Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has changed its admission procedure for its Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs. Beginning from the current academic year, JNU will use the National Eligibility Test (NET) scores for PhD admissions, replacing its previous entrance exam. This change aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The update follows a directive from the University Grants Commission (UGC) that permits universities to adopt NET scores for PhD candidates, as declared by JNU.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has announced that starting from the 2024-25 academic session, National Eligibility Test (NET) scores will replace the entrance exams, previously conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for PhD admissions. However, this shift has raised concerns among some students. The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) has expressed apprehensions that using NET scores could affect students from marginalized communities, leading to fewer research opportunities.
In response to these concerns, JNUSU organized a protest at the UGC Headquarters while raising their concerns and subsequently met with the UGC Joint Secretary. The Joint Secretary of UGC assured them that the issue would be internally reviewed and to affirm that universities still retain the autonomy to conduct their own entrance exams.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) is also set to meet with the Director of Admissions on April 29, 2024, to ask that the PhD entrance exam for this year and subsequent years be held via JNUEE, the university’s own entrance test.