Students with 4 years bachelor’s degree, 75% marks can directly pursue PhD: UGC

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chief recently announced that students with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly appear for NET and pursue PhD.

To pursue a PhD with or without a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the candidates will require a minimum of 75 per cent marks or equivalent grades in their four-year undergraduate course, said UGC Chairman, Jagadesh Kumar on Sunday.

"Students with 4-year undergraduate degrees can pursue PhD in any subject irrespective of discipline of their bachelor's course," UGC said in a statement.
Currently, a candidate for the National Eligibility Test (NET) needed a master's degree with a minimum of 55 per cent marks.

UGC-NET exam determines the eligibility of students for the "award of Junior Research Fellowship and appointment as assistant professor", "appointment as assistant professor and admission to PhD" and "admission to PhD only" in Indian universities and colleges. The exam this year will be conducted in offline mode instead of a Computer Based Test. Tests for all subjects will be conducted on June 16. The application for the exam has begun and will end on May 10.

"The candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly pursue PhD and appear for NET. Such candidates are allowed to appear in a subject in which they want to pursue a PhD irrespective of the discipline in which they have obtained the four-year bachelor's degree," Kumar told news agency PTI.

He also mentioned that a relaxation of five percent marks or its equivalent grade may be permitted for candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), differently-abled, economically weaker sections, and other categories as decided by the UGC.

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