UoM-IIT Madras Guidelines

A. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND HOW TO APPLY:

A1. For all Candidates:

• Students must satisfy the entry requirements for the PhD at both IIT Madras and the University of Melbourne.
• Students must satisfy the entry requirements for PhD at both IIT Madras and the University of Melbourne.
• Students need to apply independently to each institution. First, they must get admitted and enrolled at the Home Institution and then apply for DDP at the Home and Partner Institutions within the first year of enrolment (candidature) at the Home Institution. The application can be made anytime during the year.
• The Partner Institution will consider the application only for those students who have been approved by the Home Institution for DDP.  An additional DDP form will need to be completed as part of this process.  This form will outline the agreed specific arrangements for each student’s Dual PhD (e.g. dates of location at each institution, names of supervisors, coursework, scholarship arrangements etc.).
• Students are required to attach:

1. A letter of support from the appropriate Dean (International Relations/ Research Training) of the Home Institution.
2. A letter of support from the Home Institution supervisor(s) and the Partner Institute supervisor(s) with their application to the Partner Institution.

A2. For IIT Madras Candidates:

• The student must be admitted into the PhD programme at IIT Madras.
• The student must have a GPA of 8.5/10 or above from a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree conducted at one of the participating institutions: IIT Madras, IIT Madras or IIT Madras.  Those students with GPA less than 8.5/10 in Bachelor’s or Master’s degree conducted at one of the participating institutions, must secure a minimum GPA of 8.5 in the first year of their PhD program in order to be eligible.
• Students who do not have Bachelor’s/Master’s degree from a participating Institution, must secure a minimum GPA of 8.5 in the first year of their PhD program in order to be eligible.
• Students are initially selected and admitted into the PhD programs at either Institute as per norms.
• The subsequent joint selection for JDP can be carried out within 6- 12 months of the student enrolling in the PhD program.
• The supervisor at home institution must communicate with their collaborating faculty in the partner University.
• Once accepted, the collaborating faculty members become the respective students’ guide / supervisor.
• The Supervisor at Home University have to inform Dean AR and DC formally, Academic section will then will transfer the student to JDP and prepare necessary documents.
• The doctoral committee which will be set up to monitor the scholar will check on the progress till thesis is completed.
  Students have to pass a comprehensive examination which will be conducted by the DC of the student (as per the rules of the Home Institute).
• \Scholar has to meet his/her academic requirements at the Home Institute.
• The PhD student must spend a minimum of one year at the Partner Institute working under the supervision of their co guide.
• JDP students must follow the rules and regulations of the Partner Institute as well as the Home Institute.
• Financial assistance will be discussed case by case and decided by the collaborating universities.

A3. For Melbourne Candidates:

• The student must be admitted as a PhD student at UoM.
• The students must have a GPA of 8.5/10 or above from their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.

B: Selection Process

B1: For IIT Madras Candidates:

• The student will be enrolled in a PhD program at IIT Madras with an appropriate scholarship from IIT Madras.
• The student will be required to successfully complete the required coursework and comprehensive examination within 12 months of enrolment in PhD at IIT Madras.
• If successful, the student will receive a PhD offer from UoM under DDP.  For students who (a) obtained their Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from an institution other than one of the participating IITs, or (b) obtained their Bachelor’s or Master’s or both degrees from one of the participating IITs but had GPA less than 8.5 in all such degrees, the offer will be conditional on achieving a minimum GPA 8.5 in the coursework in their first year of PhD at IIT Madras.

B2: For Melbourne Candidates

• The student will receive PhD candidature and stipend + fee remission offers from UoM.
• The student will be required to successfully complete the required coursework and deliver the confirmation seminar within 12 months of commencement (enrolment) of PhD at UoM.
• If successful, the student will receive DDP offer from IIT Madras.

C: Candidature and Scholarship

C1: For All Candidates

• On enrolment for PhD at Home Institution, an Advisory Panel / DSC will be formed as per rules of the Home Institution. Upon successful enrolment in DDP, supervisor(s) and two more Academics from the Partner Institution will be inducted into the Advisory Panel/DAC. The Panel will meet at least twice in a year (online mode) to assess the student’s progress.
• Students will be required to furnish six-monthly progress reports to both institutions via the Advisory Panel.Students will receive a local stipend scholarship from the institution at which they are physically located during their candidature. The Home Institution may choose to suspend stipend during the absence.
• Travel support if any will be awarded according to rules of the Home Institution.  Tuition and other fees payable during stay at the Partner Institution will be waived by the Partner Institution.
• DDP Students must spend at least 12 months at each Institution.

C2: For IIT Madras Candidates:

• The student will follow the rules of IIT Madras regarding the coursework. There will be no additional coursework requirement at UoM.
• The student will complete the comprehensive examination within 12 months of enrolment into PhD program of IIT Madras.
• The student will spend 12-24 months at UoM depending on the project requirements as determined by the Advisory Committee in consultation with the supervisors from each institution. The maximum duration of UoM stipend for IIT Madras candidates will be 2 years.
• The student will need to deliver a confirmation seminar within 12 months of commencing at UoM. Registration seminar of IIT Madras will be considered equivalent to confirmation seminar at UoM provided concerned faculty of UoM participate through video conferencing. Internal progress reports will be generated to assess student’s standing.
• The enrolment (commencement) date at UoM will be the date when the student enrols at UoM after accepting the offer of DDP.
• Visits to UoM will take place with due approval from IIT Madras.  When not resident at UoM, the student will be on approved Study Away from UoM.

