The Doctorate Penalty
Vedaant Lakhera | 26 September 2025 | Frontline
In February 2025, Central universities nationwide received a University Grants Commission (UGC) circular directing them to discontinue MPhil and PhD increments. The directive drew from a 2017 Ministry of Education order, which mandated withdrawing these increments and demanded retrospective recoveries from faculty.
The circular stated: “The incentive structure is embedded within the pay framework, whereby those holding an MPhil or PhD will advance more swiftly under the Career Advancement Scheme. Hence, no additional incentives in the form of advance increments shall be granted for obtaining these degrees.” The revision applies to faculty appointed on or after January 1, 2016…