NET E-Certificate in 6 Days!

Candidates clearing the National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) will now receive an e-certificate in just six days' time. Presently, it takes at the least six months for the University Grants Commission (UGC) to issue the certificate from the day the results are declared. The e-certificate will not just reach the candidate in six days, but it can as well be verified with the UGC in just 24 hours, as against the present verification process time period of a minimum four months!


The e-certificate initiative was launched recently by Human Resource Development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal in New Delhi. He also released a compendium of the UGC schemes on the occasion. In the compendium, 63 schemes of the UGC have been synoptically profiled, covering the objectives of each scheme, the criteria for becoming eligible to receive financial assistance from the UGC, the operational tenure of the scheme and the process of selection followed in approving the proposals, and finally the quantum of financial assistance that can be provided to execute the scheme.


The NET & the State Eligibility Test (SET) are the qualifying exams for the appointment of assistant professors at universities and colleges recognised by the UGC. NET is also the qualifying exam for UGC's junior research fellowship (JRF) scheme. The UGC guidelines for 2009 have made the qualification mandatory for teachers. The central and the state governments have given prime importance on getting all the existing teachers at universities and affiliated colleges clear either one of the two qualifying exams.


The UGC conducts the NET twice a year in June and December in 77 subjects at 74 centres across the country. While the examination for the award of JRF is being conducted since 1984, the NET is being conducted since 1989. The number of fellowships under the NET scheme has been increased from 2,000 to 6,400 per annum since 2010. In June, 2010, 10,433 candidates successfully cleared the NET for assistant professorship, including JRF. The UGC has also taken steps for online registration for the NET so that all the necessary information with regards to the candidates, including their photographs, is collected at the time of registration. The information thus collected is proposed to be used for the award of the e-certificates once the results are announced.


The NET E-Certificate will successfully solve the much time consuming verifivation process of the present as the UGC keeps receiving requests at regular intervals from various institutions seeking verification of NET certificates which are presented by candidates seeking admission to the Ph.D courses or appointment at a college or university, which takes, at the least, four months at present!