The University Grants Commission (UGC) is shaking things up in higher education with its latest draft guidelines. Under the proposed changes, ME and MTech postgraduates with at least 55% marks can directly qualify for assistant professor positions without needing to clear the National Eligibility Test (NET).

Moreover, non-academic industry experts can apply for vice-chancellor posts.

These changes aim to open more doors for engineering and technology postgraduates, streamlining their entry into academic roles.

UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar explained that the UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment and Promotion of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025 will replace the existing 2018 guidelines.

CHANGES IN WHO CAN TEACH AS PER SUBJECT SPECIALISATION

Another major update allows candidates with a PhD in one subject to teach in their specialised field, even if their undergraduate or master’s degree was in a different discipline.

For example, someone with a PhD in chemistry but a bachelor's in mathematics and a master's in physics can now teach chemistry.

FLEXIBILITY IN TEACHING AND PROMOTIONS

The UGC also proposes changes to faculty promotions. The Academic Performance Indicator (API) system will no longer be used. Instead, the focus will shift to contributions such as research publications, innovative teaching methods, digital content creation, and securing research funding.