NET not compulsory for PhD

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has amended two sets of its regulation. It has relaxed the minimum eligibility norms (NET) for the appointment of assistant professors and has granted more time for women and differently-abled scholars to complete their Ph.D and M.Phil degrees.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani announced these two new amendments in a press conference on  April 12. The idea behind these amendments is to grant lectureship to non-NET students and to promote the entry of more women and differently-abled students into the field of research.

NET not compulsory
Till now, according to the 2009 regulations, a candidates would have required at least a post-graduate or an MPhil degree along with a cleared NET or SET (State-level eligibility test) as minimum eligibility for appointment in colleges and universities as teachers and lecturers. But now, those who have completed a Ph.D or registered for a Ph.D before 2009 would be eligible for lectureship without clearing the NET, reported by The Huffington Post.

The decision has been taken keeping in mind the creation  of more job opportunities in teaching field.

However, a candidate should adhere to certain conditions to be exempted of NET.  The candidate’s Ph.D degree should be awarded in regular mode and the research thesis should have been evaluated by at least two external examiners. Also, the candidate should have appeared for viva-voce and have published at least two papers based on the Ph.D thesis in research journals.

Ph.D and M.Phil tenure relaxed
The UGC would now allow women and differently-abled students to complete their Ph.D in eight years instead of the present six years and M.Phil in three years instead of two years.

Women candidates will also be provided maternity and child care leave for up to 240 days in the entire duration of their M.Phil or Ph.D degrees, as reported by IndiaTVNews.

In case of relocation of a woman Ph.D or M.Phil scholar due to marriage or otherwise, her research data shall be allowed to be transferred to the university to which the scholar intends to relocate, though subject to certain norms.

The Logical Indian hopes the decisions taken by the UGC and HRD ministry turns out to be good in long run. Now we all have to wait and for the end results of this amendments.