Candidates registered for MPhil or PhD before July 2009 will be exempted from NET

New Delhi: The UGC has decided that candidates who have registered for M Phil or PhDs prior to July 11, 2009, will be exempted from clearing NET exam to become eligible for the post of assistant professor if they fulfill certain other conditions.

The move would help thousands of PhD holders who had been affected by a UGC guideline that came in 2009 making NET and PhD a minimum eligibility criteria for applying for assistant professor in colleges and universities.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani said that this decision will help in recruitments for various posts.

According to the UGC decision, candidates registered for M Phil and PhD prior to July 11, 2009 shall be exempted from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET or State Level Eligibility Tests for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professor if they fulfil some other conditions.

Among the conditions laid down is that their PhD degrees should be awarded in regular mode only and the evaluation of the thesis should be done by at least two external examiners.

Other conditions include that open PhD viva voice of the candidate had been conducted and there should be two research publications from his or her PhD work. The candidate should also have made at least two presentations in conferences or seminars.

These accomplishments are to be certified by the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dean (Academic Affairs) or Dean (University Instructions).

UGC chairman Ved Prakash said that while there is a shortage of faculty in institutions of higher education, this move will help in allowing many candidates apply for teaching positions.

At the interaction here, Irani also said that by next week, the matter related to Academic Performance Indicator (API) scores, on the basis of which teachers are granted promotions, will be brought forth in public.

The HRD minister, however, added that she feels that the promotion of a teacher should be conjoined with the performance of the class.

On a question related to NIT Srinagar, Irani said that her ministry's officers will stay there till exams are conducted. Those who wanted postponement will also be facilitated, she said.

Asked about the decision to fly national flag prominently at University Campuses, Irani said it was VCs who at a conference had passed this resolution.