Responsibilities of a Co-Guide in Cross-Disciplinary Research

Introduction

Cross-disciplinary research has become increasingly important in India’s PhD ecosystem, as it allows scholars to address complex problems that cannot be confined to one field alone. Whether it is merging law with technology, psychology with education, or engineering with biology, such projects often require expertise from multiple subject areas. In this context, the role of a co-guide becomes crucial. Unlike the primary guide, who has overall responsibility for the scholar’s research, the co-guide adds complementary expertise, offers methodological guidance, and ensures academic rigor across disciplinary boundaries.

This blog unpacks the responsibilities of a co-guide in cross-disciplinary PhDs, with specific attention to UGC regulations and Indian academic practices.

Understanding the Role of a Co-Guide

A co-guide is not a substitute for the main supervisor but a collaborator who contributes specialised knowledge that the primary guide may not possess. In cross-disciplinary research, the co-guide bridges the gap between two or more fields and ensures that the scholar’s work maintains relevance, rigor, and innovation in each domain.

For example, if a scholar is working on artificial intelligence applications in healthcare, the main guide may be from computer science, while the co-guide could be from medical sciences. Each has distinct responsibilities, but the co-guide ensures that domain-specific depth is achieved in the non-primary field.

Key Responsibilities of a Co-Guide

1. Subject-Specific Expertise
   The co-guide provides the disciplinary insights that the primary guide may lack. In cross-disciplinary projects, it is not enough to simply combine knowledge from two areas — it must be done with scholarly precision. The co-guide helps maintain this precision by contributing domain-relevant theories, methods, and practices.
2. Methodological Guidance
   Different disciplines use different research methodologies. Engineering research may focus on experiments and prototypes, while social sciences emphasise surveys and qualitative analysis. The co-guide ensures that the methodology from their discipline is correctly applied, interpreted, and integrated with the overall study.
3. Ethical and Regulatory Oversight
   Certain research areas — especially in medicine, psychology, or law — require ethical clearances and regulatory compliance. The co-guide often helps the scholar navigate these processes. For instance, a psychology co-guide can guide the ethical protocols for human subject testing, while a medical co-guide ensures compliance with clinical research regulations.
4. Balancing Interdisciplinary Relevance
   Cross-disciplinary research can risk becoming either too general or skewed towards one discipline. The co-guide helps maintain balance. They remind the scholar to uphold standards of their field while still integrating insights from the primary domain.
5. Facilitating Resources and Networks
   Often, the co-guide provides access to laboratories, libraries, or professional networks not available to the primary guide. For example, an industry co-guide may connect the scholar with field-level data, or a legal co-guide may provide access to case materials.
6. Assessment and Feedback
   The co-guide plays a formal role in evaluating the quality of research. They provide critical feedback on drafts, methodology, and data interpretation, ensuring that the thesis withstands scrutiny from both disciplinary perspectives. Their feedback helps in preparing the scholar for viva voce examinations and publications.
7. Mentorship Beyond Discipline
   In many cases, the co-guide also plays a pastoral role, helping the scholar manage the intellectual challenges of bridging two disciplines. This includes guidance on career pathways, publication strategies, and collaborative opportunities beyond the PhD.

UGC and Institutional Regulations

The University Grants Commission (UGC) allows and even encourages co-guides in interdisciplinary research. However, certain guidelines must be followed:

• Eligibility: Both the main guide and co-guide must meet UGC’s minimum requirements for being a PhD supervisor (usually a PhD degree and a record of research publications).
• Institutional Approval: The appointment of a co-guide requires approval from the Research Advisory Committee (RAC) or the Doctoral Committee of the university.
• Cross-Institutional Co-Guides: UGC permits co-guides from outside the scholar’s university if expertise is not available internally. This is particularly important in specialised or emerging research areas.

Benefits of Having a Co-Guide in Cross-Disciplinary Research

• Enhanced Quality of Research: By incorporating insights from two disciplines, the thesis becomes more robust and impactful.
• Wider Career Opportunities: Scholars trained under co-guides often develop a broader academic and professional profile.
• Collaborative Networks: Co-guides often open doors to collaborations, conferences, and co-authored publications across fields.
• Reduced Burden on the Primary Guide: Complex projects can overwhelm a single supervisor; co-guides share the responsibility and bring in much-needed expertise.

Challenges and Limitations

While co-guides are indispensable in cross-disciplinary work, certain challenges must be acknowledged:

• Coordination Issues: Differences in disciplinary perspectives may lead to disagreements between the main guide and co-guide.
• Workload on the Scholar: Managing expectations from two supervisors can be demanding for a student.
• Recognition and Credit: In some institutions, disputes arise about how much credit the co-guide should receive compared to the main guide.

Despite these challenges, clear communication and institutional policies can help maintain harmony in the supervision process.

Indian Case Examples

1. Engineering and Management: A scholar exploring supply chain optimization through IoT may have a computer science guide and a management co-guide.
2. Law and Technology: In cyber law research, the main guide might be from law, with a co-guide from computer science.
3. Medicine and AI: AI-driven diagnostics require guidance from both a computer science guide and a medical co-guide for validation of results.

These examples highlight how co-guides are essential for making cross-disciplinary research credible and practically useful.

Conclusion

The responsibilities of a co-guide in cross-disciplinary research go beyond academic formality. They ensure disciplinary depth, ethical compliance, methodological rigor, and practical relevance. In India’s growing research landscape, where interdisciplinary and industry-linked projects are gaining ground, the co-guide is not merely an additional supervisor but a crucial pillar of scholarly support.

For PhD scholars, understanding the co-guide’s role helps in making the most of their mentorship, while for institutions, recognising co-guides ensures that research output aligns with both UGC standards and global academic expectations.