For years, graduates of the University of Delhi’s Master of Operational Research (MOR) programme have found themselves caught in a technical bind — holding a degree that, despite its academic rigour and industry relevance, was not in the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) approved degrees list. Now, the univister is mulling renaming the programme, The Indian Express has learnt.
The Department of Operational Research, said sources, has formally proposed that the “Existing Nomenclature: Master of Operational Research” be revised to “MSc (Operational Research)” under the Faculty of Mathematical Science, a title already recognised by the UGC.
The issue is particularly striking given the legacy of the programme, which was launched in 1963. At the time, the students — following completion of the programme — were given an MSc degree. However, after 2019, the current title was adopted even as it was not in the approved degrees’ list as notified by the UGC vide Gazette Notification of 2014.
The transition happened with the adoption of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), under which the programme was revised and renamed. The updated syllabus and title were approved by the Academic Council and Executive Council in July 2019.
The department, The Indian Express has learnt, had recently written to the university, seeking intervention after graduates began encountering hurdles tied directly to the degree’s name. It noted that students who had completed the programme “are facing difficulties in pursuing their future academic and professional endeavours,” owing to the absence of the degree title in the UGC’s official list.
“The nomenclature was changed a few years ago, but there were technical issues. It was not part of the UGC’s approved list of degrees. Students also flagged that they were facing difficulties in job applications, especially in government exams and organisations that specifically require an MSc degree,” said Kishor Kumar Aggarwal, Head of the Department of Operational Research.
“In view of these concerns, the department has proposed reverting to the earlier nomenclature of M.Sc. (Operational Research), which had been in place for nearly four decades before it was changed in 2019,” he added.
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The department has also requested retrospective relief. It has urged that “all degrees awarded under the nomenclature ‘Master of Operational Research’ be declared equivalent to MSc (Operational Research) for all academic and professional purposes”
— a move that would safeguard the interests of students.
The proposal to change the name has already moved through several layers of approval — from the Departmental Council to the Committee of Courses, and through the Dean of the Faculty of Mathematical Sciences, before being cleared by the competent authority on January 2, 2026. It will be placed at the Academic Council — the university’s apex decision-making body — next week.
Crucially, the department has clarified that “this change only pertains to the nomenclature with no modification in the curriculum, duration and eligibility conditions of the programme.”
The significance of such a change is also reflected in how the degree is perceived beyond DU.
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A faculty member from IIT Bombay’s Department of Industrial Engineering and Operational Research, who has been working in the field for over two decades, said, “Many openings for jobs or further research would require either an MTech or an MSc, most institutes would not appreciate the value of an Operational Research course without an MSc tag. At IIT Bombay, we have been running the Operational Research course since 2009 and it has always been offered under an MSc. So this change would definitely have an impact on the opportunities students might get going forward.”
The programme at DU follows a two-year, four-semester structure designed to build strong theoretical foundations before moving into specialisation and application. In the first year, the curriculum focuses on core analytical subjects such as linear programming, and inventory management. The second year shifts towards advanced and applied learning, with courses in mathematical programming, reliability, and software engineering, among others. A key component is the final-semester industrial project, where students work with companies to solve real operational problems.
As described on the university’s website, the programme “prepares students from different backgrounds for rewarding careers as operational research analysts, data scientists and consultants.” It offers “a unique blend of technical courses, practical consulting skills and real world problem solving experience,” it states. Central to this design is hands-on industry engagement: “The cornerstone of the programme is the Industrial Project where every student is matched with an industry partner to consult on a significant operational issue faced by the company.”
