UGC proposes 40% PhD seats through entrance test, maternity leave, EWS quota

NEW DELHI: University Grants Commission has proposed amendments to the existing guidelines for PhD programmes in new draft regulations made public for comment on Thursday.

The draft UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022 proposes that 60 percent of the total seats for PhDs be filled by National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) or Junior Research Fellowship (JRF)-qualified students. The remaining 40 percent will be filled through the entrance test conducted by universities.

Currently, PhD admission does not have a fixed criterion for universities and colleges. Candidates who qualify for NET or JRF are admitted on the basis of personal interviews. While there will be no changes in the admissions procedure, the draft guidelines proposed discontinuation of MPhil degree. In addition, women candidates will be provided maternity leave for up to 240 days once in the entire duration of PhD.

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“Research on socially relevant/locally need-based/ nationally important/globally significant/create value to the society or in cutting edge areas or contribute to new/additional knowledge in the areas of emerging concerns worldwide will be encouraged,” the UGC draft says.

The proposed structure also extends the relaxation of 5 percent marks, which currently covers Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and Other Backward Castes. “Qualifying marks in the entrance test will be 50 percent, provided that a relaxation of 5 percent of marks (from 50 percent to 45 percent) shall be allowed for candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC (Non-creamy layers)/Differently-abled category in the entrance examination conducted by the universities,” the document states.

The document has been put for public comment and stakeholders can send suggestions till March 31.