A group of regular research scholars of Bharathiar University staged a dharna in front of the gate on Thursday demanding that abolition of Category B Ph.D. (distance education mode) be ratified by the Syndicate.

This follows a circular issued by Vice-Chancellor of the university G. James Pitchai that Category B Ph.D. would be abolished from July 2015. However, their grouse is that this had not got the approval of the Syndicate.

According to the regular scholars, the University Grants Commission had said that conduct of this category by any university was illegal and hence the regular scholars had been demanding the university to shut down the course. They claimed that the university was issuing Ph.D. certificates without mentioning the category. This, they believed hampered their chances of getting a job, as there was no demarcation between the regular Ph.D. and Category B Ph.D.

There was also the demand that those who were now doing the Category B Ph.D. should be issued certificates mentioning the category.

Meanwhile, university sources said that the issue was placed before the Syndicate for further action.