The University Grants Commission (UGC) in India recently announced a change in the eligibility criteria for PhD programs. For carrying PhD with or without a Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), the candidates will require a minimum of 75 percent marks in four-year graduate course. But before the new policy, candidates who want to do a PhD, must take the National Eligibility Test (NET) exam and need a master’s degree with a minimum of 55 percent marks.

 New policy of UGC 

• Students with four-year graduate degrees can directly appear for the National Eligibility Test (NET) and pursue a PhD. Earlier master’s degree was mandatory and also qualifying  NET exam.
• To be eligible for a PhD (with or without a fellowship), students must have at least 75% marks in a four-year bachelor’s.

“The candidates having passed a four-year or eight-semester bachelor’s degree program should have a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed,” the UGC chairman said.