The University Grants Commission has extended the requirement for a PhD as a minimum qualification to recruit candidates for Assistant Professors. The minimum qualification has been extended from July 2021 to July 2023.

The Commission took the decision because of the COVID pandemic as it has brought the PhD students' research work to a halt in the last 02 years.

The UGC, in its statement, informed that the commission, due to the COVID pandemic, has taken the decision to extend the applicability date of PhD as a mandatory qualification for Assistant Professors' direct recruitment in Departments of Universities. The extension has been awarded from 01.07.2021 to 01.07.2023, added the commission.

In 2018, the UGC set the recruitment criteria for entry-level posts at colleges and universities. The Commission had granted a 03-year window to candidates to complete their PhDs. It also asked all colleges and universities to commence the criteria for recruitment from the 2021-22 academic sessions.

Due to the COVID, many candidates could not finish their PhDs. The candidates appealed to the central govt to grant relaxation in the eligibility criteria this year.

University Grants Commission in view of #COVID19pandemic to extend the date of applicability of Ph.D. as mandatory qualification for direct recruitment of Assistant Professors in Departments of Universities from 01.07.2021 to 01.07.2023 #UGC pic.twitter.com/B0Vrn8Wrrz

— DD News (@DDNewslive) October 12, 2021