Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Draft UGC (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2025, at the the University Grants Commission (UGC) headquarters today, January 6.
These Draft Regulations aim to make hiring teachers more streamlined and based on merit.
Key updates in the Draft Regulations include:
Streamlined process: Assistant professors, associate professors, and professors will be employed following a nationwide advertisement and selected by a committee.
Interdisciplinary opportunities: Candidates with undergraduate or postgraduate degrees in fields other than their PhD or National Eligibility Test/State Eligibility Test are still eligible to apply, promoting the expansion of interdisciplinary studies.
Promotion of Indian languages: The proposal encourages the publication of research and educational materials in regional languages, which will serve to advance Indian languages in higher education.
“This draft aim to transform faculty recruitment and promotion in Indian HEIs by enhancing flexibility and inclusivity. Candidates can now qualify for faculty positions based on UGC-NET performance, even if their degrees are in different disciplines, fostering a multi-disciplinary environment aligned with NEP (National Education Policy) 2020. The emphasis on Indian languages in academic publishing is another key feature,” UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumat told News18 regarding the regulations.
Stakeholders, including academicians and the general public, are invited to share their opinions on the draft regulations