Submitting your RGUHS thesis, RGUHS dissertation, or DNB thesis can feel overwhelming — between formatting rules, portal uploads, guide approvals, and strict deadlines, one small mistake can delay your result. This guide breaks the entire process into simple, actionable steps so you can submit the first time correctly.
Table of Contents
- What Is RGUHS Thesis/Dissertation Submission?
- RGUHS Dissertation Submission: Step-by-Step Process
- DNB Thesis Submission: What's Different
- Formatting Rules Examiners Actually Check
- Common Mistakes That Delay Submission
- Pre-Submission Checklist
- FAQs
1. What Is RGUHS Thesis/Dissertation Submission?
The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) requires postgraduate medical, dental, nursing, and allied health students to submit a research dissertation as part of their degree requirements. This process typically involves institutional approval, plagiarism screening, guide/HOD sign-off, and final upload through the university's official portal, followed by hard-copy submission to the college and university.
Similarly, DNB thesis submission (governed by the National Board of Examinations) follows a parallel but distinct workflow — with its own portal, timelines, and formatting guidelines set by NBE rather than RGUHS.
Because requirements are updated periodically by the university and NBE, always cross-check current circulars on the official RGUHS website and the NBE thesis portal before finalizing your submission. This guide covers the general process framework, not a substitute for the latest official notification.
2. RGUHS Dissertation Submission: Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Topic Registration and Ethics Approval
Your dissertation topic must be registered with RGUHS and cleared by your Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) before data collection begins.
Step 2: Guide and Co-Guide Approval
Your recognized PG guide reviews the protocol, methodology, and progress at each stage — their sign-off is mandatory at both the synopsis and final thesis stage.
Step 3: Plagiarism Check
Most RGUHS-affiliated colleges require a similarity report (commonly via Urkund/Turnitin) with the similarity index kept within the limit specified by your college and university before submission is accepted.
Step 4: Final Compilation
Compile the dissertation following the prescribed chapter order — introduction, aims and objectives, review of literature, materials and methods, results, discussion, summary, conclusion, bibliography, and annexures.
Step 5: Online Upload
Submit the digital copy through the RGUHS online submission portal along with the required declaration forms, guide certificate, and plagiarism report.
Step 6: Hard Copy Submission
Submit the required number of spiral/hard-bound printed copies to your college, which forwards them to the university before the notified deadline.
Step 7: Acknowledgement and Tracking
Keep the acknowledgment receipt/reference number — this is your proof of submission and is needed for future correspondence or status checks.
3. DNB Thesis Submission: What's Different
DNB (Diplomate of National Board) candidates submit their thesis through the NBE's dedicated portal rather than RGUHS. Key differences to note:
- Separate registration: DNB thesis topics are registered and tracked through NBE, independent of any university dissertation you may also be submitting.
- Guide recognition: Your DNB thesis guide must be NBE-recognized, which may differ from your RGUHS-recognized guide.
- Timeline: DNB thesis submission https://thesislikho.com/writing-services/dissertation-writingn deadlines are tied to your DNB exam eligibility cycle, not the university academic calendar — missing this can affect your exam eligibility directly.
- Format: NBE has its own prescribed thesis format guidelines, distinct from RGUHS formatting requirements.
If you're pursuing both a university dissertation and a DNB thesis simultaneously, track both timelines separately to avoid missing either deadline.
4. Formatting Rules Examiners Actually Check
- Font, spacing, and margin specifications as per the current university circular
- Correct chapter sequencing and page numbering
- Properly formatted references (Vancouver style is commonly required for medical dissertations)
- Signed certificates: guide certificate, co-guide certificate (if applicable), institutional certificate, and candidate declaration
- Consistent formatting of tables, figures, and annexures
- Plagiarism/similarity report attached as per prescribed limits
5. Common Mistakes That Delay Submission
- Submitting without the guide's updated signature/certificate
- Missing or outdated ethics committee approval letter
- Similarity index exceeding the permitted threshold.
- Uploading the wrong file format or exceeding file size limits on the portal
- Submitting hard copies without the required number of bound sets
- Missing the submission window, which can push graduation or exam eligibility
6. Pre-Submission Checklist
- Topic registered and ethics-approved
- Guide and co-guide sign-off obtained
- Plagiarism report within permitted limit
- All certificates and declarations signed
- Formatting matches current RGUHS/NBE circular.
- Digital copy uploaded on the correct portal
- Required hard-bound copies submitted to college
- Acknowledgment/reference number saved
7. FAQs
Q1. What is the last date for RGUHS dissertation submission? Deadlines are notified each academic year separately via official RGUHS circulars — always confirm the current date on the university website rather than relying on previous years' dates.
Q2. Can I submit my RGUHS thesis without a plagiarism report? No. A similarity/plagiarism report within the prescribed limit is a mandatory requirement before your college forwards the dissertation to the university.
Q3. Is DNB thesis submission the same as RGUHS dissertation submission? No. They are governed by different bodies (NBE vs. RGUHS) with separate portals, guide-recognition rules, and deadlines, even if you're completing both simultaneously.
Q4. What happens if I miss the thesis submission deadline? Late submission can delay your degree conferral or exam eligibility; some institutions allow late submission with a penalty, but this varies — check with your college/NBE directly.
Q5. How many hard copies of the dissertation are required? This varies by college and course; check your institution's latest submission circular for the exact number of bound copies required.
Need help with formatting, plagiarism reduction, or synopsis structuring for your RGUHS or DNB thesis? Reach out to your department's research cell early — most submission delays come from last-minute formatting fixes, not the research itself.

