The University Grants Commission (UGC) is making a major change to how PhD students are admitted. Starting from the 2024-2025 academic year, the National Eligibility Test (NET) will be the only national test used for PhD admissions. This means that universities will no longer need separate entrance exams for their PhD programs.

What’s Changing?

UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar announced that this new policy will streamline the admissions process. Instead of having to take different tests for each university, students can use their NET scores for all PhD admissions. This should make it easier for students and improve access to PhD programs.

UGC Secretary Manish Joshi explained that an expert committee reviewed the NET and recommended these changes. Starting now, NET results will be given as percentiles, and PhD admissions will be based on 70% of the test score and 30% of the interview.

The Benefits

Here’s what’s good about this change:
1. Easier Admissions: No need for multiple tests at different universities.
2. More Opportunities

The Concerns !
Not everyone is happy with the new policy. Some student groups, like the Students Federation of India (SFI), worry that making the NET mandatory could take away the independence of individual universities. They also point out that the validity of the NET certificate has been cut from two years to one year, which might force students to retake the test more often and spend less time on their research.

In summary, while the UGC's new policy aims to simplify the PhD admissions process and provide more opportunities, it also raises concerns about its impact on university independence and student workload. It will be important to see how these changes affect both students and universities in the coming years.

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