New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has reversed its decision to require a Ph.D. for assistant professors in higher education institutions; the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) will continue to be used for entry-level positions. 


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The recruitment standards for entry-level positions at universities and colleges were defined by the commission in 2018. At the time, it requested that all universities begin using the Ph.D. criterion for recruitment in July 2021. Faculty from many universities criticized the move, claiming that many candidates were unable to complete their PhDs because of the Covid-19 outbreak and urging the national government to lower the eligibility requirements.


The commission said in October 2021 that it would postpone implementation of the criterion for another two years, until July 2023. However, it has since been abandoned.


"Ph.D. qualification for appointment as an assistant professor would continue to be optional. The National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET) and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) will be the minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the post of assistant professor for all higher education institutions," tweeted UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar.


The commission amended the UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018, and deleted the Ph.D. requirement clause, according to a notification dated June 30 and released on Wednesday.