C3: For Melbourne Candidates

• The student will follow the rules of UoM regarding any coursework. There will be no additional coursework requirement at IIT Madras.
• The student will complete a confirmation seminar within 12 months of commencing at UoM.
• The student will spend 12-24 months at IIT Madras depending on the project requirements as determined in consultation with the supervisors from each institution. The maximum duration of IIT Madras scholarship for UoM candidates will be 2 years.
• The student will need to deliver a registration seminar within 12 months of enrolment at IIT Madras.  If the confirmation seminar at UoM is held after the student enrols at IIT Madras under DDP, and is attended by concerned IIT Madras faculty members by video conferencing, it will be considered equivalent to the registration seminar at IIT Madras. Otherwise, the student will need to deliver a registration seminar during his/her stay at IIT Madras.  Internal progress reports will be generated to assess student’s standing.
• The enrolment (commencement) date at IIT Madras will be the date when the student enrols at IIT Madras after accepting the offer of DDP.
• When not resident at UoM and visiting IIT Madras, the student will be on approved Study Away.

D: Thesis submission and examination

D1: For All Candidates

• The student must meet the examination requirements of both institutions to be awarded the DDP, including any Oral Examination requirements.
• The student will submit identical copies of the thesis written in English to both institutions.
• The thesis will be examined by at least two external examiners.
• Thesis examiners must:
  1. be independent of both institutions
  2. be of good international standing in the research topic of the thesis
  3. be qualified to at least PhD level or have equivalent research experience
  4. have previous experience as a supervisor or examiner of a PhD
  5. be from different institutions.
• A person is ineligible to serve as an examiner if they:
  1. have had a formal association with either institution within the past five years and/or during the examination, including employment at the institution in teaching and/or research as either a full-time, part-time or sessional staff member, or in an honorary capacity
  2. are a supervisor or advisory committee member of the candidate under examination.
  3. have had direct involvement with the thesis through reading drafts or discussing the research
  4. have directly collaborated in work with the student and/or with the student’s supervisors in the last 5 years
  5. have a real or perceived conflict of interest with the student, the supervisors or the institutions of a personal, professional or commercial nature
• The thesis and relevant forms will be sent to the examiners by each partner institution.  The examiners will return two sets of forms; one to each institution.  Each institution will pay the examiners in line with their rules and regulations.
• The student will resubmit the revised thesis, if necessary, on the basis of examiners comments in consultation with both the supervisors and with the combined approval of the Chair of Examiners at both institutions.
• In case of grossly conflicting recommendation by the two external examiners, the relevant Deans of the two Institutions will discuss on the future course of action which may include sending it to a third jointly appointed external examiner.
• If successful, the student will receive two separate degree certificates each of which will acknowledge the joint nature of the degree and will include the name of the partner institution.

D2: For IIT Madras Candidates:

• Student must give a ‘Synopsis Seminar’ when the thesis is complete. This will be considered equivalent to the ‘Completion Seminar’ of UoM. Concerned faculty from the Partner Institution will participate by video conferencing.  If accepted by DSC, the thesis will be sent out for review by external examiners.
• The thesis examination will be initiated by IIT Madras and the initial contact and invitations to examiners will be sent by IIT Madras.
• The student will undergo an oral examination in line with IIT Madras requirements.  Relevant faculty from the Partner Institution will participate by video conferencing.

D3: For Melbourne Candidates

• The student must give a ‘Completion Seminar’, when the thesis is complete. This will be considered equivalent to the ‘Synopsis Seminar’ of IIT Madras. Relevant faculty from the Partner Institution will participate by video conferencing.  If accepted by DAC, the thesis will be sent out for review by external examiners.
• The thesis examination will be initiated by UoM and the initial contact and invitations to examiners will be sent by UoM.
• The student will undergo an oral examination at IIT Madras in line with IIT Madras requirements. This is to ensure that the student meets the usual requirements of both institutions to be awarded a Joint PhD.  Relevant faculty from UoM will participate by video conferencing.

Glossary

• The terms Enrolment, Commencement, Candidature have been used inter-changeably
• Advisory Panel, Dissertation Advisory committee (DAC), Doctoral Scrutiny Committee (DSC) have been used interchangeably
• ‘Scholarship’ and ‘Stipend’ have been used interchangeably.
• IIT Madras Candidates: students whose Home institution is IIT Madras
• UoM Candidates: students whose Home institution is University of Melbourne
• Participating Institution/IIT means IIT Madras or IIT Madras or IIT Madras (as the case may be)
• IIT K means IIT Madras
• DDP means Dual Doctoral Program between IIT Madras and University of Melbourne

Contact us

If you have questions about the joint PhD program or the application process, contact us.