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Doctor of Science (D.Sc.)

Doctor of Science (D.Sc.)

Office of Research & Innovation

REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE AWARD OF THE DOCTOR OF SCIENCE (D.Sc.) DEGREE

1. Preamble and Epistemological Objectives

The Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) is the highest academic honor and the ultimate terminal post-doctoral research degree awarded by SR University. It is conferred upon individuals of national and international eminence who have demonstrated a sustained, rigorous, and highly impactful trajectory of original research or impact beyond the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or equivalent level.

Unlike a Ph.D., which primarily serves to validate a candidate's methodological competence and ability to conduct independent research under institutional supervision, the D.Sc. is a summative recognition of a lifetime or a significant decade-long epoch of scholarly output. The degree is not awarded for a single discrete project, nor is it acquired through traditional coursework or semester-based credit accumulation. Rather, it is awarded for a unified portfolio of extensively peer-reviewed or referee-based evaluation, works that has substantially advanced the frontiers of scientific knowledge, sparked significant intellectual debate, created unequivocal impact, substantially uplifted a community or region and unequivocally established the candidate as a leading global authority in their chosen discipline.

By instituting this rigorously benchmarked regulatory framework, SR University reinforces its commitment to global academic excellence, the promotion of paradigm-shifting empirical research, innovation and the recognition of mature scholars whose intellectual contributions have yielded profound societal, technological, and scientific benefits.

2. Nomenclature, Scope, and Disciplines

2.1. Designation

The degree shall be officially designated as the Doctor of Science (D.Sc.).

2.2. Broad Domains of Award

The D.Sc. degree shall be awarded in recognition of advanced, retrospective research contributions in the following broad domains:

Engineering and Technological Sciences: Encompassing, but not limited to, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Data Sciences, Quantum Computing, VLSI Design, Robotics, Nanotechnology, and all core engineering disciplines including Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Textile, Space, Cybersecurity and Electronics Engineering.

Fundamental and Applied Sciences: Encompassing Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Environmental Sciences, Materials Science, and Biosciences.

Interdisciplinary and Translational Sciences: Encompassing Biomedical Engineering, Cognitive Sciences, Earth and Climate Sciences, Energy Systems, liberal arts, literature, political science, social science, law, media, pharmacy and emerging multidisciplinary domains that systematically address complex global challenges through the synthesis of diverse scientific principles.

2.3. Specification of Discipline

The specific discipline or specialized area of research shall be explicitly stated on the D.Sc. degree parchment. This specification will be mapped precisely to the theoretical core of the candidate's submitted portfolio, subject to the final approval of the University Academic Council.

3. Stringent Eligibility Criteria

To fiercely preserve the elite nature and international standing of the higher doctorate, candidates must satisfy uncompromising academic and experiential thresholds prior to initiating the application process.

3.1. General Academic and Experiential Qualifications

Academic Credential: The candidate must hold a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in a relevant scientific or technological discipline from a recognized Indian University, or a globally accredited foreign university ranked by Recognized Global Ranking System.

Professional Trajectory: The candidate must possess at least five (5) years of active, sustained post-doctoral experience in teaching, continuous empirical research, or industrial R&D at a recognized university, national laboratory, or highly reputed corporate research center.

Candidates without a PhD Degree will be considered who have at least 10 years of experience in Industry, Govt Sector, Social Organisation, NGOs, Trust or Society. They must demonstrate the equivalent impact as required for the award of D. Sc. Degree.

3.2. Quantitative and Qualitative Research Thresholds

Candidates must qualify for candidacy through one of the following rigorous assessment.

Bibliometric Standing: The candidate must possess a minimum Scopus or Web of Science h-index of 10.

The Societal Change or Impact: Candidate Must have impacted significant number of lives through science, art, social work, music, dance, work on Sustainable development goals, community engagement, Rural interventions.

The Innovation and Translational Technology Pathway

Intellectual Property: A minimum of three (3) granted patents where the candidate is formally listed as one of the inventor.

Translational Impact: Demonstrable, documented evidence of technology transfer, commercialization, or significant industrial deployment arising directly from the patented intellectual property.

4. Application Framework and Prima Facie Screening

The D.Sc. is not a traditional degree program for which a candidate enrolls to conduct ongoing, supervised research; it is an independent assessment of completed/ published work. Therefore, the administrative workflow initiates with an exhaustive, highly selective screening process designed to establish a prima facie case for evaluation and to filter out sub-standard submissions.

4.1. The Application Dossier

Eligible candidates may submit their application dossier to SR University at any point during the academic year. The preliminary dossier must systematically include:

  1. An exhaustive Curriculum Vitae (CV) detailing the entire academic, professional, and research trajectory of the candidate.
  2. A Synopsis ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 words. This critical document must concisely articulate the overarching theme of the candidate's contributions, highlighting its originality, and its ultimate, measurable impact on the global community.
  3. The non-refundable Application and Screening Fee of ₹5,000.

