University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to exempt all candidates who obtained an MPhil degree on or before July 10, 2009 from clearing the National Eligibility Test (NET) to qualify for a lecturer’s job. The decision, taken at the UGC's 472nd meeting recently, comes as a huge relief for MPhil degree holders. The UGC had last year said that for the post of assistant professor it is mandatory to qualify NET. This regulation had invited strong protests from a cross-section of the academic community and also led to multiple litigations in various high courts, including the Madras high court. At its meeting, the UGC noted that the UGC Regulations of 2009/2010 "are prospective and not retrospective in nature," and therefore resolved that "all candidates having MPhil degree on or before July 10, 2009 shall remain exempted from the requirement of NET for the purpose of appointment as lecturer/assistant professor."  A copy of the minutes of the meeting furnished to a Delhi-based applicant under the Right to Information Act revealed that similar exemption shall be applicable to all candidates who have obtained a PhD degree on or before December 31, 2009. Candidates, who had registered themselves for PhD degree on or before July 10, 2009 and are subsequently awarded PhD degree, shall also enjoy the exemption from NET. The new exemption might just fill various vacancies in universities across the country that is facing serious faculty crunch. [Source: Times of India]    Ravish P.Y,                                                                                                                       Librarian,                                                                                                                       Sir M Visvesvaraya Institute of Technology, Accredited by the National Board of Accredition, New Delhi An ISO 9001:2008 Certified Institution Krishnadeveraya Nagar, Hunasamranhalli, NH-7 Via-Yelahanka, Bangalore-562 157,Karnataka,India -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.