phd rules changed

UGC asks VCs, principals to roll out revised PhD regulations

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday asked vice-chancellors and college principals to initiate necessary steps to implement the revised minimum standard and procedure for the award of PhD.

In the letter to higher educational institutions (HEIs), the UGC said that the new regulations are framed “to encourage research scholars to become well-trained researchers and inquisitive explorers.”

“All HEIs are requested to initiate necessary steps to implement the new regulations for the award of PhD,” the letter said.

The UGC replaced its rules notified in 2016 and brought the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022. The revised guidelines have changed the eligibility, admission and evaluation process. It has also done away with the mandatory requirement of publishing research papers in refereed journals.

The UGC notified the new regulations on November 7. As per the new regulations, students who have completed a four-year undergraduate course will also be eligible for direct admission to a doctorate programme.

The new rule said a candidate should have a minimum of 75 per cent marks in “aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed”, and in case the candidate does not have 75 per cent marks in a four-year undergraduate program, they have to pursue a one-year master’s programme and score at least 55 per cent.

PhD regulations of 2016 said that PhD scholars “must publish at least one (1) research paper in a refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences/seminars before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication.”

UGC Chairperson Professor M Jagadesh Kumar said that publishing research papers in peer-reviewed journals might not be mandatory anymore, but it does not mean PhD scholars should stop doing that altogether.

“Focussing on high-quality research will lead to publications in good journals, even if it is not mandatory. It will add value when they apply for employment or post-doctoral opportunities,” he said.

The regulations are applicable with immediate effect from the date of notification. Any PhD registered after 1 July 2009 shall be governed by the rules of 2009 or 2016, the notification said.

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UGC notifies new regulations on PhD degrees, here's what has changed

The ugc has announced new norms for phd degrees that include significant modifications to the qualifications for admission, the application process, and the evaluation procedures.

•  Students who have completed a four-year

UGC committee to grant 'degree' status to several new courses: Report

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First Published: Nov 10 2022 | 10:37 PM IST

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New Delhi: Academicians are wary of the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s latest regulation which says that students who have completed a four-year undergraduate course can now directly pursue a doctoral degree. Academics say these students will have no research experience and will be lost in the first few years of their study.

Another argument raised by academicians was that the implementation of the four-year undergraduate programme, as devised under the National Education Policy (NEP), has not been brought into effect in all universities. Since this undergraduation is a prerequisite for a direct entry into the PhD program, current students will have to continue to pursue a Master’s degree to be eligible for the same.

Rohit, Assistant Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), said that in the Indian higher education system, every programme has served a purpose. The bachelors course introduces the student to a subject, master’s offers a specialisation, an M.Phil degree gives them an interim training to conduct research and then ultimately the PhD helps them establish themselves as a subject matter expert. The latest regulations disrupt this structure.

He said “It does seem like the UGC is trying to emulate the American system of an integrated PhD but it stands to do more damage than good. Without specialised knowledge in a discipline, no student can write a doctoral research paper, be it a humanities or a sciences student.”

Adding that the move will discourage students from joining doctoral programs, he argued “At JNU we have seen the academic rigour of students improve with time and degrees. Students who have not had excellent education in their undergraduate degree will naturally shy away from going for a doctorate when they are not able to perform on par with their contemporaries in their graduate degree courses or masters courses itself.”

Also Read: ‘Need well-rounded professionals’ — why IITs, IIMs & IIITs are giving humanities a new thrust

Removal of M.Phil, master’s programmes 

Associate Professor Debraj Mookerjee of the Ramjas College in Delhi University said the scrapping of the clause mandating students to publish research papers in journals is a positive move. However, the decision to remove the M.Phil and master’s programme will force students to spend the first couple of years of the doctoral study in learning research methodology.

He said “The bachelors and master’s programme in our country is designed in a way where students do not get to conduct any research. While the M.Phil programme gave them the space to conduct a full-fledged research, its removal will pose an issue for aspiring doctorate students. They will be forced to spend the first couple of years of their doctoral study trying to figure out the process.”

Srikanth Kondapalli, the Dean of School of International Studies and a Professor of China studies at the JNU, said that while the move seems to be a measure by the UGC to implement the NEP, there are not enough undergraduate colleges with a four-year programme.

“The scrapping of the M.Phil degree made sense since it now makes the pursuit of a doctorate degree at par with universal standards. However, at JNU, where students from all regions and strata of the society come in, the M.Phil served as a preparatory course for those students who did not have the calibre to pursue a doctoral degree.”

He added, “Since the implementation of the NEP’s four-year-long undergraduate programmes has not been brought into effect in all universities across the country, this provision stands to help tech students more.”

On removal of the need for publishing research articles in peer-reviewed publications, Prof Mookerjee said, “For the past couple of years, we have witnessed an increase in the number of bogus journals in which students would pay money to get published. This provision will put a stop to publication of poor quality research papers.”

