Chennai: University Grants Commission (UGC) has revised the UGC-NET (National Eligibility Test) criteria by announcing that only six per cent of total candidates appearing for the exam will qualify in future exams.
The commission also clarified that the number of candidates who will qualify by the new criteria will be more compared to the previous criteria. Earlier, top 15 per cent of those candidates in each subject and category with the minimum required marks in paper-I, paper-II and paper-III were being considered qualified based upon their category.
Kerala high court has declared that the category wise (OBC, SC and ST) qualifying marks in the NET exam as unconstitutional. Hence, the UGC has revised the criteria for qualifying candidates as such that 6 per cent of the total candidates who appear for the exam will be declared as qualified.
Around eight lakh candidates from all over the country have appeared for UGC-NET exam in January. A section of students opposed it saying the number of qualifying candidates will be brought down by the new criteria.
The commission has clarified that in the last four NET exams the qualified candidates' percentage was less than 5 per cent. It said the number of candidates who would qualify through NET exams is likely to increase.
"The earlier criteria ensured only the competent candidates were qualified through the NET exam. This new method will allow approximately 50,000 candidates in each exam to qualify. So, UGC should ensure a minimum quality among the Neet qualified candidates," said A.R. Nagarajan, secretary, NET SLET Association.
