UGC Reverses Decision, Makes Ph.D. Optional for Teaching Positions in Colleges and Universities

Teachers' organisations applaud the move as demand for withdrawal of the 2018 UGC regulation is met.

In a remarkable development, the University Grants Commission (UGC) declared on Wednesday that it would relax the criteria for the appointment of teachers in colleges and universities by overturning its regulation that made a PhD degree mandatory for the position of assistant professor. This decision, welcomed by teachers' organisations, comes after their persistent demand for the withdrawal of the 2018 UGC regulation.

Emphasises NET/SET/SLET as Minimum Criteria

The UGC's amendment to the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018 states that the PhD qualification will now be optional for the post of assistant professor. However, the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) will remain the minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the position of assistant professor in all Higher Education Institutions, according to UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar. Notably, SET and SLET will no longer be considered criteria for selecting assistant professors in Central Universities.

The amendments, which will be effective from July 1, 2023, have removed sub-regulation 3.10, which made a PhD degree mandatory for assistant professors from July 2021. Instead, the amendment stipulates that NET/SET/SLET will be the minimum criteria for direct recruitment to the position of assistant professor in all Higher Education Institutions. It is worth mentioning that the Education Ministry was reportedly dissatisfied with the previous decision to make a PhD mandatory.

Citing Benefits for Marginalised Scholars and Increased Flexibility in Recruitment

Abha Dev Habib, Secretary of the Democratic Teachers' Front at Delhi University, warmly welcomed the UGC's decision. Ms Habib emphasised that teachers' organisations had persistently urged the UGC to withdraw the 2018 regulations, as such criteria were unfavourable to scholars and researchers from socially and economically marginalised groups. She expressed her appreciation for the decision to make the PhD degree optional for teaching posts and further suggested that universities should have the freedom to decide the criteria for appointing research guides.

This reversal in the UGC's regulation marks a positive step forward for the teaching community, allowing more flexibility in the recruitment process and acknowledging the diverse qualifications and expertise that individuals can bring to the field of higher education. By reconsidering the mandatory PhD requirement, the UGC aims to create a more inclusive and accessible environment for aspiring teachers while ensuring the maintenance of academic standards across institutions.