Learning right methodology is vital

Prof Pankaj Kumar of the Allahabad University said that the UGC has made the higher education institutions a field of rigorous experimentation. Research for all doctoral students has to be an endeavour that they can achieve only if they have an academic bent of mind and have the motivation to conduct research on their own.

He said, “Students have lost the bent for research post the coming of the internet. Most of their work is a simple copy and paste. In addition to this, with the removal of courses that teach them how to conduct research, students will not be able to conduct research.”

He added that pre-doctoral courses, at par with international standards, is the need of the hour so that interested students can learn the right methodology and design to work towards their doctorate degree.

The new PhD regulations — “University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022” — says a candidate should have a minimum of 75 per cent marks in “aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed”.

If not, the student has to pursue a one-year master’s programme and score at least 55 per cent.

The rules further say “A 1-year master’s degree programme after a 4-year bachelor’s degree programme, or a 2-year master’s degree programme after a 3-year bachelor’s degree programme, or qualifications declared equivalent to the master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55 per cent marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed” will be required.

The UGC has removed the clause “publishing paper in a peer-reviewed journal” as mandatory for a PhD. The 2016 regulations had said that PhD scholars “must publish at least one research paper in a refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences/seminars before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication”.

The latest regulations by UGC have also brought in several provisions to improve the quality of research by students and aid provided by their mentors/guides. Women candidates and persons with disability will be given extra time to finish their research.

Scholars who were previously required to appear before the Research Advisory Committee to present their findings and progress once every six months will now have to do so every semester.

The new rules bars faculty members with less than three years of service left before superannuation from taking new students. While the move encourages the entry of an increased number of students into PhD programs, the previously proposed common entrance test for PhDs has been left out.

The new regulations also allow each supervisor to guide up to two international research scholars in addition to their domestic students.

(Edited by Geethalakshmi Ramanathan)

Also Read: Only 34% Indian schools have internet access, less than 50% have functional computers, shows data

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Explained | New regulations for awarding PhDs 

Jagriti chandra.

The story so far: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has made sweeping changes in its latest regulations governing the award of PhDs. Important changes such as abolishing of MPhils, relaxing course work for obtaining PhDs and allowing candidates to register for a PhD after finishing four years of a graduation programme, have been seen as steps that could lead to diminishing academic rigour as well as impediments to inclusivity in higher education.

What are the key changes?

The UGC on November 7, 2022 notified the University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022. One of the notable changes it made was to the evaluation and assessment criteria for the award of the degree, where it has waived the need to mandatorily publish a research paper in a peer-reviewed journal. This is accompanied by completely abolishing MPhil, which has been a gateway for PhD programmes, in line with the recommendation in the National Education Policy 2020. The eligibility criteria for admissions too have been revised, and a candidate can register after completing a one-year (or two semester) master’s degree programme after a four-year (or 8-semester) bachelor’s degree programme or a two-year (or four-semester) master’s degree programme after a three-year bachelor’s degree programme with at least 55% marks or its equivalent grade.

There are also important changes to course work. Earlier, the description of course work candidates needed to finish was more detailed, with at least four credits assigned to courses on research methodology. Candidates were also required to finish this either in the first semester, or by the second semester. Only candidates who were awarded MPhil or had completed their MPhil were exempted. But the new regulations leave it more open ended and says that all PhD scholars “shall be required to train in teaching/ education/ pedagogy/ writing related to their chosen PhD subject.” They can also now be assigned 4-6 hours per week of teaching/research assistantship for conducting tutorial, or laboratory work and evaluations.

The UGC now also allows part-time PhDs, a practice that was disallowed under the 2009 and 2016 regulations.

How will research scholars be evaluated under the new regulations?

PhD scholars will be required to undertake research work after completing their course work, make a presentation and produce a draft dissertation or thesis. If the evaluation of the submission is satisfactory, the candidate will have to defend the thesis in a public viva voce. They will not have to publish a research paper in refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences or seminars before submitting the thesis. The Chairman of UGC M. Jagadesh Kumar says that while publishing a paper in a peer-reviewed journal is not mandatory anymore in order to curb unethical practices such as pay-to-publish or plagiarism, students should be motivated and trained to publish in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences. He says that a one-size-fits-all approach is not desirable as doctorals in computer science prefer presenting their papers at conferences rather than publishing them in journals. Former UGC Chairman and Ambedkarite, Sukhdaeo Thorat, welcomed the move to discontinue publishing papers in journals as it would often lead poor candidates to pay to get published like their peers, as well as put them at a disadvantage as they wouldn’t have contacts to get published. However, Jamia Milia Islamia Professor Furqan Qamar says that while these concerns are valid, there is a need to provide enhanced and cost-effective opportunities to the researcher to publish as there is a limited availability of quality journals but far more researchers. He cites from the Scopus database of scientific publications for 2020 to point out that India accounted for only 4.52% of total research papers in the world though it accounts for 12% of the global faculty pool.