4.2. The Prima Facie Screening Committee

Upon administrative receipt, the dossier is subjected to rigorous academic scrutiny constituted as follows:

The Vice-Chancellor of SR University (Chairperson)

The Dean of Research

The Dean of the relevant Faculty/School

4.3. Outcome of the Screening Process

The Screening Committee holds the mandate to assess whether the candidate’s documented output represents a substantial, sustained, and highly original contribution to science that aligns with the prestige of a higher doctorate.

Positive Determination: If a prima facie case is successfully established, the candidate shall be formally invited to register for the D.Sc. degree and instructed to compile and submit the full D.Sc. Portfolio.

Negative Determination: If the committee concludes that the work, despite meeting minimum quantitative metrics, does not yet meet the qualitative threshold of a higher doctorate, the candidate shall be notified in writing with an analytical summary of the decision. There is no statutory right of appeal against the screening decision; however, candidates may re-apply after a mandatory cooling-off period of one year.

5. The Synthesis Narrative (The D.Sc. Thesis)

The Synthesis Narrative must be a highly intellectual, contextualizing document (typically ranging from 8,000 to 10,000 words) that weaves the candidate’s contributions into a coherent, singular paradigm. It must meticulously detail:

  1. The historical context and the prevailing state of the art within the discipline at the commencement of the candidate's independent trajectory.
  2. The specific epistemological and empirical gaps the candidate identified and sought to resolve.
  3. The chronological and thematic evolution of the candidate’s work, explicitly referencing and analysing the specific details in the portfolio.
  4. The empirical, theoretical, or industrial impact of the discoveries, validated by objective metrics such as cumulative citations, subsequent replication by other global laboratories, and integration into industrial or technological practice.
  5. A visionary, forward-looking conclusion outlining the anticipated future trajectory of the discipline based on the foundational work established by the candidate.
  6. Minimum Five References from well-know persons in the related field who can vouch about the integrity, quality and the quantum of contributions.

The submission must be accompanied by the final Portfolio Evaluation Fee of ₹60,000, which is structurally mapped to cover the high costs associated with international examiner honorariums and administrative logistics.

6. The Adjudication Board and Evaluation Framework

The academic integrity and global prestige of a higher doctorate rest almost entirely upon the unimpeachable caliber and objectivity of its examiners. Consequently, SR University strictly prohibits the utilization of internal examiners or institutional faculty for the adjudication of the D.Sc. degree.

6.1. Constitution of the Board of Examiners

The Vice-Chancellor shall appoint an Adjudication Board consisting of two (2) highly distinguished independent external examiners.

International Mandate: To ensure global benchmarking, at least One (1) of the three examiners must be full Professors, Chief Scientists, or equivalent academic leaders affiliated with foreign academic institutions or research laboratories.

National Mandate: The other examiner must be a scholar of national eminence.

Conflict of Interest Mitigation: No selected examiner shall have been a co-author, collaborative grant partner, Ph.D. supervisor, or institutional colleague of the candidate within the preceding ten (10) years.

Vice-Chancellor may choose more than two examiners based on the individual requirements of the case under consideration.

6.2. The Evaluation Rubric

The examiners are explicitly instructed to evaluate the portfolio not as a standard academic dissertation, but as a comprehensive lifetime body of work. The specific, non-negotiable standards of judgment are:

  1. Absolute Quality: Is the presented research of the absolute highest international standard within the specific sub-discipline?
  2. Scale and Contribution: Is the volume, breadth, and depth of the work substantial, and has it fundamentally expanded the boundaries and understanding of the discipline?
  3. Sustained Trajectory: Does the portfolio demonstrate a persistent, evolving, and continuous contribution to scholarship over a decade, rather than representing a brief, isolated period of productivity?
  4. Authoritative Reach: Has the candidate's work unequivocally established them as a global authority?

6.3. Examiner Recommendations

Each examiner shall independently submit a detailed, confidential evaluation report culminating in one of the following definitive recommendations:

Category A (Unconditional Award): The portfolio undeniably meets all qualitative and quantitative standards of a higher doctorate and is highly recommended for the immediate award of the degree.

Category B (Minor Revisions): The scientific output is sufficient for the award, but the Synthesis Narrative requires minor editorial integration, structural clarification, or expansion, to be corrected to the satisfaction of the Dean of Research prior to the colloquium.

Category C (Rejection): The work, while academically sound, does not possess the requisite authoritative standing, originality, or global impact necessary for the conferment of a higher doctorate.

6.4. Resolution of Divergent Reports

For the D.Sc. candidacy to proceed to the final defense stage, all examiner reports must independently recommend the award (i.e., return a Category A or Category B result).

If one of the examiners recommend the award and one explicitly rejects it, the Vice-Chancellor shall appoint a another independent external examiner. The blind evaluation and subsequent decision of this third examiner shall serve as the ultimate, binding tie-breaker.

