Exemption of PhD Holders from NET/SET Face Opposition from Teachers

Many teachers, members of the National Forum for Quality Education and All India NET/SET Teachers Organisation submitted their request for making the National Eligibility Test (NET) and State Eligibility Test (SET) as the recruitment exam to the Kasturirangan Committee, tasked with drafting National Education Policy (NEP).

They mentioned in the request that there shouldn’t be any exemption for PhD holders, and they should also qualify both the entrance exams.

At present, NET/SET is considered only as an eligibility test, and the recruitment is solely based on personal interviews.

University Grant Commission had exempted PhD holders from the eligibility test to be appointed as teachers, through 2018 regulation.

In 2018, UGC declared the new regulation even after the massive opposition from the teachers. The teachers had claimed that the new regulation is unfair to 8 lakh qualified candidates in India and will lead to the dilution of research standards.

Recently, UGC had made the ‘Research and Publication Ethics’ credit course compulsory for all PhD students as part of the pre-registration course work.

Ramesh N Zade, president of the National Forum for Quality Education

, stated that the introduction of these courses on Misconduct and Publication ethics is just a farce to legalize the exemption of PhD holders from the NET/SET examinations.

Kushal M Mude, the convener of all India NET SET organization, says if PhD is removed from the eligibility for teaching positions and promotions, its quality, ethics, and standard will definitely improve.

Both the bodies have noted the importance of NET/SET upheld by different committees between 1983 and 2016 in their feedback and suggestions to the NEP draft committee.

In 1983, Mehrotra committee comprised of 18 members had prescribed NET qualification as an essential condition for the lecturer recruitment in colleges and universities after a comprehensive survey and deliberations. They had pointed out that this shouldn’t be relaxed even for the MPhil and PhD holders. In 1986, NEP introduced these regulations after a discussion in the parliament. Mungekar Committee, in its final report, removed exemptions to MPhil and PhD in 2007.

In April 2016, the five-membered TSR Subramanian Committee presented the report on ‘Evolution of New Education Policy’ which suggested NET/SET as mandatory for teachers recruitment in higher education. The committee had noted that as a result of NET, there was an improvement in the quality of teachers joining higher education.

Source

84 COMMENTS

  1. Those who have PG+NET cannot execute a good project and challenging practicals except some people. PhD is a higher degree and getting by a lots of experiences. Persons with NET only cannot compete with PhD holders who got it from a research institute. A person’s talent cannot be proved by an examination. Most of the NET holders cannot pass NET exam again. A person can get NET within one year through a good coaching(only theory). But PhD required years of study, laboratory experiences, publications, presentations etc. So the PhD holder can handle anything. Those who didn’t get PhD through proper way (before 2009) cannot understand the value of that degree.

    • Exactly,in todays world…whats wrong is happening i cant understand at all..A (2hour)exam cant determine u as highly educated to get appoint as assistant lecturer.

      And simply its make me laugh
      in our country one can become lp/up techers or higher secondary teacher by #only giving *Tet* but not a Phd holder.

      Our high authorities just make Phd a joke.

    • All those people who are in favour of Ph.D degree should know the basic structure of Ph.D I.e. Research.. If you are so interested in research then you should go in research line rather than in teaching line. You can give your 100 % contribution in research. Why you are jumping into teaching line
      The person who qualifies NET exams do the thorough study of overall curriculum of not only post graduation but also under graduation.
      The topic in research line have to do nothing with the curriculum of under graduation and post graduation

    • Whats wrong even for a Ph. D. Holder to qualify NET? If anybody can earn a Ph.D. with so much dedication, cant he qualify a a simple exam like NET!

      • There is no problem. It will be better if NET/JRF with PhD is made compulsory for lecturer posts in universities and degree colleges. NET/LS qualification is a low standard in comperison to NET/JRF and PhD qualification. Education needs exellent teachers.

    • Very much agree wid u…NET is an objective with no negative marking ppl can esly get thru it without xprnce also nd without havng ny knwledge of rsrch…

    • Indirectly you are promoting to do 20% pure phd, .,. Net /set exam kyo bura hai…iske baad bhi phd karlona….

    • But those who done PhD, many will not able to qualify NET. I can’t deny PhD. But I think it’s not necessary, just being a college lecturer, it’s a waste of time and money. How many people have sufficient money to done PhD?