Are there other concerns?

Experts like Professor Thorat say that discontinuing MPhils, along with the introduction of four-year BA course and 2-year MA course with multiple exits will hurt socially disadvantaged groups who may not be able to pay for longer-duration courses and may have to exit earlier, which will put them at a disadvantage in the job market. He adds that while a four-year Bachelors course will allow some students to pursue Masters abroad without studying for one more year, others will be discriminated against. Though UGC says the move is intended to attract younger students for research.

There are also concerns over diminishing scholarships and fellowships to support PhD scholars as well as severe shortage of teachers, impacting the number of research supervisors available.

“Until the 2009 regulations were notified, the award of PhDs, their evaluation, course-work was not regulated. Part-time PhDs were also widely prevalent. In 2016, these were strengthened and publishing a paper in peer-reviewed journals was made mandatory. However, the changes being brought in the latest regulations take us back to the pre-2009 era,” says Professor Qamar.

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UGC amends rules for PhD admissions

The ugc has declared that beginning with the academic year 2024-25, phd students will be given admission based on their national eligibility test (net) scores.

In a landmark decision made by the University Grants Commission (UGC), aspirants for PhD admission will not be required to take university entrance exams.

The UGC has declared that beginning with the academic year 2024-25, PhD students will be given admission based on their National Eligibility Test (NET) scores.

The UGC Council approved new guidelines for PhD admissions under the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020. According to these guidelines, NET qualifiers will be eligible for three categories. Students with the highest NET scores will be placed in Category 1.

They will also be eligible for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), an assistant professorship, and PhD admission and fellowship.

They would have to give an interview for PhD admission, which will be based on UGC regulations 2022.

Following that, students with the highest percentage will be placed in the second group. These students will be considered for assistant professorship and PhD admissions.

Students who pass the exam but with a lower percentage will be placed in category 3. The candidate’s rank will be included in the final result certificate.

“For PhD admission, the net percentage of candidates in categories 2 and 3 will be considered for 70% weightage, while the interview will be weighted at 30%. The NET score in both categories will be valid for one year only, and if they do not participate in the PhD programme within that time frame, they will be ineligible for it. According to the circular released by UGC on Thursday, the candidate would have to retake the NET examination.

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Common Rules and Regulations for a PhD candidate

Before, during and after enrolling in the doctor of philosophy , a PhD candidate has to follow several rules and regulations of the university. Some of them are common for all students while some are so crucial which even can terminate your degree, if not followed.

A PhD degree – the doctor of philosophy is for those who are willing to endure and give knowledge without hesitation. It literally means related to knowledge- the love of wisdom. 

So we can expect a high level of sincerity and discipline from a PhD candidate, Right! But it is not a case for all. 

To maintain the dignity of the degree because after all, it is the highest achievement in education, All the candidates who are enrolling in a PhD as a student should have to follow rules and regulations designed by universities. 

Although a PhD candidate and PhD student are different.

In the present article, I will make you aware of what rules a PhD candidate has to follow in PhD. Also in the last segment of this article, we will discuss how the PhD candidate and PhD student are different. 

To be a PhD candidate, your journey starts when you dream about it, obviously in masters or MPhil. From the very first day you think of doing a PhD, start preparing for a PhD. 

Here is where your journey started!

But you become a PhD candidate once you complete the admission procedure and the coursework. Probably when you start your research (from the second year) you are considered as a PhD candidate.

Now let us first understand who the PhD candidate is! 

Who is a PhD candidate? 

A student who has completed all the requirements for a degree of PhD is known as a PhD candidate. If you are in the PhD and willing to go into it this information may help you. 

Based on their role, A PhD candidate can be classified in several categories. 

Research assistant: 

During the entire tenure of PhD a candidate is temporarily employed in the college under the title of ‘research assistant’. A research assistant has to do his or her research work as well as other academic stuff associated with the college or university. 

Universities pay salaries for that. They have to do full-time work and a job too, however, after completion of their PhD, they don’t remain research assistance. 

The post is valid for 4 to 5 years or for the tenure a person does do their PhD. 

External PhD candidate: 

The external PhD candidate is neither a regular research candidate nor an employee of university. University doesn’t arrange research facilities for these candidates. The candidates are responsible to arrange  research facilities and fund. 

Their regular attendance is also not required. However, they are independent, universities only give a supervisor to them. They have to carry the economical burden by themself. 

Guest PhD candidate: 

The Guest PhD candidate visits university other than their own for some time. They have to visit other universities as a part of university student exchange programs. 

Based on the facilities available at the other university, a supervisor designs research work for a candidate. For a few months or a year, a candidate remains there and does do their research. 

Usually, the university students exchange programs are university or government funded. Hence a candidate doesn’t need to pay for it. 

