Amidst UGC NET chaos, JNU considering u-turn to in-house entrance for PhD admission

The Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers' Association (JNUTA) announced that the university has opened the possibility of resuming the old system of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) to conduct its own entrance examinations for Ph.D. admissions by opting out of University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) scores on July 11.

The proposal surfaced following the cancellation of the UGC NET exam due to integrity concerns. Admission to PhD programs at JNU was scheduled to take place through the UGC NET 2024.

The JNUTA said that at a meeting of the vice chancellor and deans of schools on July 3, VC Santishree D. Pandit decided to revive the old method of JNU conducting its own entrance examination, the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE), for PhD admissions. However, no decision has been made yet, and the administration has just sought suggestions from stakeholders.

"JNUTA considers this to be a vindication of its long-standing position on the matter of entrance examinations as well as a positive response to the specific demand raised by it after the cancellation of the June 2024 UGC-NET Examination," the letter read.

The JNUTA said that its decision to switch to using UGC-NET scores for PhD admissions in 2024–2025 was "imposed" and not the result of deliberations among faculty members or other university authorities.

"It is too soon to anticipate that JNU is going to do away with UGC NET scores for Ph.D. admissions. We have only considered suggestions from stakeholders because the NTA will take some time to release the results of the entrance exam, and our Ph.D. admissions are being delayed as a result. Our JRF students' fellowships are also being held up due to the same," said VC Shantishree.

"Nevertheless, there are logistical issues that must be addressed in order to implement the previous entrance method, and the process will take some time. So far, we have not made a decision. If we do, we will put a notice on the university's website," she said.

The NTA canceled the UGC NET on June 19, a day after the examination took place. The exam is required for university admission to PhD programs and entry-level teaching positions. The exam was canceled in response to suggestions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that "the integrity of the examination may have been compromised."

Teachers and students at JNU have brought attention to the issues with the NTA-led exam during the past year. Teachers and students have been putting pressure on the university to take back control of administering the entrance exam.

The UGC-NET exam is crucial for determining the eligibility of Indian nationals for junior research fellowships, assistant professor positions, and admission to PhD programs in Indian universities and colleges.