Admission To PhD Will Be Possible Through NET, Says UGC

New Delhi: To help students with one national entrance test for PhD admissions as a part of implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the University Grants Commission  (UGC) has decided that from the academic session 2024-25, the NET score can be used for admission to PhD programmes in place of entrance tests conducted by the different universities.

From June 2024 onwards. therefore. the NET candidates will be declared eligible in three categories:

Category-1: Eligible for (i) admission to PhD with JRF and (ii) appointment as Assistant
Professor.
Category-2: Eligible for (i) admission to PhD without JRF and (ii) appointment as Assistant
Processor.
Category-3: Eligible for admission to PhD programme only and not for the award of JRF or
appointment as Assistant Professor.

The result of NET will be declared in percentile along with the marks obtained by a candidate to utilize the marks for admission to a PhD.

JRF-qualified students are admitted into the PhD programme based on an interview as per the University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD degree) Regulations. 2022.

For students who qualify in categories 2 and 3.70% weightage will be given for test scores and 30% weightage for the interview for admission to PhD programmes. The PhD admission will be based on the combined merit of NET marks and the marks obtained in the interview/viva voce.

The marks obtained in the NET by the candidates in Categories 2 and 3 will be valid for one year for admission to PhD.