UGC Reverses Decision on Mandatory PhDs for Assistant Professor

Officials have announced that the University Grants Commission (UGC) has reversed its previous decision regarding the mandatory requirement of PhDs for hiring assistant professors. Instead, the UGC has stated that exams such as the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) will now serve as the minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the position.

UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar clarified that a PhD qualification for appointment as an assistant professor will remain optional. This change in policy comes after the UGC's initial decision in 2018, which allowed a three-year window for candidates to complete their PhDs and required universities and colleges to implement the new criteria for recruitment starting from the 2021-22 academic session.

However, in 2021, the UGC extended the applicability date of the PhD requirement to July 2023 due to the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic. This decision was made as the research work of PhD students came to a standstill due to the prolonged closure of educational institutions.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed his opinion that mandating a PhD degree for assistant professor positions is not favorable in the current education system. He emphasized that while a PhD may be necessary for associate professors and professors, it is not suitable for assistant professors. As a result, the UGC has rectified its stance to accommodate good teaching talent.