Staff PhD candidate: 

Sometimes universities allow their own staff members to do PhD in their place, if it is necessary to further progress of a person and the university needs it. 

University never pays for it though. A person has to pay fees from his or her salary. 

International PhD candidate: 

An international PhD candidate is selected based on their performance or some entrance exams they had cleared to achieve it. 

Much like the guest PhD candidate, the international PhD candidate visits some other international university for sometime. All the expenses are paid by the government in this case. 

What Rules and Regulations a PhD candidate has to follow? 

Note that this section included general rules and regulations followed by every university, however, It may vary from university to university. 

Maintain the dignity of the esteem. 

PhD is a great responsibility. You have to be sincere to achieve that esteem. Yes, obviously it is hard to get but some treat it like a playtime. Every guide should have to be strict in terms of PhD research.

The rules of PhD must be complied with by all the candidates and that is the responsibilities of all PhD supervisors. 

So the first rule for a PhD candidate is to follow all the rules and regulations of PhD. 

Submission of certificates and documents: 

All the certified documents related to the PhD must be submitted before enrolling. With the application, a PhD candidate has to submit all their certificates and mark sheets of master and other important documents to the university. Some important certificate are: 

• Proof of nationality 
• Mark sheets of Masters and bachelors 
• Degree certificate of masters or MPhil.
• Degree certificate of bachelors 
• Certificate of clearance of entrance exam if needed 
• School living 
• University transfer certificate 
• IELTS or TOEFL score if needed 

Note that, Their admission is not completed until they submit certificates and other documents.

A PhD proposal and title: 

A PhD proposal and the PhD title is the unique identity of your research work and a property of the candidate as well the PhD guide. 

In any case, the Phd title or proposal should not be matched or shared with others. If someone stole your title and your title gets into plagiarism during the final submission. 

You are not allowed to submit the thesis. And you get trapped in legal procedures to defend your title. So it is better to approve your PhD title and proposal prior to starting your work. 

To approve it, submit it to your PhD supervisor as well as the university PhD department. Also if possible try to submit it to the central government’s PhD committee. 

Attendance: 

All the regular PhD candidates have to visit their university or college regularly. 80% attendance should be maintained by them during the year and of course every year.

In the case of a part-time PhD candidate, as per the university rules and regulations, he or she has to visit their faculty or college or supervisor in a month or in six months. 

Below 80% attendance is not tolerable. 

Progress report: 

Every PhD candidate has to submit their progress report every six months. The progress report must be pre-approved by the supervisor and faculty head. He or she isn’t allowed to go next semester if they fail to submit the progress report.

A progress report should have indicated the progress of every six months in terms of research as well as academics.

Note that the progress report must have to be submitted to the fellowship or scholarship authorities too. 

Daily attendance:

The PhD candidate has to remain present form 10 am to 5 pm as per the college timetable. However, you have to remain present in your lab until your supervisor lets you go. 

You have to stay after college hours if your PhD supervisor wants. Usually you and your guide are busy in lectures and labs during college, so most of the time you have to do your research work after or before the college starts and ends, respectively. 

I can say, for at least 2 years you have to reach college at 8 am morning and to stay there 7.30 pm evening. 

Once you have completed your research work, you no need to give extra time. 

The PhD thesis: 

Much like your title and PhD proposal, your PhD thesis is also considered a key factor for your degree. Without a well-written PhD draft- a thesis, you can’t be eligible to appear in the PhD viva . 

So in order to get a PhD degree you need to write a PhD thesis. We have written articles on PhD thesis and how to write it. You can read it here: 

How to write a PhD thesis?

• 1 6 proven tips to write a thesis for PhD 

A research paper: 

During the entire tenure of your PhD, as a PhD candidate publishing a single research paper is mandatory. Although, some universities want two publications viz a research paper and a review paper to submit a final thesis. 

We can say, a published research paper is a criteria to submit a PhD thesis. 

These are the major rules, we can say key rules that must be followed by a PhD candidate, if he or she fails, they may not get a degree or their admission may be terminated in between. 

Besides these major rules and regulations, he or she also has to follow some others rules as well. 

A PhD candidate should not be involved in any criminal activity, in the meantime. 

He or she has to follow all the orders given by their supervisor. 

They have to fulfil all the requirements of college or university and behave as per college’s own rules. For instance, if a college decides a dress code for students, all the candidate has to follow it. 

They should have to take part in college and university activities like youth festivals, cultural events and other co-curriculums. 

They have to do academic work as well if ordered by college or supervisor such as taking lectures, exam supervision, checking exam papers, preparing marksheets and other office work of college. 

Now coming to the second part of this article, Is a PhD candidate and a PhD student are different? If yes, then what are the differences between PhD candidate and PhD student. 

Related article: Grammarly your PhD writing assistant.

PhD candidate vs PhD student

A student is called as a candidate when he or she has completed all the requirements for the degree. 

So you can call yourself a phD candidate if you have completed all the requirements for your degree. 

