PhD not mandatory to teach in Central Universities

In a major move, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) will not be mandatory for the appointment of candidates to the post of assistant professors in Central Universities. UGC is planning to create special positions, Professors of Practice and Associate Professor of Practice, to allow people with hands-on experience and industry work to come and share their knowledge with students.

These positions can be either permanent or temporary depending on the experts’ and institutions’ requirements. Currently, there is no provision for colleges and universities to employ industry experts, who don’t have a PhD or a NET qualification. Under the UGC minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academic staff, one needs a PhD to get recruited as a professor or associate professor.