Good news for all those who have registered for Ph.D or M.Phil before 2009. HRD Minister Smriti Irani announced all those candidates who have registered before July 11, 2009 will be exempted from appearing for NET (National Eligibility Test) so as to become eligible for the post of assistant professor if they fulfill certain other conditions.
This move will serve as a boon for Ph.D holders who had been affected by a UGC guideline that was set in 2009, making NET and Ph.D a minimum eligibility criteria for applying for assistant professor posts in colleges and universities.
According to newspaper reports, following are the other conditions laid down by the UGC regarding the candidates:
- The Ph.D degrees of the candidates should be awarded in regular mode only and their thesis evaluation should be done by at least two external examiners
- An open Ph.D viva voice of the candidate should be conducted and there should be two research publications from his or her Ph.D work
- The candidate should also have made at least two presentations in conferences or seminars
- These accomplishments are to be certified by the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Dean (Academic Affairs) or Dean (University Instructions).
According to Irani, the UGC has taken this decision in conjunction with the government to overcome “a long-standing challenge faced by researchers/aspiring teachers.”
Further developments and decisions taken in this regard are as follows:
- Although the institutions of higher education have less number of faculty members, this move will help in allowing many candidates apply for teaching positions, said UGC Chairman Ved Prakash
- The matter related to Academic Performance Indicator (API) scores, on the basis of which teachers are granted promotions, will be brought forth in public by next week, informed Irani
- Women researchers will get more time to complete their research — an additional year for M.Phil and two more for Ph.D — along with maternity leave benefits. The maternity leave of 240 days would be excluded from the duration of their research
- The same benefits as above will also be provided to people with disabilities
[“Source-indiatoday.intoday”]
