Maharashtra ends confusion over assistant professor posts with November 6 order
By TUF News Desk · Published 9 November 2026 · 4 min read
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Universities and colleges in Maharashtra have spent more than two years reading the same government order in different ways. The question was simple enough: to become an assistant professor, does an applicant need a PhD, or is clearing NET, SET or SLET enough? On November 6, the state’s Higher and Technical Education Department issued a clarification that answers it.
The answer is that NET, SET or SLET is the minimum qualification for direct recruitment to assistant professor posts. A candidate who holds a PhD awarded under the University Grants Commission’s rules does not need to clear any of the three tests. The department has sent the clarification to the Director of Higher Education in Pune, with instructions that institutions follow it while carrying out recruitment.
How the rule changed over eight years
The confusion has a history. A UGC notification dated July 18, 2018 made a PhD compulsory for direct recruitment to assistant professor posts in universities from July 1, 2021. Maharashtra took that rule into its own system through a government resolution dated March 8, 2019.
The UGC changed its position in June 2023. A revised notification replaced the PhD requirement with NET, SET or SLET as the minimum criterion for direct recruitment. Maharashtra adopted the revised rule through a government resolution dated March 5, 2024.
The 2024 resolution left a gap. It did not spell out clearly enough how the new rule sat alongside the 2019 resolution. The November 6 letter closes that gap by stating which rule applies.
Who can skip the tests
The exemption covers PhD degrees awarded under the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil./Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2009 or 2016, including later amendments. A PhD counts as an exemption only when the degree itself followed the UGC’s rules for awarding it.
Everyone else needs one of the three tests: the National Eligibility Test run by the UGC or the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), or an equivalent UGC-accredited test such as SET or SLET. In Maharashtra, the state eligibility test is run by Savitribai Phule Pune University, and the national test is conducted through the UGC NET portal.
The clarification covers direct recruitment across the state’s universities and colleges, including large state universities such as the University of Mumbai. Institutions have been told to carry out recruitment in line with the clarified provisions, and the department expects the letter to end that uncertainty.
What aspirants should do now
For candidates, the first step is to work out which route applies to them. Those with a PhD should check whether their degree was awarded under the 2009 or 2016 UGC regulations, since that decides whether the exemption applies. Those without one need a valid NET, SET or SLET qualification before applying.
It is also worth keeping the paperwork ready. Degree certificates, the PhD award letter or the NET scorecard will be asked for during verification, and the admission documents checklist covers the same kind of paperwork that panels ask for. The UGC’s regulations are published on the official UGC website.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a PhD to become an assistant professor in Maharashtra?
No. Clearing NET, SET or SLET is the minimum qualification for direct recruitment. A PhD awarded under the UGC regulations is an alternative route, and holders of such a PhD are exempt from the tests.
Which PhD degrees are exempt from NET, SET or SLET?
PhD degrees awarded under the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil./Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2009 or 2016, including later amendments, qualify for the exemption.
What did Maharashtra clarify on November 6, 2026?
The Higher and Technical Education Department clarified that the March 5, 2024 government resolution makes NET, SET or SLET the minimum criterion for assistant professor posts, settling doubts over how it fits with the 2019 resolution.
Where can I check the official eligibility rules?
The UGC publishes its regulations on its official website, and the Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department issues the state orders. Candidates should check both before applying.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a PhD to become an assistant professor in Maharashtra?
No. Clearing NET, SET or SLET is the minimum qualification for direct recruitment. A PhD awarded under the UGC regulations is an alternative route, and holders of such a PhD are exempt from the tests.
Which PhD degrees are exempt from NET, SET or SLET?
PhD degrees awarded under the UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedure for Award of M.Phil./Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2009 or 2016, including later amendments, qualify for the exemption.
What did Maharashtra clarify on November 6, 2026?
The Higher and Technical Education Department clarified that the March 5, 2024 government resolution makes NET, SET or SLET the minimum criterion for assistant professor posts, settling doubts over how it fits with the 2019 resolution.
Where can I check the official eligibility rules?
The UGC publishes its regulations on its official website, and the Maharashtra Higher and Technical Education Department issues the state orders. Candidates should check both before applying.
Sources: NDTV Profit, Free Press Journal