vadodara the future of scores of scholars is hanging in balance as the ms university is yet to start preparations for conducting phd entrance test pet for this academic year pet is conducted as a qualifying test for admission in phd programmes held across various departments of the university but after the tenure of the last pet coordinator ended the university has simply not appointed another coordinator who can kick start the process to conducting pet on time turning students of masters programme anxious the university had conducted 11th pet in offline model after a long gap in august last year the 11th pet had registered 83 attendance as 965 out of total 1151 candidates had appeared for pet that was conducted in 44 subjects the varsity had conducted its last pet in october 2020 in the online mode however the situation is now turning alarming for candidates who wish to pursue phd programmes sources said that of nearly 600 candidates who had qualified after clearing the 11th pet only 100 of them have got enrolled in phd programmes in different departments of the university scarcity of phd guides is said to be the reason behind the dwindling ratio of phd enrolled students as most of the professors who are registered as phd guides have their hands full a professor can guide enroll eight phd students under him at the same time msu has not cleared the way for appointment of more teachers as phd guides with senior professors attaining superannuation and hurdles in recruitment process the pool of phd guides has also decreased in the varsity the number of phd students and thrust of institutes towards research is an important criteria when the university undergoes accreditation cycle from the national assessment and accreditation council naac but it seems in the last two years no concentrated efforts are being made to improve the scenario said a teacher