UGC draft norms remove NET as must for assistant prof post

Clearing National Eligibility Test (NET) will no longer be a mandatory qualification for appointment as an assistant professor, according to the University Grants Commission (UGC) draft guidelines released by Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday for faculty recruitment and promotions in higher education institutions.

- Sanjay Maurya

The draft norms focus on removing "rigidity" from the existing eligibility criteria for faculty appointments and providing opportunities for universities to hire academic staff from diverse, multidisciplinary backgrounds in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

"These draft reforms and guidelines will infuse innovation, inclusivity, flexibility, and dynamism in every aspect of higher education, empower teachers and academic staff, strengthen academic standards and pave the way for achieving educational excellence," Pradhan said, during the release of draft regulations at UGC headquarters in Delhi.

The new norms will replace the existing 2018 regulations on minimum qualifications for faculty appointments in universities and colleges. The 2018 regulations made it compulsory for the candidate seeking the role of assistant professor level-entry-level positions - to have cleared UGC-NET after postgraduation (PG). It will not be mandatory under the new UGC draft norms.