Recently The Union Minister of India, Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan has released the draft for UGC (Minimum Qualifications for appointment and promotion of Teachers and staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of standards in Higher Education), 2025.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the guidelines for PhD scholars in 2025 to ensure that the students are eligible for PhD Admission 2025. The main objective of these guidelines is to ensure that students get suitable opportunities and facilities to pursue their doctoral studies in a smooth and seamless manner. Let’s explore it deeper to understand the crucial aspects of the latest UGC guidelines of 2025.
Table Of Content
- Eligibility Criteria
- UGC-NET Exam Registration
- UGC-NET Exam Application Form
- Course Duration
- Eligibility Category for UGC NET Qualified Candidates
- Seats eligible for approval by University Grants Commission (UGC)
- Rule Mandated PhD for Scholars
- Notice for Undergraduates
- Summing Up
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Highlights 2025
PARAMETER | EXISTING RULES | WHAT’S GOING TO CHANGE |
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| | Streamlined to prioritize teaching, research, and overall academic contributions |
Vice Chancellor selection | | |
Eligibility Criteria
- A student must have completed a four-year bachelor’s degree program in any subject with at least 75 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent grade. A relaxation of 55 marks is also provided to the special category like SC, ST, OBC (non-creamy layer), economically weaker sections differently abled and other below the poverty line.
- From 2025-2026 session The National Eligibility Test (NET) scores will be used for PhD admission 2025 to reduce the need for separate entrance tests conducted by numerous universities and higher education institutions, as per the University Grants Commission.
- The NET exam is taken twice a year i.e. in June and December. The scores are currently used to award Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) as per the general eligibility for appointment as an assistant professor for those who have a master’s degree.
- The eligibility criteria also include, having passed all final year examinations as prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). This consists of all examinations from first to fourth years including practical, internal assessments and thesis defense.
- Having cleared the entrance test for admission into PhD Course at this institute or any other university affiliated to the University Grants Commission
UGC-NET Exam Registration
The UGC-NET Exam registration will start on the 10th of May. All aspiring candidates can register from 10 th May. Following are the necessary registration steps:
- Navigate to the Homepage: Go to the official website of the UGC-NET exam.
- Find the Notification: Search for the notification that mentions the “Apply Online” link for the UGC-NET exam.
- Click on the Link: Click on the “Apply Online” link to start the registration process.
- Register as a New User:
- Enter your name, email address, mobile number, and date of birth.
- Create a strong password for your account.
- Choose a Security Question:
- Choose a security question and provide a suitable answer. This will be used for account recovery purposes.
- Complete Registration:
- After entering all the major details, submit the registration form.
- Save the credentials (username and password) generated during registration for future use.
- Log In:
- Once registered, log in using the credentials you created.
- Make sure to save your login details for future reference.
By following these crucial steps, you should be able to register as a new user and access the UGC NET exam application form.
UGC-NET Exam Application Form
The UGC-NET Exam registration will start on the 10th of May. All aspiring candidates can register from 10 th May. Following are the necessary registration steps:
- Login in with your account with your crucial credentials on the official website of the National Testing Agency (NTA) or the UGC-NET portal.
- Carefully read the necessary instructions provided to fill in the required details such as personal information, education qualifications etc.
- Check up for all the crucial details carefully and upload the required document. Make sure to upload in the necessary format.
- Then significantly upload scanned copies of passport-sized photographs and signatures as per the given format and size from the University Grant Commision.
- With utmost attention and guidelines carefully review the application.
Course Duration
- The minimum course duration is three years and two years for all regular courses offered at the undergraduate, postgraduate and research levels. This new rule was implemented to ensure that students can complete a program in a reasonable time frame.
- There will be no changes to what is considered as an extension of a regular course except for those who have taken up an internship or placement program that extends beyond six months in duration.
Eligibility Category for UGC NET Qualified Candidates
Qualified candidates for UGC NET
- Those eligible for PhD admission 2025 in India with JRF and assistant with JRF and assistant professor appointment
- Those eligible for PhD admission without JRF but for assistant professor appointment
- Those only available for PhD program admission
Seats eligible for approval by University Grants Commission (UGC)
The number of seats eligible for approval by UGC in all PG courses should be at least 50% of the total seats available.
