The high hopes with which a majority of candidates
appeared for the UGC’s National Eligibility Test in June after a change
in the question paper pattern have come crashing after the publication
of results earlier this week.
For the first time, NET
was conducted in objective mode for all three papers in two sessions.
Till then, the third paper in descriptive format was not favoured by
many. However, the relief over replacement of the descriptive format
with multiple-choice questions has turned out to be short-lived.
The
adoption of new qualifying criteria by the UGC has denied thousands of
candidates an opportunity for lectureship in universities and colleges.
The
candidates blame the UGC for coming out with a last minute
specification that an aggregate of 65 per cent in three papers was
necessary for qualification for general category candidates. The
qualifying minimum was fixed at 60 and 55 per cent for OBC and
SC/ST/visually challenged/physically challenged categories.
While
the NET notification stated that the scores of only those candidates
who score the minimum specified marks would be considered for the
preparation of result, the UGC’s new criteria for qualification required
candidates in general, OBC, and SC/ST/VC/PC categories to post minimum
scores (out of 350 — 100 marks each for first and second paper, and 150
marks for third paper) of 227.5, 210, and 192.5 respectively.
So
far, corresponding scores of 155, 138 and 130 were accepted as passing
minimum for the three categories of candidates. The NET notification
stated: “Only such candidates who obtain the minimum required marks in
each paper separately, as mentioned above, will be considered for final
preparation of result. However, the final qualifying criteria for Junior
Research Fellowship (JRF) and Eligibility for Lectureship shall be
decided by UGC before declaration of result.”
The
candidates are shocked. “The result has caused depression. My efforts
have gone in vain,” lamented Gajendran, an Assistant Professor, who felt
confident about clearing NET this year, after many attempts over a
decade.
His overall score of 188 did not measure up
to UGC’s new criteria. Had the UGC struck to the pattern of passing
minimum it had been following so far, the pass percentage would have
increased manifold, said Vijayalakshmi, a professor in a private
college.
While NET/SET is the minimum eligibility for
recruitment and appointment of assistant professors in universities/
colleges/ institutions, candidates with Ph.D. in accordance with UGC
Regulations 2009, are exempted from clearing this examination.
But,
with Ph.D. turning out to be costly and time-consuming, candidates
usually devote their attention to clearing NET first before pursuing
Ph.D. Hence, their disappointment is only natural, according to S.
Iyyampillai, Professor of Economics in Bharathidasan University,
Tiruchi, who has vast experience in training candidates for NET/SET
Candidates
across the country who have not passed the NET due to the “last minute”
changes in the eligibility norms have planned to get their acts
together for legal recourse, Ms. Vijayalakshmi said.
