The University Grants Commission (UGC) has revised its previous stance on the mandatory requirement of a Ph.D. for assistant professor appointments. The UGC now determines that exams such as the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) will serve as the minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the position of assistant professor. This change in regulations, which came into effect on July 1, 2023, has been officially shared by the UGC.

According to a tweet by UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar, the Ph.D. qualification will now be optional for the appointment of assistant professors. The revised guidelines highlight that the NET, SET, and SLET will be the key criteria for direct recruitment to the assistant professor role across higher education institutions. This decision aims to provide greater flexibility and expand the number of eligible candidates for assistant professor positions.

UGC Gazette Notification: Ph.D. qualification for appointment as an Assistant Professor would be optional from 01 July 2023. NET/SET/SLET shall be the minimum criteria for the direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor for all Higher Education Institutions. pic.twitter.com/DRtdP7sqOj

— Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) July 5, 2023