The University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced the Ph.D. Excellence Citation Scheme aimed at honouring young researchers for their significant contributions to their field of study through their research leading to Ph.D. degrees. 

The ‘Ph.D. Excellence Citation’ is an effort to promote good quality research in Indian Universities, instituted with the objectives of creating a quality research ecosystem, in general and to identify high-quality Ph.D. work among young research scholars from different streams annually and recognize them. The scheme is as envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020, aimed at exploring new frontiers of knowledge to make India a knowledge superpower. 

Theses from Sciences (including Agricultural Sciences, Medical Sciences), Engineering & Technology, Social Sciences (including Education & Humanities), Indian Languages and Commerce & Management will be considered under the scheme. UGC will award ten Ph.D. Excellence Citations in a year with two citations from each discipline.

Research Scholars who have successfully defended their theses in Indian Universities, such as State Universities, Central Universities, Private Universities, and Deemed to be Universities are eligible to apply.  

Every year, UGC will felicitate the winners of the Ph.D. Excellence award on 5th September commemorating the Teacher’s Day. 

On 1st January of a year, UGC will write to universities inviting nominations and will open the portal. Last date for the submission of nominations by the universities will be 31st March. Recommendation by the selection committee about the winners will be made to the UGC on 1st August. Citation ceremony will be on 5th September. 

Universities that have been recognized under 2(f) of UGC Act and have been accredited by NAAC are eligible to participate in the Ph.D. Excellence Citation. 

Eligibility Criteria for Students

Applicant should have obtained Ph.D. degree through a convocation during 1st January to 31st December in a year so as to participate in the Ph.D. Excellence Citation of the following year. Ph.D. theses should have been awarded in accordance with UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, notified from time to time. URL of the recommended thesis should have been uploaded on the INFLIBNET website. Applicant has to submit important Research Publications/Patents from the Ph.D. work 

Number of Nominations

Every University may nominate up to five theses in a year, one from each of the five disciplines, from the Ph.D. degrees awarded through a convocation from 1st January to 31st December of the previous year. 

Selection Process

There will be a two-level selection process. A screening committee at the University level and a selection committee at the UGC level. 

Screening Committee

There will be a screening committee at the university level. Each university may constitute its own screening committee to short-list candidates for the ‘Ph.D. Excellence Citation’ from the specified five streams. The screening committee should create its own yardsticks for shortlisting candidates before evaluating the applications. The criteria to be followed by universities while short-listing candidates are specified in the Guidelines. 

Selection Committee

UGC will constitute five selection committees for five streams. Each selection committee will select two candidates from their respective streams. 

Application Portal

Universities may upload the nominations on the application portal. The selection committee for each stream will evaluate the nominations and recommend two theses for Ph.D. Excellence Citation to UGC.  

Universities have been asked to bring the guidelines of the scheme to the notice of eligible research scholars and shortlist them and nominate them for citation on the portal, which will open on 1st January 2025, by following the procedure outlined in the guidelines available at https://www.ugc.gov.in/Notices