessment of the thesis and their recommendations as to whether the degree shall or shall not be awarded to the candidate. In the adjudicators’ assessment the thesis does not qualify for the award of the degree the adjudicators shall indicate whether additional work should be undertaken by the candidate or whether the thesis should be rejected outright.

The report of the adjudicators shall be placed before the D.R.C. If the majority of the adjudicators recommend the award of the Ph.D. degree, a viva-voce examination of the candidate shall be conducted by a committee constituted for the purpose by the Vice-Chancellor consisting of one of the three adjudicators who evaluated the thesis, the Principal Supervisor and an outside expert if necessary, if the Vice-chancellor so decides. If after such examination the viva-voce Committee confirms the decision of the thesis adjudicators to award the degree to the candidate, the D.R.C. will recommend the award of the degree to the Academic Council. The Academic Council will then approve the award of the degree.

Those who qualify for the award under Reg. 1 A (ii) will be awarded Ph.D. Degree in Social Sciences with Law (Ph.D. S.S.L.) or Ph.D. in Science with Law (Ph. D. Sc. Law) as the case may be.

On the approval of the Academic Council the degree shall be awarded to the candidate and shall be duly notified by the University. The degree shall be awarded at the next Convocation of the University. The candidate shall be eligible to obtain a Provisional Certificate on payment of Rs. 1,000/- (Rupees one thousand) only.

Where the thesis fails to obtain the majority recommendation of the three thesis adjudicators or the viva-voce adjudicator do not recommend the award of degree, the D.R.C. may decide:

To recommend that the degree be NOT awarded to the candidate;
Or
To recommend that the candidate undertake additional work on the thesis and submit the revised thesis within a specified period;
Or
To take such action as deemed appropriate before making a recommendation, provided that in making its recommendations the D.R.C. shall be guided by the opinion of the majority of the thesis adjudicators.

A candidate who is required to re-submit revised thesis for adjudication shall be re-enrolled for a period of not less than six months prior to resubmission on payment of Rs. 3000/- (Rs. three thousand) only as re-enrollment fee.

Only one resubmission may be permitted. Resubmission fee shall be Rs. 3,000/- (Rs. three thousand) only.

The resubmitted thesis shall go through the same adjudication process mentioned above. If the adjudicators of the thesis including the examiners who conducted viva-voce recommend the award of the degree, the D.R.C. shall recommend the award of the degree to the Academic Council. The Academic Council shall then signify its approval for the award of the degree. On the approval of the Academic Council the degree shall be awarded to the candidate and shall be duly notified by the University. The degree shall be awarded at the next Convocation of the University.

However, the candidate shall be eligible to obtain a Provisional Certificate upon payment of Rs.1,000/- (Rupees one thousand only) to the Registrar, A.P. University of Law, Visakhapatnam.

If the resubmitted thesis also fails at the adjudication process mentioned above it shall in no case be allowed for further resubmission.

A copy of the thesis shall be deposited in the Library which shall be available for consultation by others either on loan or for photocopying. In exceptional cases, the Vice-Chancellor may withhold it for consultation for a maximum period of one year.

8. REMOVAL OF DOUBTS:

In case of any doubt or difficulty the decision of the Chancellor shall be final and binding on all.