The National Eligibility Test, also known as UGC NET or NTA-UGC-NET, is the examination for determining the eligibility for the post of assistant professor and/or Junior Research Fellowship award in Indian universities and colleges. The examination is conducted by National Testing Agency on behalf of University Grants Commission.
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Educational Qualification :
Candidateswho have secured at least 55% marks in their Master’s Degree or equivalent from recognized universities in Humanities (including languages), Social Science, Computer Science and Applications, Electronic Science, etc. are eligible for this test.
- However for candidates belonging to Non-Creamy Layer (NCL) of Other Backward Classes (OBC-NC), Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Persons with Disability (PwD) and Transgender category have to score at least 50% marks.
- Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or are waiting for their results can also apply for the test.
- However all such candidates will only be admitted provisionally and will be considered for award of JRF or recruitment as Assistant Professor only when they will qualify their Master’s Degree with at least 55% marks (50% marks for reserved category).
- All such candidates will have to complete their Master's degree within two years from the date of declaration of the UGC NET Result with the percentage require failing which they will be disqualified.
- Transgender candidates will beeligible for the same relaxation in fee, age, and qualifying criteria for NET as is available to SC/ ST/ PwD categories. The subject wise cutoffs for the Transgender category will be the lowest among all other SC/ ST/ PwD/ OBC–NCL categories in the respective subject.
- Candidates possessing Post Graduation Diploma/ Certificate awarded by Indian University/ Institute or foreign degree/ diploma/ certificate awarded by a foreign University/ institute should in their own interest, ascertain the equivalence of their diploma/ degree/ certificate with Master’s degree of recognized Indian universities from Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi.
However the UGC provides certain relaxation for Assistant Professors. They are as follows :
NET/ SET/ SLET is the minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professorship in Indian Universities and Colleges. However, certain exemptions from NET/ SET/ SLET will be governed by UGC regulations and amendments notified in the Gazette of India from time to time.
- Candidates who have passed UGC/ CSIR/ JRF examination before 1989 are exempted from appearing in NET.
- Candidates who have cleared State Eligibility Test (SET) accredited by UGC for Assistant Professor held before June 1, 2002, are exempted from appearing in NET and shall be considered eligible for applying for Assistant Professor anywhere in India.
- However those candidates who qualified in SET held after June 1, 2003, are eligible to apply for the post of Assistant Professor only in the universities and colleges situated in the respective states.