UGC has revised its rules for PhD admission in India since 7 November 2022.
Students who have completed a 4-year undergraduate course, or completed the first year of PG after a 3-year graduation, are now eligible for direct admission to a doctorate program.
Be mindful that a minimum of 75 per cent marks in aggregate OR a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 7.5 is a must to apply for PhD programs after graduation.
In case you don't have 75 per cent aggregate marks in graduation (be it a 3 or 4 years course), pursue a one-year master’s program and score at least 55 per cent in that and you become eligible.
What if I don't have 75% marks in graduation?
The new Rules discontinue the Phil program altogether. However, that will have no bearing on those holding or pursuing MPhil degrees currently. So students currently pursuing MPhil can take a deep sigh of relief.
MPhil Program gets dropped!
Institutions will now be free to admit students in PhD either through the UGC NET/JRF or Entrance Exam; whatever they wish!
No Need for UGC NET/JRF Exams!
Those clearing the entrance test will get admission into the course irrespective of whether they have passed the UGC NET/JRF or not.
The Entrance Exam will consist of a Written Test (70% weightage) and a Personal Interview (30% weightage).
In a relief to many scholars, the mandatory requirement to publish research articles has been scrapped.
Freedom from publishing research articles
The reason behind this move is mushrooming of ‘paid-for’ journals publishing anything and everything (read garbage) just to help students fulfil the legal requirements for getting the coveted degree.
After a part-time MBA, here comes a part-time PhD program for working professionals. Candidates, however, have to submit a “No Objection Certificate (NOC)” issued by the employers to the college.
Part-time PhD Degree
The revised regulations provide for a 5% relaxation in the entrance test for EWS students.