Question : Exemption from NET

(a) whether the Government has made it mandatory to qualify National Eligibility Test (NET) and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) for appointment to the posts of teachers in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the benefit expected to accrue therefrom;

(c) whether the Government proposes to provide exemption in the recruitment of teachers to those students from qualifying NET and SLET who have obtained Ph.D. degree or have registered themselves for the same during the period from 2002 to 2009;

(d) if so, the time by which the exemption orders are likely to be effective and the steps taken for this purpose; and

(e) if not, the reaction of the Government thereto?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): Yes Madam. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that according to the UGC (Minimum Qualification for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2010, clearing the National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by the UGC, CSIR or similar test like SLET/SET is mandatory for the recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor in universities and colleges. Besides qualifying NET/SLET/SET, the above regulations specifies that a candidate shall possess good academic record as defined by the concerned university with at least 55% marks (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) at the Master’s Degree level in a relevant subject from an Indian University, or an equivalent degree from an accredited foreign university.

However, candidates, who are, or have been awarded a Ph.D Degree in accordance with the UGC(Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D Degree) Regulations, 2009, shall be exempted from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET/SLET/SET. Also, the NET/SLET/SET shall not be required for such Masters programs in disciplines for which NET/SLET/SET is not conducted.
(c) to (e): Yes Madam. The Central Government had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Prof. Arun Nigavekar to examine the issues related to attracting and retaining talented and quality manpower in the teaching profession. The committee has suggested fulfilment of the following conditions, in respect of the candidates who have been awarded Ph.D degree prior to 2009 regulations, for being exempted from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET/SLET for recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor in Universities/Colleges.
(i) Ph.D degree of the candidate awarded in regular mode only
(ii) Evaluation of the Ph.D thesis by at least two external examiners
(iii) Candidate published two research papers out of which at least one in a refereed journal from out of his/her Ph.D work
(iv) The candidate presented two papers in seminars/conferences from out of his/her Ph.D work
(v) Open Ph.D viva voce of the candidate conducted.
The Central Government has directed the UGC to implement the recommendations of the report of the Committee vide order dated 9th April, 2016.
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