UGC Provides Clarification on Minimum Requirements for Assistant Professor Recruitment

Following the release of revised minimum criteria for the direct recruitment of assistant professors in universities and colleges on July 5, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a clarification on the matter. UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar took to Twitter to provide the necessary clarification. He stated that candidates with a Master’s degree must have qualified UGC-NET/SLET/SET for direct recruitment as an Assistant Professor. On the other hand, candidates with a PhD degree, awarded as per UGC Regulations, are exempt from UGC-NET/SLET/SET and eligible for direct recruitment to the position of Assistant Professor.

After removing the mandatory criteria of Ph.D. for direct recruitment at the Assistant Professor level, the detailed eligibility criteria given in UGC minimum qualifications regulations 2018 will remain as they are making the following two criteria applicable:

— Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar (@mamidala90) July 6, 2023

Kumar also mentioned that higher educational institutions have the flexibility to determine suitable criteria for Assistant Professor appointments based on the number of applications received in a specific discipline, as per the regulations provided.

The UGC had previously issued a notification stating that NET/SET/SLET would be the minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the position of Assistant Professor in all Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Furthermore, the UGC Chairperson tweeted that from July 1 onwards, a PhD qualification for Assistant Professor appointments would be optional.

In the clarification provided by the UGC, it was mentioned that the general condition clause no. 3.10 has been amended, making PhD qualification mandatory from July 1, 2023. However, the detailed eligibility criteria for various disciplines remain unchanged, clearly stating that NET/SLET/SET is the minimum requirement for direct recruitment as an Assistant Professor for candidates without a PhD degree. Additionally, the UGC confirmed that PhD holders are exempted from NET/SLET/SET and are eligible for direct recruitment to the position of Assistant Professor.