Usually, a person who has completed a PhD examination/ entrance exam or selected for a PhD during a mock test is known as a PhD student. Till, he or she is not allowed to do PhD research and henceforth, their admission may get canceled, unless they fulfil other requirements. 

Contrary, once a PhD student completes the course work, which is mandatory for first year, they may be considered as PhD candidate, now they can continue their original research work. 

To be a PhD candidate, a PhD student has to first submit all the documents, approve their proposal and complete course work. 

Notably, different universities have different explanations for PhD candidates and PhD students. Some also consider both similar. 

Simply put, as a PhD student you have to be prepared to be a PhD candidate. 

Responsibilities of a PhD candidate: 

PhD candidates are either enrolled by fellowship or direct, in any case they have to take some responsibilities in their organisation. 

Now they are allowed to do extensive research thus they have to take care of all the instruments, utilities and other properties of the university they are using. 

They have to do other academic stuff as well, allotted by their guide. Like paper work, lectures, examination and routine college works. 

They have to visit other colleges, seminars, symposiums as per their PhD guide’s instructions. 

In addition to all these, though their project or work is funded, they have to manage their funds or sometimes have to utilize it in other candidates’ works if their supervisor instructs them. 

Also they have to develop a sense of responsibilities to share things with other colleagues. 

In some cases, the university may order you to travel to some other places, in those cases, you have to obey the orders given by the university and your supervisor. 

You are a PhD candidate, not a regular student, you have to be a little flexible to get a PhD degree. That is the reason we are calling it as a toughest one to achieve. 

Conclusion: 

A PhD degree is most versatile once, one has to be responsible. If you are a part-time student that doesn’t mean you may escape. Both regular, as well as part-time candidates, have to follow rules of university and college. 

The rules for online PhD-candidate may different, though. Read rules and regulations of university carefully before enrolling into PhD.  

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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• PhD rules and regulations

Legislation and rules governing the PhD programme

Rules and regulations at ucph and sund.

For more detailed information regarding the PhD study, e.g. how to apply for enrolment, sign up for courses, planning the PhD project, please browse our website.

Latest update: January 2024

Additional legislation and rules

• The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme, 2013 - English    Danish
• The University Act, 2019 - Danish
• The AC collective agreement - Danish
• PhDs teaching obligations at SUND, 2015 - English    Danish
• Danish Act on Research Misconduct -  Danish

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DHS Announces Proposed Rule and Other Measures to Enhance Security, Streamline Asylum Processing

WASHINGTON – As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s continued efforts to enhance the security of our border and deliver more timely consequences for those encountered who do not have a legal basis to remain in the United States, today the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would allow statutory bars to asylum to be applied much earlier in the process. Even though the number of migrants who are subject to these bars is small, this rule would enable DHS to more quickly remove those who are subject to the bars and pose a risk to our national security or public safety.

Federal law bars individuals who pose a national security or public safety risk from asylum and withholding of removal, specifically those who have been convicted of a particularly serious crime, participated in the persecution of others, are inadmissible on national security or terrorism-related grounds, or for whom there are reasonable grounds to deem them a danger to the security of the United States. While anyone who is deemed to pose a public safety threat is taken into custody, the asylum eligibility determination is not currently made until later in the process – at the merits adjudication stage of the asylum and withholding of removal claims. Today’s proposed rule would permit Asylum Officers to consider these bars to asylum and withholding of removal during initial credible fear screening, which happens just days after an individual is encountered. This will allow DHS to expeditiously remove individuals who pose a threat to the United States much sooner than is currently the case, better safeguarding the security of our border and our country.

“The proposed rule we have published today is yet another step in our ongoing efforts to ensure the safety of the American public by more quickly identifying and removing those individuals who present a security risk and have no legal basis to remain here,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas . “We will continue to take action, but fundamentally it is only Congress that can fix what everyone agrees is a broken immigration system.”

Noncitizens who present a national security or public safety risk remain in DHS custody while their cases are referred for full immigration hearings before an immigration judge, a process that can take years and is resource intensive. The proposed rule would allow Asylum Officers to issue denial of claims within days after an individual is encountered when there is evidence that the individual is barred from asylum because of a terrorism, national security, or criminal bar, thereby significantly shortening the overall time between encounter and removal from the United States.

In addition to this proposed rule and in close coordination with vetting and law enforcement partners, DHS is updating its policy and procedures regarding the use of classified information in immigration proceedings. This updated guidance clarifies the circumstances in which classified information should be used in immigration proceedings. Consistent with longstanding practice, DHS will continue to screen and vet individuals prior to their entry to the United States to identify national security or public safety threats and take appropriate action.

