Students with 4-Years Bachelor's Degree and 75% Marks Are Eligible for PhD: UGC

Students holding 4-year bachelor's degrees can directly pursue a PhD and sit for the National Eligibility Test (NET), as announced by University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Jagadesh Kumar.

To pursue your PhD, whether with or without a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), candidates must have secured a minimum of 75% marks or equivalent grades during their undergraduate course spanning 4 years.

Previously, candidates aiming for the National Eligibility Test (NET) were required to possess a master's degree with at least 55% marks. This year's exam will transition from a Computer Based Test to an offline mode, with tests scheduled for all subjects on June 16.

According to Kumar, individuals with 4-year undergraduate degrees can now pursue a PhD and participate in the NET. They are permitted to sit for tests in the subject of their choice for pursuing a PhD, regardless of the discipline in which they obtained their 4-year bachelor's degree.

Kumar emphasized, "Candidates who have completed a 4-year or eight-semester bachelor's degree program must have attained a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or an equivalent grade on a point scale, wherever applicable."

He further mentioned that a relaxation of 5% marks or equivalent grades may be considered for candidates belonging to SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), differently-abled, economically weaker sections, and other categories, as determined by the UGC.

The UGC-NET serves as an examination to assess the eligibility of Indian nationals for various purposes, including the award of a Junior Research Fellowship, appointment as an assistant professor, admission to PhD programs, and more in Indian universities and colleges.