If both examiners reject the portfolio, the candidacy is unequivocally terminated. The candidate may not reapply for a period of five (5) years, and any subsequent reapplication must be built upon a substantially distinct and updated body of new work.

7. The Public Defense and Expert Colloquium (Viva Voce)

  1. Upon the receipt of unanimous positive reports from the Adjudication Board, the University shall formally organize an open Public Defense.
  2. The Colloquium Board shall be chaired by another body of experts.
  3. Unlike a Ph.D. defense, which often focuses on defending a narrow methodology, the D.Sc. colloquium operates as a high-level academic symposium. The candidate shall deliver a comprehensive 45-to-60-minute lecture synthesizing their decade of research, followed by an intensive scientific discourse with the external examiner, faculty members, and the wider academic community in attendance.
  4. The Board must officially certify that the candidate demonstrated an authoritative command of the field, fielded complex theoretical inquiries with expertise, and successfully defended the broader epistemological implications of their portfolio.

8. Conferment of the Degree

The bureaucratic progression from successful evaluation to final conferment ensures institutional checks and balances, safeguarding the degree's prestige.

  1. Academic Council: The Academic Council evaluates the procedural integrity of the entire case file and grants the formal academic mandate for the award.
  2. Board of Management / Syndicate: As the apex governing body of SR University, the Board of Management formally ratifies the resolution of the Academic Council, legally authorizing the Vice-Chancellor to confer the degree.
  3. A formal Notification of Award is issued, and the candidate is officially permitted to use the post-nominal letters "D.Sc."

9. Fee Structure and Financial Administration

The financial model for the D.Sc. reflects the substantial administrative, logistical, and international evaluation costs intrinsically associated with processing a higher doctorate. The fee structure is designed to be self-sustaining while ensuring that examiners are compensated at rates commensurate with their global standing.

Fee Component Amount (INR) Payment Milestone Timeline
Application and Screening Fee ₹5,000 To be submitted along with the initial application dossier before prima facie screening. Within a maximum of 15 working days
Registration and Evaluation Fee ₹60,000 Payable upon successful prima facie screening and invitation to submit the full portfolio. Evaluation to be completed within 90 working days
Public Oral Seminar ₹20,000 Payable prior to the submission of the Synthesis Narrative and bound portfolio for viva voce. Viva voce to be conducted within 60 days
Convocation and Alumni Fee ₹15,000 Payable after successful completion of the viva voce and before issuance of the final award/degree notification. After successful completion of viva voce
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Note:
Special Scholarship / Fee Waiver:
A maximum waiver of 30% on the Evaluation Fee may be extended to eligible and deserving candidates under the Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) program. The waiver may be considered for SR University alumni, specially abled candidates, candidates from Defence background, SC/BC/OBC candidates, candidates with extraordinary profiles, divorcee/widowed candidates, President Awardees, and other deserving candidates as may be approved by the Vice-Chancellor. The decision of the University in this regard shall be final.

Statutory Note: The University reserves the right to periodically revise the fee structure.

10. Academic Integrity, Plagiarism, and Revocation Protocols

Given the elite status of the D.Sc., breaches of academic integrity are treated with maximum severity, carrying implications not only for the candidate but for the global reputation of SR University.

  1. Self-Plagiarism and Duplication: While the D.Sc. portfolio inherently relies on previously published and copyrighted work, the Synthesis Narrative itself must be entirely original. It will be subjected to rigorous similarity-check software (e.g., Turnitin or iThenticate). The similarity index of the narrative must not exceed 10%, excluding direct, properly cited quotations and bibliographic references.
  2. Authorship Disputes: If any co-author of a submitted publication formally contests the candidate's claim of primary conceptual leadership or contribution during the evaluation process, the University Research Committee will immediately freeze the evaluation pending an independent ethical inquiry.
  3. Retractions: If any paper included in the core D.Sc. portfolio is retracted by a journal for data falsification, fabrication, image manipulation, or ethical violations at any point during or after the evaluation, the application shall be summarily dismissed.
  4. Post-Conferment Revocation: SR University retains the perpetual statutory authority to revoke a conferred D.Sc. degree at any point in the future if unequivocal, documented evidence emerges of severe scientific misconduct, fraud, or plagiarism pertaining to the works that constituted the portfolio upon which the degree was awarded.

11. Interpretation and Residual Powers

  1. In the event of any ambiguity, administrative conflict, or dispute regarding the interpretation of these guidelines, the matter shall be referred directly to the Vice-Chancellor.
  2. The decision of the Vice-Chancellor, acting in consultation with the Academic Council, shall be final, binding, and not subject to further internal appeal.
  3. The University reserves the absolute right to amend, alter, or suspend any clause of these regulations to maintain compliance with evolving guidelines, notifications, or gazette publications issued by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or the Ministry of Education, Government of India.