PhD not mandatory for Assistant Professors starting July

On Wednesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) made a significant announcement stating that obtaining a PhD will no longer be mandatory for aspiring Assistant Professors. Instead, the UGC has established the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) as the minimum requirements for direct recruitment to the position of Assistant Professor.

UGC Chairman Prof M Jagadesh Kumar took to Twitter to convey the news, revealing that starting from July 1, 2023, the possession of a PhD will be an optional qualification for individuals seeking appointment as an Assistant Professor.

Meanwhile, officials have stated that the final results of the UGC-NET exams will be announced in the second week of August. The said exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency in a Computer Based Test mode, determines the eligibility of candidates for the positions of ‘Assistant Professor’ and ‘Junior Research Fellowship and Assistant Professor’ in Indian universities and colleges.

It is worth noting that the UGC-NET exams take place twice a year, with one session held in December and another in June.