New Delhi: Students pursuing a four-year undergraduate degree (FYUP) will now be able to appear for UGC NET directly. And will be able to do a PhD. This big decision has been taken by the University Grants Commission (UGC) . UGC said that to pursue PhD with or without JRF, students must have secured at least 75 percent marks or equivalent grades in a four-year undergraduate program.

In the current system, for the National Eligibility Test (NET), students need only a graduation degree with 55 percent marks. Under the new rules, now students with four-year bachelor's degrees can also appear in this examination.

According to UGC Chairman Professor M. Jagadish Kumar, students who complete the four-year undergraduate program (FYUP) and obtain a degree will be considered eligible to directly pursue a PhD. Such students can also take the NET exam. Students who complete FYUP will be allowed to appear in any subject in which they wish to pursue a PhD. It is noteworthy that these subjects may be different from those that the students have studied during FYUP.

However, UGC has also set some conditions for this. Students who have completed FYUP or are pursuing a graduation degree after completing eight semesters will be eligible for this new system. However, upon completion of the four-year degree, these students are required to have a minimum of 7 of 5 percent marks. Even where there is a system of grades instead of marks, the grade should be equal to 75 percent marks. However, some relaxation in marks can be provided to SC, ST, OBC, physically handicapped , and economically weaker section students.