The University Grants Commission on Thursday released draft regulations for candidates aspiring to pursue PhD.

The new rules have it that candidates must have an aggregate score over 55% in undergraduate courses and have a one or two-years master’s degree. Else, the candidate must have B grade or above on the UGC 10-point scale.

The new rules apply to every University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act, or a State Act, and every Institution Deemed to be a University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956 and every degree-granting autonomous College and every affiliated college, allowed to offer PhD programmes. A candidate seeking admission after a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor’s degree with Research should have a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10

Also, candidates who have cleared the M Phi with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade ‘B’ in the UGC 10-point scale (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) or an equivalent degree from a Foreign Institution accredited by an Assessment and Accreditation Agency which is approved, recognized or authorized by an authority, established or incorporated under a law in its home country or any other statutory authority in that country to assess, accredit or assure quality and standards of educational institutions are eligible for admission to the PhD programme as per the new draft regulations of the UGC.

Guidelines have been released even for admissions. “All Universities shall admit PhD scholars through a National Eligibility Test (NET) or National Entrance Test or an Entrance test conducted at the level of individual universities,” the draft reads.

The UGC has invited suggestions and feedback from all stakeholders, and these must be sent to the UGC before March 31, 2022. 

Also read: UGC to allow PhD under distance education