  High energy $\gamma$-ray spectra measured by our group involving the compound
nuclei (CN) $^{63}$Cu at excitation energy ($E^*$) $\sim$ 36 MeV with average
angular momentum ($J$) = 12 - 17 $\hbar$, $^{97}$Tc at $E^* \sim$ 29 - 50 MeV
with $J$ = 12 - 14 $\hbar$, $^{113}$Sb at $E^*$ = 109 MeV and 121 MeV with $J$
= 49 - 59 $\hbar$ and $^{201}$Tl at $E^*$ = 39.5, 47.5 MeV with $J$ = 18 - 24
$\hbar$ have been analyzed utilizing the level density prescriptions of
(i)Ignatyuk, Smirenkin and Tishin (IST), (ii)Budtz-Jorgensen and Knitter (BJK),
and (iii) Kataria, Ramamurthy and Kapoor (KRK). These three prescriptions have
been tested for correct statistical model description of high energy
$\gamma$-rays in the light of extracting the giant dipole resonance (GDR)
parameters at low excitation energy and spin where shell effects might play an
important role as well as at high excitation energy where shell effects have
melted. Interestingly, only the IST level density prescription could explain
the high energy $\gamma$-ray spectra with reasonable GDR parameters for all the
four nuclei.
