On April 22, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) announced a significant policy shift that would enable graduates of four-year undergraduate programs to pursue a PhD program straight and be eligible for the National Eligibility Test (NET).
Key Points of the Policy:
Eligibility for PhD and NET:
Students with four-year undergraduate degrees can now pursue a PhD and take the NET. This differs from the prerequisite of having a master’s degree, with a minimum of 55% of the possible points.
Minimum Grade Requirement:
To be eligible, students must have completed their four-year undergraduate program with at least 75% of the possible points or an equivalent grade. This applies to both PhD candidates with and without a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF).
Flexible Subject Selection:
The new policy enables candidates to pursue a PhD or take the NET in any subject, regardless of the discipline of their undergraduate degree.
Grading System Compliance:
UGC lays out the comparable grade requirements for eligibility for applicants from schools that use grading systems.
Relaxations for Reserved Categories:
For SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), differently abled, economically poorer sections, and other qualified categories, a relaxation of 5% of marks or its equivalent grade is offered.
UGC Discretion on Eligibility:
UGC maintains the right to modify the standards for different candidate categories in light of evolving circumstances.
This policy change is expected to broaden the options for students seeking advanced research opportunities and streamline the path to academic and research-related professions.
