UGC Permits Students with Four-Year UG Degrees to Directly Apply for PhD Admission

New Delhi: University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman, Jagadesh Kumar has announced that students with four-year graduation degrees can now directly apply for admission to PhD Courses through the National Eligibility Test (UGC NET). However, students will require a minimum of 75% or equal aggregate in their bachelor's to be eligible to apply directly.

Students with 4-year undergraduate degrees can now directly pursue PhD if they have 75% aggregate marks or equivalent grade: UGC Chief

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 21, 2024

Earlier, to apply for PhD Admission through NET, you would mandatorily require a master’s degree in a relative field with a minimum of 55% or equal aggregate. Through the new reform, students will no longer need the PG degree and can directly apply for a PhD degree. 

Jagadesh Kumar had said during a press conference, “The candidates with four-year undergraduate degrees can now directly pursue PhD and appear for NET. Such candidates are allowed to appear (for tests) 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.”

He further emphasized, “The candidates having passed a four-year or eight-semester bachelor's degree program should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed,"

The UGC Chairman has also announced a relaxation of 5% or equivalent grade for students belonging to the SC/ST and OBC (non-creamy layer) and EWS categories. 

Earlier this year, UGC announced that from the academic session 2024-25, PhD Admission throughout the country shall be made solely based on UGC NET 2024 scores. Universities will not be allowed to conduct separate entrance exams for PhD admission. This eliminated the hassle of students preparing and sitting for separate entrance exams for the universities for PhD Admission. 

You must also note that the registration for UGC NET 2024 is ongoing. Interested candidates will be able to apply through the official website @ugcnet.nta.ac.in till May 10, 2024.

Latest Updates on PhD Admission 2024:

• How to Become a Professor: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Qualifications, Colleges, Jobs, Scope, Salary
• How to Become an Assistant Professor: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Salary

Subscribe to Collegedunia to get the latest educational news and updates –