The University Grants Commission (UGC) announced on Tuesday that the mandatory requirement of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree for the recruitment of assistant professors has been postponed till July 2023. UGC had issued a circular revising the dates from July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2023, for Ph.D. mandatory qualification for assistant professors.
UGC had initially stipulated in 2018 that Ph.D. will be mandatory from July 2021 but keeping in mind the covid 19 implications and plea from candidates across the country, it has been postponed till July 2023. The plea was made requesting UGC to reconsider as several candidates were facing challenges in completing their degrees to the complications brought by the pandemic.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had addressed this matter last month and had revealed to reporters that the government will be extending the implementation of the 2018 decision to a later date.
The colleges and universities can continue to assess candidates on the basis of the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) score. UGC NET is an examination for candidates aspiring to work as an assistant professor in colleges and universities. UGC NET is conducted twice a year and administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
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The revised dates of this year's UGC NET examination were announced and they are being conducted from 17 October to 25 October 2021. The prior examination dates were changed as they were clashing with some other major entrances.
