new rules for phd

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UGC approves use of National Eligibility Test (NET) scores for PhD admissions from 2024-25 session

The announcement came following the 578th ugc meeting held on march 13, where an expert committee's recommendations were considered. the net is conducted twice a year, in june and december, to award junior research fellowships (jrf) and select assistant professors for those holding master's degrees.

In a move aimed at streamlining the admission process for doctoral programs, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced that scores from the National Eligibility Test (NET) will be valid for PhD admissions starting from the 2024-25 academic session. This decision aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and addresses the challenges faced by candidates who currently have to write multiple entrance exams conducted by various universities for PhD admissions. PhD admission will be done based on UGC NET, and no separate exams will be required as per Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, the UGC chairman.

The announcement came following the 578th UGC meeting held on March 13, where an expert committee's recommendations were considered. The NET is conducted twice a year, in June and December, to award Junior Research Fellowships ( JRF ) and select Assistant Professors for those holding master's degrees.

Jagadesh Kumar stated that the National Testing Agency (NTA) is planning to launch the application process for the June 2024 NET session next week. "From the academic session 2024-2025, all universities can use NET scores for admission to PhD programs in place of entrance tests conducted by different universities/HEIs," Kumar posted on X.

Under the new rules, candidates who qualify for the UGC NET will be eligible for three categories:

• PhD admission with JRF and assistant professor posts
• PhD admission without JRF and for assistant professor posts
• Admission to PhD programs only

However, it's important to note that for creating a merit list for PhD admissions, 70 per cent weightage will be given to the UGC NET scores, while the remaining 30 per cent will be based on interviews.

The UGC NET June 2024 notification is expected to be released soon on the official website at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. It's worth noting that NET scores remain valid for one year.

This move by the UGC aims to provide a unified and streamlined process for PhD admissions across universities, reducing the burden on candidates who previously had to prepare for multiple entrance exams. By recognizing the national-level NET scores, the commission hopes to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of doctoral programs in the country.

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UGC notifies new regulations on PhD degrees, here's what has changed

The ugc has announced new norms for phd degrees that include significant modifications to the qualifications for admission, the application process, and the evaluation procedures.

•  Students who have completed a four-year

UGC committee to grant 'degree' status to several new courses: Report

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Explainer: What are UGC’s new PhD eligibility criteria?

UGC has drawn up new rules for PhD admission, eligibility and programme to bring them in line with NEP 2020. Here’s what changes.

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R. Radhika | November 15, 2022 | 03:17 PM IST

NEW DELHI: After proposing amendments to the existing guidelines for PhD programmes in March, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has now made extensive changes in regulations on PhD admissions.

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As per the revised PhD eligibility criteria, candidates with a four-year undergraduate degree with a minimum 75% marks or its equivalent grade will be eligible for a PhD.

Such candidates can register after completing a one-year master’s programme after a four-year bachelor’s programme. Students who have completed a conventional three-year bachelor’s degree must complete a two-year master’s degree programme with at least 55% marks or its equivalent grade to be eligible.

Currently, several universities ask for MPhil dissertation for admission to PhD programmes, however, the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) does not endorse the degree. By scrapping MPhil, a preparatory degree for PhD programmes, in the new regulations UGC has aligned the admission requirements with the NEP 2020.

One of the primary changes is the scrapping of 2016 regulations that made publishing a research paper in a peer-reviewed publication a requirement for a PhD. A section of students has called the step one that could “hamper academic rigour” as well as impedes inclusivity in higher education. Despite the relaxation, the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has urged the backward class PhD aspirants to work on producing quality research papers .

The UGC has asked higher educational institutes to initiate steps to implement new PhD regulation on Monday.

Also Read| Central institutions contribute over 70 percent of research in India: BHU Study

What are the changes in the PhD admission process?

The UGC has dropped the plan to reserve 60 percent of the total seats for applicants who have qualified the National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) or Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Universities and colleges will admit students through the NET or JRF entrance route as well as institute-level entrance exams.

The institute-level entrance test, however, must assign 70% weightage to the entrance test scores and 30% to the performance in the interview or viva-voce. “The entrance test syllabus shall consist of 50% of research methodology, and 50% shall be subject specific,” the new guidelines state.

