New Delhi [India], January 6 (ANI): Candidates can qualify for faculty positions at higher institutions by clearing the UGC-NET in a subject of their choice, even if their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees are in different disciplines, as per the UGC’s new draft guidelines.
The guidelines for the appointment of faculty in higher institutions were released by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday, and also changes the selection process for vice-chancellors, such as expanding eligibility criteria to include professionals from academia, research institutions, public policy, public administration, and industry.
As per the guidelines, the subject of the Ph.D. degree precedes the disciplines studied in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees for faculty selections.
Dharmendra Pradhan, while addressing the audiences said that these draft reforms and guidelines will infuse innovation, inclusivity, flexibility and dynamism in every aspect of higher education, empower teachers and academic staff, strengthen academic standards and pave the way for achieving educational excellence.
The Minister mentioned that the Draft Regulations, 2025, have been placed in the public domain for feedback, suggestions, and consultations. He expressed confidence that the UGC will soon publish the Draft Regulations, 2025, in their final form, driving transformations in the education system and propelling the country towards Viksit Bharat 2047 through quality education and research.
In the commission meeting held on December 23 last year, UGC approved Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations.
“This is an important flexibility to remove rigid subject boundaries and allow faculty applicants to transition across disciplines, creating a more multi-disciplinary eco-system within University campuses as envisaged in NEP 2020,” UGC Chairman M. Jagadesh Kumar told ANI.
The 2025 guidelines also mark the discontinuation of the Academic Performance Indicator (API) system from the 2018 regulations, replacing it with a qualitative approach to candidate evaluation.
Selection committees will now assess broader academic contributions, such as innovative teaching methodologies, sustainability practices, entrepreneurial achievements, and promoting Indian languages and knowledge systems, as per the guidelines assessed by ANI.
The Academic Performance Indicator (API) system in the 2018 regulations heavily relied on quantitative metrics, reducing academic performance to numerical scores, the UGC chairperson said.
“In the previous regulations, candidates were often judged primarily on numerical criteria, such as journal or conference publication counts,” Jagadesh said.
In the draft guidelines, specialised recruitment pathways have been introduced for fields like Yoga, Music, Performing Arts, and Sports, ensuring that professionals with outstanding skills or achievements can join academia
Moreover, revamped criteria for vice-chancellor selection aim to strengthen governance by including professionals from academia, public policy, administration, and industry.
“These regulations also provide clear guidelines on the composition of the VC’s search-cum-selection committee, tenure, age limits, eligibility for reappointment, and who can form the search-cum-selection committee,” the UGC chairperson said.
The new regulations will apply to Central, State, Private and Deemed Universities. (ANI)
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