The University Grants Commission (UGC) has revised the eligibility criteria for pursuing a PhD, now allowing students who have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 75% marks to directly enroll in PhD programs.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has made a significant change to the eligibility requirements for candidates wishing to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and appear for the National Eligibility Test (NET). UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar announced that students who have completed a four-year undergraduate degree with a minimum of 75% marks or equivalent grades can now directly enroll in a PhD program and are eligible to appear for the NET. Previously, a master’s degree with at least 55% marks was required for NET eligibility.

This new rule allows candidates with four-year bachelor’s degrees to apply for PhD programs in any subject of their choice, irrespective of their undergraduate discipline. Additionally, the UGC has stipulated that these candidates must have at least 75% aggregate marks or its equivalent on a grading scale. There is also a provision for a 5% relaxation in marks for candidates from SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), differently-abled, economically weaker sections, and other categories as determined by the UGC from time to time.