Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has announced a change in its admission process for Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs, stating that it will now consider National Eligibility Test (NET) scores instead of conducting its own entrance test. This decision aligns with the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) plan to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which aims to streamline admissions through a single national entrance test.
In a notice released on Saturday, JNU referenced a UGC Public Notice dated March 27, 2024, which allows universities to use NET scores conducted by UGC and CSIR for PhD admissions. As a result, JNU has decided to utilize NET scores in place of its previous entrance test, administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA), starting from the academic session 2024-25.
This decision follows a protest by the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) at the UGC Headquarters, where they expressed concerns about how replacing the PhD Entrance Exams with NET scores could disadvantage students, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.
In response, the UGC Joint Secretary assured the JNUSU that they would discuss these concerns internally. Additionally, it was clarified that universities have the autonomy to conduct their own entrance exams.
The JNUSU plans to meet with the Director of Admissions on April 29 to request that the PhD entrance exam for this year and future years be conducted through the JNU Entrance Examination (JNUEE).
