Students with 4-year degree, 75% marks can now directly enrol for PhD: UGC

New Delhi, April 21

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Students with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly appear for NET and pursue PhD, according to University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Jagadesh Kumar.

To pursue a PhD with or without a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the candidates will require a minimum of 75 per cent marks or equivalent grades in their four-year undergraduate course. So far, a candidate for the National Eligibility Test (NET) needed a master’s degree with a minimum of 55 per cent marks.

The exam this year will be conducted in the offline mode instead of a computer-based test. Tests for all subjects will be conducted on June 16.

“The candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly pursue PhD and appear for NET. Such candidates are allowed to appear (for tests) 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 said.

A relaxation of 5 per cent marks or its equivalent grade may be allowed for those belonging to SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), differently abled, economically weaker sections and other categories of candidates as per the decision of the UGC from time to time, he said.

The UGC-NET is an exam to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for the “award of Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as assistant professor”, “appointment as assistant professor and admission to PhD” and “admission to PhD only” in Indian universities and colleges.