In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) announced that the NET score can now serve as an alternative to entrance tests conducted by various universities and Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) for admission to Ph.D. programs.
Prof. Manish R Joshi, the UGC Secretary, disclosed that an expert committee was formed to evaluate the provisions of the National Eligibility Test (NET) in line with the objectives outlined in the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020). Following the committee’s recommendations in a meeting held on March 13, 2024, it was decided that beginning from the academic year 2024-2025, students could use their NET score to apply for admission to Ph.D. programs instead of undergoing separate entrance tests conducted by universities/HEIs.
The announcement outlined three categories of eligibility for NET candidates:
1. Eligible for admission to Ph.D. with Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and appointment as Assistant Professor.
2. Eligible for admission to Ph.D. without JRF and appointment as Assistant Professor.
3. Eligible for admission to the Ph.D. program only, without qualification for JRF or appointment as Assistant Professor.
According to the public notice, NET scores will be provided in percentile alongside the candidate’s marks, facilitating their use for Ph.D. admission purposes.
Moreover, for candidates qualifying in categories 2 and 3, the admission process will include giving 70% weightage to test scores and 30% weightage to the interview/viva voce. Admission decisions will be based on the combined merit of NET marks and performance in the interview. The NET scores obtained by candidates in categories 2 and 3 will remain valid for one year for Ph.D. admission purposes.