The Department also continues enforcing the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways (CLP) rule. This rule incentivizes the use of orderly processes and imposes swifter consequences for those without a legal basis to remain in the United States. Today, USCIS issued revised guidance to Asylum Officers to consider whether an asylum seeker could reasonably relocate to another part of the country of feared persecution when assessing claims of future persecution in all credible fear cases. Internal relocation has always been a part of an analysis of future claims of harm, and this new guidance, consistent with the CLP rule, will ensure early identification and removal of individuals who would ultimately be found ineligible for protection because of their ability to remain safe by relocating elsewhere in the country from which they fled.

The Biden-Harris Administration has already taken numerous actions to address migration challenges in the region and at our border, while overseeing a historic expansion of lawful pathways. These efforts, with partner countries in the region and across the world, have made a significant impact. From May 12, 2023 through May 1, 2024, DHS has removed or returned more than 720,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the Southwest Border, including more than 109,000 individual family members. That includes removals to 170 countries around the world. Total removals and returns since mid-May 2023 exceed removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2011. DHS has also significantly expanded the capacity to conduct the credible fear interviews needed to ultimately remove those without a legal basis to stay in the United States.

The Administration again calls on Congress to pass needed reforms and provide DHS the resources and tools it needs to fully implement expedited processing of all individuals encountered at the border. The public is invited to submit comments on the NPRM during the 30-day public comment period from May 13, 2024 to June 12, 2024.

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Biden is tweaking an asylum rule to speed up deportation for some migrants

Deepa Shivaram

In this file photo, migrants board a plane in Harlingen, Texas, on October 18, 2023 for deportation to Venezuela. Veronica G. Cardenas/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

In this file photo, migrants board a plane in Harlingen, Texas, on October 18, 2023 for deportation to Venezuela.

The Biden administration on Thursday is set to propose a change to asylum rules that could fast-track deportations for some migrants.

It's an incremental shift on one of the biggest issues for voters looking ahead to the presidential election in November. Polls show voters are concerned about large number of migrants and disapprove of the way President Biden has handled the issue.

We, The Voters

Is it easy for migrants to enter the u.s. we went to the border to find out.

The incremental change would apply to people viewed as unlikely to be eligible for asylum because they pose national security risks. The proposal would mean they could be deported at an earlier stage of the review process, which sometimes takes years.

The news, first reported by Axios and Politico, was confirmed by a source familiar with the rule, who spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the change being published on Thursday. The proposal still needs to go through a formal comment period and it will take some time for it to be finalized.

The White House has been considering its options for executive actions since Republicans in Congress backed away from a Senate compromise earlier this year on legislation that would have empowered the administration to turn away migrants seeking asylum when certain thresholds were reached.

Biden is looking at options for the border. But he's running into legal issues

Biden had said the legislation would have given him the ability to "shut down the border" and block new asylum claims when the number of migrants outpace the ability of border officials to process them.

There have been some media reports suggesting that Biden may try to implement that measure on his own through an executive order.

But this particular executive action does not go that far – and does not expand or change the rules for who is barred from asylum.

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A new rule aims to speed up the removal of a limited group of migrants who don’t qualify for asylum

FILE - Migrants listen to a volunteer in a parking lot after being detained and processed for asylum by U.S. authorities, April 12, 2024, in San Diego. A new Biden administration rule aims to speed up asylum processing at the southern border, enabling it to quickly reject a limited group of people believed to have committed serious crimes or who have terrorist links. The change announced May 9 comes during an election year when immigration is a key issue. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

A migrant adjusts his headwear at a parking lot after being detained and processed for asylum by U.S authorities Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A new Biden administration rule announced Thursday aims to speed up asylum processing at the southern border for a limited group of people believed to have committed serious crimes or who have terrorist links and ultimately more quickly eject them from the country.

The change comes as the administration has been struggling to demonstrate to voters during an election where immigration is a key issue that it has a handle on the southern border. Republicans have consistently slammed the Biden administration over policies that they say have worsened problems at the southern border.

In a statement announcing the changes, the Department of Homeland Security said migrants who are deemed to pose a public threat are taken into custody but a determination on whether they’re eligible for asylum isn’t made until later in the asylum process. Under the proposed rule, asylum officers hearing cases at an initial screening stage called credible fear screening — that’s intended to happen just days after a person arrives in the country will now be able to consider that criminal history or terrorist links when deciding whether someone should ultimately be removed from the country.

“This will allow DHS to expeditiously remove individuals who pose a threat to the United States much sooner than is currently the case, better safeguarding the security of our border and our country,” the department said in the statement.

Under current law, certain mandatory bars make people ineligible for asylum, for example, if you’ve been convicted of a particularly serious crime. But those usually come into play when an immigration judge is making a final determination on whether someone gets asylum and that process can take years. Migrants are usually detained during this time, the department said.

When the rule is in place asylum officers can consider evidence of terrorism links for example and use that as a basis for a denial.

The agency gave no figures on how many people would be affected but said it was small.

Republicans immediately criticized the changes as too little. In a statement, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, a Republican from Tennessee called it an “unserious, politically motivated attempt to address a significant problem the Biden administration itself created.”

