UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar announced significant changes to the eligibility criteria for the National Eligibility Test (NET) and PhD pursuit. Effective immediately, students with four-year undergraduate degrees are now eligible to directly sit for the NET, according to a statement released by the UGC.
This adjustment allows students with four-year undergraduate degrees to pursue a PhD in any subject, regardless of the discipline of their bachelor’s course. Moreover, candidates with an impressive academic record of 75% aggregate marks or equivalent grades can now directly seek admission to PhD programs, expanding opportunities for academic advancement.
“The candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly pursue PhD and appear for NET. Such candidates are allowed to appear in a subject in which they want to pursue a PhD irrespective of the discipline in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor’s degree,” Kumar told PTI.
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“The candidates having passed a four-year or eight-semester bachelor’s degree programme should have a minimum of 75 pc marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed,” the UGC chairman said.
These revisions mark a significant shift in the eligibility requirements for NET and PhD programs, aimed at providing greater opportunities for qualified students and promoting inclusivity within higher education.
