NET not a criteria to become a professor

New Delhi, April 14: Smriti Irani has earned accolades from students for making NET 'not mandatory' to become assistant professors. All the while, appointment as assistant professors in college and universities, one had to clear the NET exams.

At the behest of the HRD ministry, the UGC has amended its regulation and relaxed the eligibility conditions for appointment of assistant professors.

On Tuesday, the HRD ministry announced that scholars who completed their PhD or have registered for one before 2009 would be eligible for lecturership without clearing the NET. Irani said,"There has been a long-standing challenge faced by researchers/aspiring teachers. The UGC today in conjunction with the government has taken this decision."

Presently, as per the 2009 regulations, the minimum qualification for appointment as teachers in colleges and universities is a degree in post-graduate or Mphil, and eligibility marks in NET/SET (State-level Eligibility Test).

The Supreme Court too had upheld the regulation, stating that this would help in maintaining the standard of ehigher education.

However, the present regulation has come as a relief for many students, but for these added criteria instead. The candidate's PhD degree should be awarded in a regular mode and th eresearch thesis should be examined by at least two external examiners. Also, he has to qualify the viva and should have published at least two papers based on the PhD thesis in research journals.

Norms were further relaxed for women candidates and the differently-abled, who can now complete their thesis in 8 years, visa vie 6 years. Moreover, candidates will get 3 years, instead of 2 years to complete their M.Phil.

Women candidates will also be provided 240 days of maternity and child care leave in the entire duration of their M.Phil and Ph.D degrees.

OneIndia News