    • PhD is limited to a particular area of study! It does not expertise in the subject that one will be teaching. Plus the kind of PhDs done in our country is very pathetic. When one sits for net/set exam, one competes to qualify in a National/State level whereas PhD does not compete at a national level to show it’s expertise in teaching.. PhD is a research degree, one cannot superficially make it teacher’s eligibility criteria. A degree is a degree, you cannot merge it with teaching!!!! Better the policy makers scrap this superficial criteria.. Or else research will be a rat race to be very honest.

  2. People who are opposing exemption of P. hD holders from NET/SET are actually trying to detoriate the research propensity among students. Their motivation is actually to deliver a parallel teaching methods to our future students. When UGC had decided to set the Research and Publication ethics, who are they to disgrace it. Is it not a clever try to dominate the future research environment of our nation?
    What is their hidden ambition?

  3. Very right proposal should implement
    If PhD holders does PhD in 3 years with hard work. So net is very easy to them and even UGC organised this paper two times a year. So why not net?
    Net should be compulsory before or after PhD.

  4. Dear, NET/SLET holders only, do try publishing papers in good journals. Only qualifying NET/ SLET will not make you anything equivalent to the level hard work done by a PhD so please don’t try to belittle the hard work of a PhD candidate and PhD holders do have greater research experience as compared to you. And NET/ SLET holders can compete with PhD since it is a minimum eligibility criteria. So what’s the problem.. if there’s any problem do enroll yourselves in a PhD program since you also have the eligibility. The title Dr. Isn’t earned simply so no point forming unions and shouting slogans. And for me since PhD is considered as the highest degree in academics, no other exams can be considered equivalent to it.

    • If it is easy to pass NET OR SET then all the phd holders can easily pass the exam know . Then why don’t u try for that . The 3 hours exam requires so many months to years of hard work . If that NET And SET are excempted for phd scholars then that will not show The quality of education. Because anyone can join phd but only knowledgeable people can pass NET.

    • Dr. Saheb itna hi apne PhD research pr proud hai to net/set se bhag kyu rhe ho
      Phd ki India me gadhe v rakhe hue hai….

    • Respected mam l have qualified net dec 2019 pls advise me what should l do? I qualified net with my hard work and self study and l want to do phd from IIT Delhi and l want to know all information about that what should l do but there is no person than clear my doubts pls help me mam

    • Now a days some Universities are allotting Ph. D. Degree with illigal payment basis so a Ph. D. holder could be a fraud but a person qualified NET/SET is definitely eligible n smart enough to hold a teacher or lecturer position because of the study curriculum.

    • All the PhD candidate please try to understand if you have lots of money and time and u interested to do research then you can. No one restricted you. If you think NET is so easy, then you people why can’t try to qualify NET? You have knowledge, experience, ability so sit in the exam and qualify NET within 3 hours exam. Please don’t compare. Don’t neglect the NET candidate, I find lots of PhD , MPhil candidate who can’t qualify NET and they are trying every exam.

      Yes it make me really Lough someone said why LP and UP school teacher become teacher only qualify TET, not PhD. I don’t think become a LP /UP teacher necessary for such higher education. It’s waste of time. Govt can’t able job, that’s why are only increase qualification criteria.

      • I completely agree with all NET qualified candidates. Let the UGC declares that NET is completely for Ph D entrance examination.

  5. Getting border marks in net and set by fluke doesnt make an pg or mphil student as an scholar. It needs years of improvisation. How the hell they think an exam with relateless objective type questions can be enough to wiegh the quality of an professor.

    • Nothing is by fluke madam.Just as you put years of hardwork in PhD, a student invests his hardwork in qualifying a competitive exam.
      A NET qualified candidate is very much capable of doing a PhD in reputed institutes.But the vice versa is untrue that is the reason many PhD holders working as professors are unable to qualify a basic lectureship cutoff.While a NET-JRF qualified student has seen the competition and made his way as a research student.

    • GM GAYATRI MADAM. I AGREE WITH U. TEACHING REQUIRES DEDICATION, PRACTICE AND EXPERIENCE. IT TAKES ITS OWN TIME , IT CANNOT COME THROUGH NET OR P. HD. THERE ARE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO ARE NOT EVEN NET OR PH. D BUT ARE FAR BETTER AND GIVE GOOD RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE.

  6. If they handle anything then why don’t they clear the simple NET exam.????

  7. I support New Education Policy 2018 regulation.Its a good decission for me.

    And,from my experience i can say a PHd holder without Net can be better teacher.

    • WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF ELIGIBILITY LET THE NTA OR UGC DEFINE. EVERY TIME THE CUTOFF IS DIFFERENT.

  8. Ph.D is only an expertise in a remotest topic.But clearing NET/SET indicates the thorough knowledge of entire syllabus and methodolgy. In addition, demo will prove our efficiency of teaching. Hence, PhD can not be considered to be exempted from NET/SET.

  9. Clearing PG and NET in fluke cannot be considered as qualification.. Even a student who doesn’t have subject knowledge can clear his NET exam in fluke. But PhD is not like that, here we do course work, paper presentation, journal publication, our thesis is examined by two examiners one is Indian and other one is a foreign examiner. They have to give result. Writing a thesis for minimum of 100 papers with related content is not a simple task as just choosing a random answer in net exam. We have a open Viva Voce exam where we answer the questions of examiners, subject experts and general public in Viva Voce hall. So please don’t compare the net exam with PhD degree.

      • We are not scared.. we say don’t compare PhD with NET exam.. there are many people they don’t know how to read and write but they clear their net in fluke and get into academics. If they don’t have enough knowledge how can they teach the students. I have a suggestion that people should clear NET exam simultaneously 3 times in consecutive years.. Then we can give the qualification approval. It is meant for PhD also.. how you think about it..

    • Yes U R RIGHT A COMMON SENSE IS REQUIRED TO PASS NET. Ph. D requires DEEP STUDY.

  10. If so, then PG + Net should also be removed by UGC as a criteria to Assistant Professor, as it incurs a huge injustice on the ones who have attained PHD degree after years of hard work. Then the revised criteria should be Net/Set and PhD not just PG and Net. How about that ?

  11. Whatever the system want to change, we cannot do anything on that. Just i want to give some example. A few years back MPhil was also considered as one criterion for college teacher appointment. Many guys have done MPhil. Later on notification came in a way that MPhil will not be any criterion. But between dates of two decissions many were appointed as lecturer in college. So question is some people got the benefit of the relaxation. But his friends did not. So where is the justification. And see you cannt compare with PhD now. So you have given some crterion that must be satisfied during the long process. And NET exam some one may qualify even he does not know any topic also. Please dont do this kind of injustice if you think wellhood of the society

  12. Criterion Gap iz important for pG net and for phD holders . So Hard work of phD scholars could be considered fairly.

  13. First of all giving job for PhD holders and otherwise talking any we will proof in the experience for college unwanted for set or net.

  14. This is totally a myth that only NET/SLET clear candidates can be good teacher or researcher. Is there any country in world where such examination is a gold standard for recruitment of teachers. No one in the world can guarantee whether a NET/SLET candidate will be good teacher and researcher. This myth has been spreaded by the people who them selves were not NET qualified and now claiming that NET is a gaurantee for good teacher. This is funny and it can happen in INDIA only. This is the biggest reason that talent of good teaching and research never get positions due to lack of NET while NET qualified irrespective of his.her IQ got the positions. How funny it is that a M.Sc. NET qualified is teaching M.Sc. students. Example Panjab Univesity Chandigarh Microbiology department where M.Sc. NET was selected as Assistant Prof. while PH.D. were available just because of NET curse.

  15. PhD holder condidate without NET/SET ……….they are toxic to education quality.

  16. There is a myth that those who qualified NET/SET exam can be a good teacher in a college. I know n number of people who have qualified NET/SET but unable to deliver a satisfactory lecture in a class. I agree that NET/SET must be there but it should not be a only criteria for the selection of lecturer in a university/college. I know many non-NET/SET teacher who taught me in an excellent manner.

  17. If NET/SET is a guarantee of becoming good teacher or researcher, then it must be implemented on Medial and Engineering colleges in INDIA also. A medical student passing from medical college without NET teacher………tooo dangerous for society.

  18. Getting PhD is time taking process with publications, seminars, workshops, conferences and many other things. How could a three hours exam equalised with it. Even a NET and also a SET holder, I know, getting a PhD degree harder than clearing NET/SET. PhD and NET/SET two different things.

  19. Who has not qualified NET SET please do not appointment for the Assistance professor. They must have NET SET qualifications. PhD. M. Phil thesis are dependent on guide and students. When guide decides he gives PhD. M. Phil in one year this is dependent on the guide but NET SET is not as this NET SET is hard work

  20. NET/SET should be compulsory for all even for PHD holder. Can’t PhD holders not clear NET/SET easily with such experiences? If yes, then it should be made mandatory for all.

