Lucknow University Student Becomes First to Enter PhD Program Without a Master's Degree
LU student 1st to get PhD admission without master’s degree
Image: The Times Of India
Arindam Chaturvedi, a 23-year-old from Lucknow University, has made history by becoming the first student to gain PhD admission without a master's degree, following the new National Education Policy guidelines. He excelled in academics, achieving top ranks in various examinations.
- 01Arindam Chaturvedi is the first student from Lucknow University to secure PhD admission directly after a four-year undergraduate program.
- 02He achieved All India Rank 1 in Archaeology with a perfect 100 percentile in the UGC-NET exam.
- 03Chaturvedi has 41 research papers accepted for publication in recognized journals and has presented at 28 seminars.
- 04His enrollment was made possible under the National Education Policy 2020, allowing direct PhD admission under specific conditions.
- 05He aims to contribute to academia and become a professor in the future.
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Arindam Chaturvedi, a 23-year-old student from the Department of Ancient Indian History and Archaeology at Lucknow University (LU), has become the first candidate from the university to gain admission to a PhD program without a master's degree. This achievement is in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) regulations. Chaturvedi topped the LU PhD entrance test for 2026 and is recognized as the youngest Junior Research Fellow in his department. He has had 41 research papers accepted for publication in UGC-CARE-listed and Scopus-indexed journals, and has presented at 28 national and international seminars. He also secured All India Rank 1 with a perfect 100 percentile in Archaeology in the UGC-NET exam, later qualifying in History with a 99.08 percentile. His enrollment is significant as it follows the NEP 2020 guidelines, which allow students to pursue a PhD directly after completing a four-year undergraduate program with research components. Chaturvedi aspires to become a professor, emphasizing the need for quality educators in India.
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Chaturvedi's achievement highlights the potential for undergraduate students to advance directly to PhD programs, encouraging more students in Lucknow and beyond to pursue higher education without traditional pathways.
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