Gujarat University Campus Shut for PhD Entrance Test, Over 1,400 Candidates to Appear

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Gujarat University (GU) has temporarily shut down its campus to ensure the smooth conduct of the PhD entrance examination being held today. The decision was taken to avoid disruptions and controversies that have affected the examination process in previous years. The entrance test is being conducted for admission to PhD programmes across more than 700 subjects.

According to university officials, a total of 2,469 candidates had initially registered for the PhD entrance test. After the verification process, 38 applicants were declared ineligible for various reasons, while 575 candidates who had already qualified national-level eligibility tests such as NET were exempted from appearing in the entrance exam. As a result, 1,441 candidates are appearing for the test this year. For comparison, around 1,800 students had appeared for the exam last year.

Vice-Chancellor Nirja Gupta ordered the suspension of all academic activities across university buildings for the day to ensure the examination is conducted in a fair and disturbance-free manner. The PhD entrance test is scheduled to be held from 12 noon to 2 pm, and the answer key is expected to be released on the same evening. However, unlike previous years, candidates will not be provided with a copy of the question paper.

Traditionally, the PhD entrance test at Gujarat University was conducted on public holidays. This year, however, the exam is being held on a working day, along with a complete academic shutdown. This move has drawn criticism from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), which has opposed the decision and alleged that such an arrangement could potentially be misused to favour certain candidates.

University authorities have clarified that candidates who successfully clear the written entrance test will be required to appear for a group discussion round before completing the registration process for PhD programmes in their respective disciplines.

The university maintains that the measures taken are aimed at maintaining transparency, discipline, and fairness in the PhD admission process, while ensuring that the examination proceeds without any administrative or academic hurdles.