  21. PhD is a narrower discipline in which a student works on remote areas of science which is not directly linked with regular curriculum in colleges and universities. However the NET syllabus includes all the things that is directly or indirectly related to regular curriculum. How a person who is specialized in a perticular branch only can teach all the subjects after a span of 5 years???. According to my opinion NET/SET would be mandatory as minimum qualification for recruitment of assistant professors in colleges as well as in universities.

  22. NET/SLET holders study in study centre, but PhD holders research works, method of teaching, viva committe etc

    • Yes PhD really demands your dedication, energy and real knowledge of a particular domain of your interest. But NET / SET also require your keen interest in your whole subject. You have to go through the syllabus carefully and sincerely which you are going to teach in the colleges. If NET is so easy and PhD scholars are interested to teach in the colleges they would pass it easily. Why exemption??? NET /SLET are basic criteria only.

  23. Why they change the criteria reason is they want there private university will generate more revenue for them ,PhD u can get any where from private university without doing so much but in term of qualifying an net exam will be done through UGC and it is essential if u want a quality than follow the norms before 2018

  24. If ph.d holders have actually done with the quality research work then particularly those particular ph.d holders should be brave enough to qualify net exam which is rightly kept as the eligibility test .

  25. IF YOU WANT NET/SET AN ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATION THEN MAKE IT DESCRIPTIVE. OTHERWISE PhD IS SUPERIOR TO NET/SET.

  26. .After showing all above comments related to appointment of assistant professor, I realised that, both side are correct. Earlier many people’s have been taken advantages of job of lecturer on basis of only M.Sc. it may have % of marks below 55%. then after 91 on ward 55% compulsory for lecturer jobs. Side by side NET examination was conducted by CSIR but not compulsory. But in 1993 onward it is compulsory but appointments were on temporary till net or set. Myself also one of beneficiary of this. Till 2000 there no body joined for ph d programme or cleared net or set. But ugc has given examation from net to ph d holders. Then after Ph. D. Registration increased in universities as well as at college level. In 2006- 2007 MP and member of UGC committee member Dr. Mungekar also given some appointment on M. Phil. It is one of the bogus programme. All appointment and examation on M.phil. also in jobs. So it just a theoretical part. So nobody Superior now a days. NET and Ph. D. New generation is scholars. All they are hard workers. Many of them persuing ph. D. on jrf through csir ,iit, nit lab. So give equal opportunity to both.

  27. Yes ph.d is already a high degree.its dignity should not be spoiled. Net should only be for research

  28. We can qualify NET in a single attempt IMean with in 6month but PH.D take sometime more than seven years So NET is nothing compare to pH.D

  29. I have qualified the UGC NET in the Subject English and a research scholar (PhD) Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gorakhpur University. NET or SLET can never be equivalent to PhD. PhD requires more knowledge and skills. NET cannot judge a candidate properly.

  30. PhD if we consider as degree then NET should be mandatory. If we consider PhD in Academic way it more mandatory than NET I feel.

  31. I have a question for all who are in support of NET/SET, Why is there a reservation based pass percentage in case of NET/SET. There are many individuals who are unable to clear the exam only because of the disparity between the castes. What is the guarantee in the quality of higher education, where you are not selecting a person in the central University with 155 marks in NET because he/she belongs to Gen category and for them 165 is the pass percentage whereas you have given appointment to an OBC candidate or SC candidate who has merely secured 144 or 124, How can anyone justify the quality in this case?

    NET can neither be a medium of understanding a person’s knowledge nor it can make a person good professor, rather than NET; MPhil and PhD shoud be given more weightage.

    • Good point made regarding the basic criteria and the system that is being conducted in NET, and if I extend your point, more students on that basis of qualification ( General and Reservation ) , are now undergoing M.Phil or PhD degree in many different institutes across India, so do you consider only M.Phil or PhD degree holders ( let’s take here the ongoing holders for example) for the ultimate determinance ? Shouldn’t there be a talk of complete parameter to judge the basics and qualities of a teacher and a researcher?