Separately from the rule announced Thursday, the administration is weighing larger executive action to crack down on immigration at the border. But the timing on when that might be announced depends in large part on whether the number of illegal border crossings increases. After hitting a record high in December, they have decreased in recent months in large part due to Mexican government enforcement.

Under U.S. and international law, anyone who comes to the U.S. can ask for asylum. People from all over the world travel to the U.S-Mexico border to seek that protection. To be granted asylum they must prove persecution or fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

It’s a high bar and the majority of people who apply for asylum ultimately don’t qualify. But the process can take years in overloaded immigration courts.

Critics have questioned whether the asylum system should be fundamentally changed to make it more restrictive while others say the U.S. has a moral obligation to protect people fleeing for their lives.

Last year the administration announced another rule aimed at restricting the asylum process but in much more expansive ways than the one announced Thursday. That rule made it extremely difficult for migrants who come directly to the southern border to get asylum unless they use a government app to make an appointment or they have already tried to seek protection in a country they passed through on their way to the U.S.

Opponents said it’s essentially a rehash of similar efforts by former President Donald Trump and sued. The Biden administration says there are substantial differences between their rule and what Trump tried. That Biden rule is still in place while the issue plays out in court.

Generally, immigration advocates have been hesitant of any steps that would seek to make the initial, credible fear screening harder. They say that migrants are often doing these interviews immediately after surviving life-threatening perilous trips to the U.S. and that these initial credible fear screenings are designed to have a lower bar than final asylum determinations so that people aren’t wrongfully removed.

Gregory Chen, the director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said the rules barring people with criminal or terrorist backgrounds from asylum are important to protect the country. But his concern is that these changes will speed up what is already a “highly complex” legal analysis.

“At that early stage, few asylum seekers will have the opportunity to seek legal counsel or time to understand the consequences,” he said. “Under the current process they have more time to seek legal advice, to prepare their case, and to appeal it or seek an exemption.”

The new rule goes into effect after a 30-day comment period.

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For Mormon Missionaries, Some ‘Big, Big Changes’

The church has loosened its strict rules for those evangelizing. And many members of Gen-Z are loving it.

Andres Gonzalez stands in front of a statue of Jesus Christ in Los Angeles as another missionary, Alec Crawley, films him for a video for social media. Credit... Isadora Kosofsky for The New York Times

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By Lauren Jackson

Lauren attended church in London, Los Angeles and Paris and spoke with current and former missionaries to report this story.

• May 10, 2024

Andres Gonzalez, 19, stands on the balcony of his Los Angeles apartment, his hands in his suit pockets. It is his first week as a missionary, but today, instead of approaching people on the street, he is shooting a video that he will later post to social media.

After about a dozen takes, he is successful. “Hello! If you would like to learn more about Jesus Christ,” he says to the camera in Spanish, “contact me.”

Mr. Gonzalez is the image of the modern missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has changed many of its practices — from how missionaries preach to how they dress.

The faith, long known for sending tens of thousands of neatly and formally dressed young people across the globe each year to preach door to door, is encouraging new missionaries to spread the gospel on social media and, for some, with acts of community service closer to home.

As a church leader, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, put it, missionaries should feel comfortable sharing their faith in “ normal and natural ways .”

In the last few years, the church has also changed some rules for missionaries themselves — loosening restrictions on dress codes ( women can wear pants ) and how often they can call family members back home ( once a week , not just on Christmas and Mother’s Day).

To outsiders, the adjustments may seem small. But to missionaries who adhere to strict rules while on assignment, the shifts are dramatic.

“We’ve seen a lot of big, big changes,” Jensen Diederich, 23, said. He served his mission in Peru and said it was “monumental” when the church allowed him to call home weekly, instead of just twice a year.

The church believes missionary work is essential for the world’s salvation — that people must be baptized in the faith to get to the highest level of heaven after they die. Missionary work also helps increase the church’s membership, and it deepens many young members’ faith. Many missionaries begin their assignments just after they leave home. Instead of partying on a college campus, they commit themselves to the religion and develop habits that can last a lifetime.

One of those members was Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, who was a missionary in France in the 1960s. He has said the isolation of his mission allowed him to examine his faith without distraction . When asked about the changes, he said, “For young people of my generation, I think the separation from family and friends served us well.”

But he understands times have changed. “With today’s youth in near constant contact with one another, maintaining greater connection during a mission fits their life experience,” he added.

Many young church members say the new rules have made missionary service more attractive and realistic.

Kate Kennington, a 19-year-old with a mission assignment to London, said finding people online and messaging them is a more successful way of approaching potential converts. “It’s how I would want to be contacted,” she said.

“Knocking on doors and approaching people on the street are no longer seen as useful as they once were because of shifts in American culture,” said Matthew Bowman, a professor of religion and history at Claremont Graduate University who holds the chair of Mormon studies. He is also a church member.