In the entire duration of the PhD programme, female candidates will be eligible for a maternity leave or child care leave for up to 240 days.

Can MPhil students apply for PhD?

Even though MPhil has been scrapped in the new regulations, the UGC has made provisions for PhD admissions for those who already have an Mphil degree. Candidates who have completed M.Phil. programmes with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a foreign educational institute will be eligible for admission to PhD programme in India.

A relaxation of 5% marks has been provided to students who belong to historically marginalised Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Castes communities. The same relaxation has also been given to differently-abled, and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students as well.

How will research supervisors be allocated in PhD?

Like before, eligible professors, associate professors and assistant professors can continue to guide up to eight, six, and four PhD candidates respectively at any given time.

In case of interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary research work, if required, UGC rules allow engaging a co-supervisor from outside the department, college or university.

Teachers with less than three years of service before superannuation will not be allowed to take new research scholars under their supervision. However, they can continue to supervise PhD scholars as co-supervisors before attaining the age of 70.

Earlier, teachers were allowed to take up MPhil students along with PhD scholars. After the new rules come into force, this will be discontinued. The new rules also allow supervisors to guide up to two international research scholars on a supernumerary basis “over and above the permitted number of PhD scholars”.

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What are the new PhD academic requirements?

A PhD scholar will have to earn a minimum of 12 credits which should include a course in “research

and publication ethics”. As per the latest UGC regulations, a PhD candidate will have to appear before a research advisory committee to make a presentation and submit a brief report on the progress for evaluation every semester. In case the progress is unsatisfactory, the committee will “record the reasons” and suggest corrective measures.

All scholars will mandatorily have to undergo training in teaching, education, pedagogy or writing related to their chosen PhD subject. For this, four to six weeks will be assigned to earn credits.

To retain research integrity, the UGC regulations also direct institutions to use “ well-developed software” applications to detect plagiarism in research work. In 2018, the ministry of education had notified stringent measures to counter the long-standing issue of plagiarism in PhD thesis.

What are the part-time PhD UGC guidelines?

The eligibility conditions are the same for both full-time and part-time candidates. Like the former, the part-time candidates will also be assessed every semester.

In addition, the PhD candidates will also have to produce a no-objection certificate or NOC from their employer to be eligible. The NOC must specify that they will be given sufficient time for research work and they will be allowed to take time off to complete the course work.

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Open Access

Ten simple rules for aspiring graduate students

* E-mail: [email protected] (AIL); [email protected] (EG)

Affiliations Division of Anaesthesia, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Affiliation Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Affiliation Department of Psychology and Centre for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America

Affiliation Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Affiliation Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

• Andrea I. Luppi, 
• Charlotte Coco Newton, 
• Lynde Folsom, 
• Elisa Galliano, 
• Rafael Romero-Garcia

Published: August 19, 2021

• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009276
• Reader Comments

Citation: Luppi AI, Newton CC, Folsom L, Galliano E, Romero-Garcia R (2021) Ten simple rules for aspiring graduate students. PLoS Comput Biol 17(8): e1009276. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009276

Editor: Russell Schwartz, Carnegie Mellon University, UNITED STATES

Copyright: © 2021 Luppi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Funding: The authors acknowledge the support of the Gates Cambridge Trust [AIL], Cancer Research UK [RRG], Alzheimer’s Society [CCN], Merck [CCN], and the Isaac Newton Trust [EG]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

Several supervillains have higher degrees—why don’t you? There can be a variety of reasons for wanting to go to grad school and for applying to a particular school and program. But often, one can only tell apart good and bad reasons from hindsight. Failing at something is perhaps the best way to know what can go wrong and what advice would have been useful when considering graduate school applications. We should know one of us started grad school 4 separate times, and another learned what a PhD was only after having started one. One of us lost 2 supervisors before even starting to write her thesis, and yet another accepted a PhD offer from the lab where she was working, without considering any alternatives; finally, one of us had applied to graduate schools for 5 years (with 19 rejections) before finally landing a PhD offer from their dream school. We hope that our hard-earned lessons will help you to avoid some of the pitfalls that we ourselves fell prey to. In this article, we address how to choose a graduate program, how to apply strategically, and some of the key challenges that may arise along the way toward graduate school. Conveniently, our advice can be summarized as 10 simple rules … so here they are.