  32. I agree with Dr. S. D. Tupare- Associate Professor

  33. NET/JRF and PhD should be made compulsory for appoint of lecturers in universities and colleges.

  34. Without NET/SET no candidate should have given admission to Phd, because PHd is the deep study of any one topic of a large subject,while in study of NET,SET we have to study all the topics of the subject deeply and minutely.So we must get the knowledge of our subject wholely and then and only then we have to go through one trending topic for research.Secondly, as an assistant professor we must be eligible to teach all the topics from our subject to our students and not only the research topic in which we are interested.Thats why NET,SET which makes us rich in all the topics of our subject by studying hard, should be the prime and mandatory eligibility for being Assistant professor and for perusing Ph.D. also.

  35. We are the only country where our Higher Education policy has made a mockery of quality of education. In other countries only 6% can go for a college Degree.

    As far as NET is concerned, it definitely validates quality & ensure meritocracy. Not to belittle PhD, but not every PhD holder can crack NET.

    Unfortunately castism, nepotism, favoritism is a part of our society, which is clearly evident in PhD selection as well.

    Bottom line- We are a very competitive country. Survival for the fittest & most adaptable will survive. Whether we accept or not, that’s the rule of the game.

    We need to Democratise education & make it secular in real sense. Run education like a private corporate entity that ensures merit, accountability. Abolish cast base reservation completely which will empower & encourage fair level playing field.

    NET must be made compulsory for recruitment in Universities.

  36. The main problem is not NET or PhD. The vacanies are less and people are overqualified

  37. Ph. D should not be equivalent net set… Because of there is no any close relationship between ph d work area and curriculum which we r teaching to Student.. Rearch is having any particular topics… Iam also Dr

    So try to say like that

  38. NET/SET is not the highest qualification…..Few months of hard work to qualify NET /SET is not a proof of anyone’s efficiency of being a good capable teacher …..Ph.d requires rigrous hard work of years ….it is in itself a learning mode which not only requires a zeal to work harder but simultaneously enables one with the qualities of being a good teacher….the paper publication the journals all these inculcates the confidence in the researcher.I am with the Ph.d holders….yes they should be exempted from NET/SET ..
    Its only few over smart Indians who are bragging on NET/SET…

    If P h.d is not of any importance then wats the use of pg..post graduation should also be discontinued…why to waste 2 years doing pg…
    there should be direct Net exam without any pg. ……post graduation should also be removed from so called new indian system….still Ph.d will outshine all these exams …it’s one of the highest degree …the most valuable n highly weighted not only in India but the world at large….for the selection of assistant prof.both should be given equal importance….those with either Ph.d or Net
    both should be made eligeble for lecturership …..

  39. Dear NET/ SET QUALIFIED INTELLECTUALS…. I respect ur talent. But I would like to inform you that I am also SET qualified. I qualified SET just by one attempt and this is not by hardworking but by “aakkar bakkar bombebo” as there is no negative marking. But you can’t do the same with Ph.D as it is time consuming. Now-a-days NET/SET qualified candidates have become mushroom alike. So to restrain MUSHROOM ALIKE NET/SET CANDIDATES AND TO END THIS KURUSHETRA WITH PHD CANDIDATES… 2021 onwards along with NET/SET…Ph.D is also must. Research ability is also required as it is about teaching College and University students not about school or nursery students.

  40. NET should be mandatory. P hd may be an additional qualification. It may be given some additional marks
    But NET should be compulsory

  41. Only do some syllabus by rot and become researcher equivalent what a joke

  42. As per UGC Guidelines NET/SET Qualification should be mandatory is good,PhD also treated as Additional Desirable Qualification they can prefer.While considering for Recruitment for Assistant Professor it is purely Based on Candidate Competency, Content Subject exposure they have to consider instead of giving waitageage, and Exemption.But NET/SET Should be There.

  43. One guy known to me who worked in an aided college as a private/management staff couldn’t get absorbed as he wasn’t net qualified. The management didn’t want to give that job to some other candidate. It was ready to wait for him to qualify. He couldn’t pass net. So he registered for phd and completed it and got the job.

  44. I think NET/SET should be mandatory for getting the job or employment and a Ph.D. should be allowed only for inservice candidates, not for unemployed students or persons.

  45. A person with NET and PhD. Should get the first priority in the selection of Assistant Prof. Posts

  46. There are many people they don’t even know how to read and write but they clear their net in fluke and get into academics. If they don’t have enough knowledge then how can they teach the students. I have a suggestion that people should clear NET exam simultaneously 3 times in consecutive years.. Then we can give the qualification approval. It is meant for PhD also

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