NEW DELHI: From 2024-25, academic session scores from the National Eligibility Test (NET) will be used for PhD admissions, announced the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman, Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar.
This step will help replace the need for separate entrance tests conducted by individual universities and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
“This marks an important step in streamlining the admissions process and enhancing accessibility for aspiring doctoral candidates,” he told TNIE.
By leveraging the NET, which is conducted biannually by the National Testing Agency (NTA), universities can offer greater flexibility to students, allowing them to utilise their scores from either session to apply for Ph.D programs across various institutions, he added.
This initiative is poised to benefit students in numerous ways, he said.
It will eliminate the need for students to prepare and appear for multiple entrance tests conducted by different universities, thus reducing the burden of exam logistics and expenses.
Additionally, the biannual administration of the NET provides students with increased opportunities to secure admission to their desired Ph.D programs.
“We strongly encourage all universities to adopt NET exam scores for PhD admissions starting from the 2024-2025 academic session,” Prof Kumar said.
“This will undoubtedly contribute to fostering a more conducive environment for academic pursuit and scholarly advancement in our nation,” he added.
In a public notice posted on Wednesday night, UGC said that currently, the NET scores are used to award Junior Research Fellowship (JRI) and as eligibility for appointment as Assistant Professor for those with a Master's degree. NET is conducted twice a year, in June and December.
“To help the students with one national entrance test for Ph.D admissions as a part of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the UGC constituted an expert committee to review the provisions of the National Eligibility Test (NET),” the notice said.
Based on the expert committee’s recommendations in its 578th meeting held on March 13, 2024, the UGC has decided that from the academic session 2024-25, the NET score can be used for admission to Ph.D programmes in place of entrance tests conducted by the different universities/HEIs (Higher Education Institutions), it said.
It further said that from June 2024 onwards, the NET candidates will be declared eligible in three categories: Category 1: Eligible for (i) admission to PhD with JRF and (ii) appointment as Assistant Professor.
Category 2: Eligible for (i) admission to PhD without JRF and (ii) appointment as Assistant Professor.
Category 3: Eligible for admission to PhD programme only and not for the award of JRF or appointment as Assistant Professor.
The notice further said that the result of UGC NET would be declared in percentile along with the marks obtained by a candidate to utilise the marks for admission to PhD.
The JRF-qualified students are admitted into the Ph.D programme based on an interview as per the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022.
For students who qualify in Categories 2 and 3, 70% weightage will be given for test scores and 30% for the interview for admission to Ph.D programmes. The Ph.D admission will be based on the combined merit of NET marks and the marks obtained in the interview/viva voce.
The marks obtained in the NET by the candidates in Categories 2 and 3 will be valid for one year for admission to Ph.D.
The registration process for UGC NET June 2024 is expected to begin next week.