Hurry up: Viva voce of MPhil English at GCU delayed for a year

Students have said that they have been unable to pursue their PhD, jobs due to the delay

LAHORE: Students of an MPhil programme at the Government College University’s (GCU) English Department are waiting for their viva voce for a year.

In August 2014, students of the 2012-2014 session of MPhil English Language programme had submitted their theses to the department for approval. But the administration has yet to issue dates for the viva voce.

The students The Express Tribune spoke to said the university administration had not contacted them for the oral examination.

Requesting anonymity, they said the delay was preventing them from applying for PhD programmmes and lecturer jobs. They said they also could not pursue foreign scholarships.

“I have contacted the administration several times. It says the date for the viva will be announced soon but nothing has been done in this regard,” said a student. The administration is bound to schedule a viva voce within 40 days of submission of these, the student said.

GCU English Department Director Sajjad Ali Khan said he had assumed the office only a few months ago. “Resolving the matter early is my priority,” he said. He said the department had completed all formalities and sent the theses to the dean.

He said students’ work would be checked among other things for plagiarism and that the exercise would take two to three days.

A GCU spokesperson said the theses had been sent to external examiners for a review. “All prerequisites have been met. The students will be called for a viva after their theses have been reviewed,” he said.

He said he could not give an exact date for the review. “The students will be eligible for the upcoming PhD admissions at the GCU,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2015.