UGC Guidelines 2025 will have diverse options for students choosing Distance Learning (Especially for women). These include:
- Self-financing mode (i) where a student pays for the course fee directly;
(ii) where a student pays for the course fee through their own resources or through some other form of financial assistance such as scholarships and grants etc.;
Rule Mandated PhD for Scholars
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has mandated PhD scholars to publish at least one research paper in a UGC refereed/peer-reviewed journal before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication.
In case you are wondering, this rule applies only to PhD scholars who have completed their PhD degree from government funded universities or colleges and wish to apply for fellowship under the UGC scheme.
Notice for Undergraduates
For Undergraduate courses, a student can pursue two degrees simultaneously. A student who has already acquired an undergraduate degree in any subject area and wishes to pursue another one must first obtain approval from the respective varsity. The admission process for this purpose will be considered as per existing rules and regulations. However, if the applicant does not have any such previous qualification/training and is seeking admission into another course with a different subject but having equal weightage (weightage = total marks), then he/she should apply through proper channels only after clearing all requirements like qualifying test etc..
Summing Up
The UGC Guidelines 2025 is going to help students by providing a diverse range of options for aspiring scholars to pursue higher education. The new guidelines are expected to have a huge impact on the aspiring candidates as it will provide golden opportunities for those who want to pursue PhD without having to worry about completing their bachelor’s degrees in the first instance. So , read each detail carefully with utmost attention in order to pursue your Phd dream to soar high in the sky.
Frequently Asked Questions
The UGC guidelines are the university’s guidelines on how to run a university. These guidelines are meant to ensure that universities run efficiently, and they also set out the expectations of teachers and students alike. The UGC also offers guidance when it comes to academic freedom, teaching content and values, research objectives and methodology, curriculum development, student assessment methods, and other areas related to higher education.
You can check your university’s UGC website to see whether it has followed the guidelines correctly or not. If you feel that there has been a mistake in any area mentioned above or if you want more information about how your university uses its resources for its students then you should contact them directly as soon as possible so that they can help resolve any issues which may arise from their use of these guidelines.
No, you cannot. The UGC guidelines are meant to be a resource for PhD scholars, so you must use images that are readily available and free of copyright. You may not use copyrighted images without permission from the copyright holder.
The UGC was established in 1957 and has been entrusted with the task of developing, coordinating and monitoring higher education in the country. UGC awards various grants for research, development, staff training, supporting infrastructure and administration. The UGC is updated on an annual basis and is currently in circulation. It is fully called – University Grants Commission.
Before how many years of retirement can I be ph.d supervisor?
Hlo,
I have compleated my course work in 2020 but unable to continue my phd. So if now i want to do my phd do i have to do course work again or my old course work certificate is sufficient for same or different university….
Hello…I have done regular B.Sc Hons(3 years) and then online Masters(distance Education)…am I eligible for PhD?
I done my bsc computer science ,later i done mca . Then i started my carrier in ngo as social work.now i want to do phd in social work. Can i do as per my experience?
when a contract or honorary professor is eligible to guide a Ph.D scholar up to 70 years even after his/her retirement why not an Adjunct Faculty/Professor?
I did Btech in Biotechnology with 61% marks and MBA in marketing via distance learning.
I do have more than 8 years of work experience in healthcare industry.
Am I eligible for PhD in biotechnology or lifescience?
I have completed my course work then get a government job in between research work during final year and final semester of PhD. I acquire job simultaneously n did my thesis as well. So can you tell me is it correct to do PhD plus job.
when your phd duration count, from your registration or after your RDC or DRC. and what time is exact required in doing phd.
I have cleared my NET in NOV 22 and gave my pre PHD topic presentation on Dec 23 when called by university. My college did not started our PHD as we are 12 candidates and only one guide is available. My query is till how many years the NET score is valid?
Also suggest how to opt for external guide. Thanks