Wait, you might think, there is already a PLOS Computational Biology article entitled “Ten Simple Rules for Graduate Students” [ 1 ]. Indeed, to foreshadow the Conclusions of this article, you should read that article! However, there are a number of important challenges that are specific to aspiring grad students: Should you attend graduate school in the first place? If so, what degree should you pursue? How to choose the right institution—or even the right country? Nowadays, an increasing number of countries across the world have established competitive graduate programs with English as the official language, aiming to attract international talent: Such a dazzling variety can be seemingly overwhelming. And, even once these choices are made, how does an aspiring graduate student become an admitted graduate student?

In other words, the excellent advice in “Ten Simple Rules for Graduate Students” [ 1 ] is primarily about being a grad student—whereas the article you are now reading is intended to help you in figuring out whether, where, and how to become a graduate student in the first place. So this is not a reboot of the 2007 article; it is a prequel.

Rule 1: Choose who you want to be

Not all grad students are pursuing a doctorate, and not all those who are, are working toward a PhD ( Box 1 ). As an article in PLOS Computational Biology , we expect that many readers may be considering a PhD or master’s degree in the sciences—but medical school, law school, and other advanced degrees can be substantially different from a PhD (just as a science PhD may be substantially different from a humanities PhD). Although we hope that much the advice in this article will be broadly applicable, we note that it is primarily written from the perspective of biological science PhD and master’s degrees.

So the first rule for aspiring grad students is to know what kind of grad student you are aspiring to be. And in reality, nobody aspires to be “a graduate student.” An undergraduate degree is education—part of your development as a well-rounded individual, and, therefore, arguably worth pursuing for its own sake. Graduate school, we would argue, is professional training: a means to an end. Those who attend medical school or law school don’t do so to be there: They do so to one day practice medicine or law. A master’s degree is a way to expand one’s skills and credentials in preparation for future study or employment, whether by deepening expertise in a familiar area or branching out to a new field. And a PhD is—in its broadest sense—a training toward independent thought and research. Although a PhD is a prerequisite for a career as a professor or principal investigator (PI), academia is by far not the only option for PhD holders—or even the most likely (see other articles in the Ten Simple Rules series on this topic). Therefore, consider carefully what is your end goal, as that is the fundamental determinant of what kind of graduate degree you should pursue—if any at all. Above all, be honest with yourself.

Rule 2: Identify gaps to fill

If graduate school is a means to an end, then the right program (and degree type) for you is the one that best bridges the gap between who you are and who you want to be. This is, fundamentally, your reason for attending graduate school: You need to fill some gap in knowledge, skill, or qualification (broadly understood). So, perform a “gap analysis” [ 2 ]: Identify the gaps in your training, skills, knowledge, and credentials that you need to fill—letting this guide your choice of graduate program and where to pursue it. For example, a master’s degree can be focused on coursework and/or research, and a conversion course to change fields will be different from a specialization course in your field of interest—choosing between these options will benefit from an understanding of what gaps in your training you need to fill. Note that this does not need to be extremely specific: “I want to learn to do innovative research,” “I want to investigate cancer biology,” or “I want to acquire the qualification X that will allow me to apply to my dream job Y” may suffice as reasons for pursuing a graduate degree. This being said, the more specific your understanding of what you want to get out of graduate school, the more you will be able to narrow down on the right program.

In particular, PhD programs can vary substantially not just in their length (see below) but also in what they offer: Some require a choice of supervisor from the outset; others involve “rotations” in different labs (short periods of research intended to familiarize a student with a lab’s techniques, scientific questions, and environment, and help in the choice of supervisor). Some will involve coursework, others won’t. Working as a teaching assistant is typically a requirement in some countries (e.g., the US), but not in others. Be sure to look beyond a program’s label: For interdisciplinary fields such as neuroscience, programs and departments don’t always have “neuroscience” in the title, but neuroscientists can be found in departments ranging from medicine to psychology, engineering, and beyond; indeed, many institutions have interdepartmental programs for fields such as neuroscience, systems biology, or biomedical sciences. Be sure you understand what you need, and find a program that fills those gaps—ideally without filling your time with additional requirements you don’t need. These obligations will consume much of your time, so take seriously how you would like your time spent while in grad school.

