JNU considers bringing back the internal entrance exam for PhD admission

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is thinking of going back to its customary in-house entrance exams for PhD admissions, which could mean that the National Testing Agency (NTA) will no longer be handling the test administration. This change follows the Indian government's recent decision to discontinue the UGC National Eligibility Test (NET), citing possible integrity concerns.

Just a few months prior, the university had chosen to replace the NTA entrance exam for PhD applicant selection with NET scores for admissions, in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020. But this strategy needs to be reevaluated in light of the sudden cancelation of the June 2024 NET.

Santishree D. Pandit started talking about bringing back the university's own entrance exam system on July 3. The JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) has praised the action as validation of their long-standing stance on admissions procedures.

The National Testing Agency has been administering computer-based exams for PhD admissions for the previous three years; the academic community has been increasingly critical of this practice.

JNU announced a modification to its admissions procedure for its Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs this year. According to JNU, as of the current academic year, it follows the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and accepts the National Eligibility Test (NET) score in lieu of holding its own entrance exam.

The Central Government cancelled the exam on June 19, citing concerns that “the integrity of the examination may have been compromised.” The exam was required for admission to PhD programs in universities and entry-level teaching positions.