For decades, missionaries’ clean-cut suits were signs of prosperity, Mr. Bowman said, and an effective way of appealing to converts. But they now feel “outdated.”

Many of the changes, especially the push to evangelize on social media, were fueled by the pandemic, which shut down in-person church gatherings and forced Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses to find alternatives to door-to-door preaching.

The missionaries use their phones to film videos of themselves promoting the church or sharing messages of faith. In one video , a missionary raps about his faith. In another , two missionaries throw a football and a Frisbee through an obstacle course in a church gym — an object lesson meant to visualize how Jesus Christ can help people overcome challenges.

So far, the changes appear to be working: In the last three years, as pandemic restrictions lifted and young members responded to an appeal from the church’s top leader for them to serve, the number of full-time proselytizing missionaries has risen by around 25 percent , according to church data. At the end of last year, the church had about 72,000 full-time missionaries serving around the world.

The church has just under 17.3 million members globally but has seen growth slow. From 1988 to 1989, during a surge in growth when the church expanded into West Africa , the church grew by about 9 percent . Last year, the church grew by about 1.5 percent .

A tradition of travel

Missionary work is a rite of passage for Latter-day Saints — and has been since the church’s founding in 1830.

The church’s missionaries have traveled the world, growing their faith from a fledgling start-up in upstate New York to a global religion that brings in billions of dollars in revenue .

Church leaders say it is men’s responsibility to become missionaries for two years starting at age 18. Missionary work is optional for women, who serve for 18 months. The church has historically encouraged women to focus on marriage and motherhood. But since 2012, when the church lowered the age women could become missionaries to 19 from 21, more women have been going .

Missionaries leave their families and friends, learn new languages and spend the first years of their adulthood spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

While on a mission, they cannot date and must follow the religion’s ban on premarital sex, drinking, smoking, coffee and caffeinated tea. Communication with friends and family back home is restricted. They commit to stay focused on their work, and their proximity to their missionary partner creates a sense of accountability that keeps most from breaking the rules.

Until recently, the experience of young missionaries was similar to that of their parents. They first attended a missionary training center — a religious boot camp of sorts — before then traveling to their missions.

Most missionaries now start their training online at home , where the transition is less jarring. They can adapt to a mission schedule with their family’s support. Being home is also an opportunity for new missionaries to evangelize in their community.

“I’ve had friends who aren’t members of the church,” Tanner Bird, a 19-year-old missionary in Brazil who did part of his training at home in Houston. “And I just get super, super excited and talk to them about the gospel.”

Once deployed, men in some areas are allowed to wear blue shirts and go without ties , while women can wear wrinkle-resistant dress pants in “conservative colors.” Most missionaries now have smartphones and call their families weekly.

Some traditions remain: Young missionaries still do not get to pick their destinations. Many teenagers throw parties to open their assignments, reading their “call letter” aloud for the first time in front of family and friends. Others film elaborate announcement videos — including on ice skates . Some serve close to home (there are 10 missions in Utah). Others go as far as Tahiti or Tokyo.

Mr. Gonzalez, the missionary in Los Angeles, said he first imagined going on a mission when he was a child in Venezuela. His parents, who converted to the faith, often had young missionaries over for meals. After the church helped the family settle in Utah, he said serving as a missionary was part of his “American dream.”

Every morning, he wakes up at 6:30 a.m., the set time for many missionaries, with his “companion,” an assigned missionary partner. They are mandated to “never be alone,” with few exceptions, and each day follow a missionary schedule .

On Facebook, they contact people they have met, including those they have approached on the street in downtown Los Angeles. They also search groups for people who may be open to their message and post videos to generate interest in their faith. They keep track of potential converts’ progress, including lessons they teach. Every Monday, Mr. Gonzalez calls his parents.

Calls are also an opportunity for him to receive support. “It’s a little bit hard,” Mr. Gonzalez said of his mission work, describing people in downtown Los Angeles as “busy.” Still, he remains hopeful: “Some of them, they really are ready. They make time, even just like five minutes.”

The missionary experience is not for everyone. Some people feel isolated, find it difficult to adapt to a location, or struggle with the rules or the pressure to keep their commitment. Some people do leave early; the church does not comment on those who do.

Alex McAlpin, a 23-year-old who went on a mission to Denver, almost did not put in a missionary application. Before her mission, she attended Pepperdine University, where she wrestled with some aspects of church doctrine and history.

Then the church made its dress code change, allowing women to wear pants in 2018.

“That was the first day of my life that I thought maybe I would go” on a mission, Ms. McAlpin said. She saw the new dress code and the church’s other mission changes as a sign the church was evolving and listening to its younger members, many of whom hope their church will modernize in larger ways. “I wanted to be a part of the change.”

Lauren Jackson is an associate editor and writer for The Morning , The Times’s flagship daily newsletter. More about Lauren Jackson

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