Change For Post Graduate Students: UGC Outsources NET Examination To CBSE

Change For Post Graduate Students: UGC Outsources NET Examination To CBSE

The UGC (University Grants Commission) has taken the decision to "outsource" the conducting of the National Eligibility Test/NET to the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education).

This examination is conducted to qualify as university-level lecturers and junior research fellowships . The proposal had been under consideration for a year and the decision was taken during the meeting of the full UGC commission.

The next NET examination to be held in December will now be overseen by the CBSE. This is the first time that this education Board will be conducting examinations for university level students.

So far, exams for secondary and school-leaving students has been conducted by the CBSE. In order to appear in the NET exams, the student must at least be a postgraduate. The UGC will share its resource persons with the CBSE for the conducting of these exams in around 80 subjects.

As per sources quoted by media reports, the decision to outsource the exam to the CBSE was made because the Board has the infrastructure for this purpose and it also conducts not only school-leaving examinations but also exams such as the All-India Engineering Examination and the All India Pre-Medical Test on a yearly basis.

The commission will also seek time from the SC to devide on the fate of 41 deemed-to-be universities that were derecognised following the 2009 Tandon Committee report recommendations. The apex court has also requested the commission to submit the report on the status of these educational institutions to the HRD department.

The decision to outsource the NET for lecturers to CBSE has been long awaited . At a meeting of the UGC Commission, it was decided that the next exam in December will be conducted by the CBSE. The decision was taken because of the sheer logistics and the requirement of infrastructure crucial for this exam.

The NET has been conducted since the year 1989 by the UGC and it is for entry level teaching jobs in the higher educational institutions of the country. The NET examination is conducted in over 80 subjects and according to a report in Economic Times as many as 20,000 applicants appear for the examination which is held twice a year in the months of June and December.

The NET examination was introduced by government notification in the year 1988. The aim was to establish minimum standards for those who want to undertake research or join the teaching profession in India.