If going for a PhD, you will also need to be able to identify another kind of gap: gaps in your field that you can fill with your research. Doctoral programs and institutions differ in when (and whether) they require their students to come up with a research proposal: In many cases, this is right at the point of application. In other cases, it is after completion of various qualifying exams. In yet other cases, the PhD funding is tied to a specific project set by the PI from the start. Of course, part of PhD training is about developing the required skills to find such gaps and learn to fill them: This is a valuable set of skills, and, indeed, acquiring them can be a worthy reason for embarking on a PhD program. Nevertheless, we would argue that it is helpful to have a burning “big picture” question that you want answered, and, ideally, a specific hypothesis that drives your learning and gives it direction [ 1 ]—while being aware that research questions naturally evolve as the research itself takes place and as a function of the lab’s direction. Keep track of the questions that spark your curiosity (literally, jot them down in a journal!): among them may lie the topic of your dissertation.

Rule 3: Find a mentor who can help you fill those gaps

The idea of a PhD is based on the model of apprenticeship: You train under a recognized master of the profession for many years to learn their ways. However, academic research is driven by curiosity and passion (or so we would hope), and even in the same department, each individual will differ in what they are enthusiastic about. So, when you apply to a PhD program, ensure that there is at least 1 faculty member (and ideally more) whose interests you share and whose ways you wish to learn: not just their research techniques, but also their broader approach to science, mentoring, and academic life [ 3 – 5 ]. Note that this advice does not just apply to PhD applicants, but also to those wishing to pursue a master’s degree that is fully or heavily research based.

In addition to the hands-on versus hands-off continuum in supervision style, consider also academic seniority: Although your supervisor’s standing will be important in helping you get a job after graduate school [ 6 ], senior academics often have more demands on their time and may have less time to mentor individual students (especially if they run large labs). In contrast, a junior PI with a smaller lab may have more time and more recent experience with hands-on research and is likely to have more at stake in your success—but they may be less well connected and less experienced at managing a lab. Proactively considering the trade-offs between these aspects, and matching them to your own preferences, will help to ensure that you get the mentor that’s right for you [ 1 ].

Pay attention to where graduate students are on a supervisor’s papers: Do they get first-author publications, or are they relegated to the acknowledgments? Where do they end up after grad school—and how does that match with where you would like to end up? Contacting former students is a great way to find out about the lab’s culture: You can think of this as getting (informal) references on the supervisor, just as they are getting references on you from former mentors (more on this below).

Some programs require you to apply to work with a specific supervisor from the outset, whereas in other cases, the choice of lab is made later (especially for programs with a component of rotations, which can involve faculty from different departments). Rotations can be invaluable to “try out” a lab’s culture and a supervisor’s management style, but do not blindly assume that in any given institution there will be someone that you will enjoy working with: rather, make sure of it from the moment of application. Be aware that academics can move institutions, retire, or fail to get tenure: So, if possible, ensure that there is more than 1 faculty member whose lab you would be excited to join.

Do not be afraid to email your prospective supervisors and pitch an idea to them: You never know if spare funding or open-ended positions are available. Write a polite and concise email, tailored to the individual recipient and demonstrating your engagement with their specific research. Generic or copy-pasted emails will get you nowhere, but academics will appreciate genuine interest in their work.

Rule 4: Fit over fame: Do not just choose where you want to “have gone”

Whether this ought to be the case or not, it is hard to deny that holding a degree from a prestigious institution will contribute to your “star power” and subsequent job prospects [ 6 , 7 ]—whether in academia or elsewhere. However, choosing a less suitable program just because of the school’s name will likely do you a disservice. Passion and the right environment breed excellence [ 1 , 8 ], and excellence shines on any CV, no matter where it was achieved.

A good fit (broadly defined—more on this below) will be key to keep you motivated throughout your graduate studies, because each step will feel like a step in the right direction: The direction of the goal that led you to attend graduate school in the first place. In contrast, a poor fit will sap your energy and motivation, potentially leading to burnout [ 9 , 10 ]. This is especially true for doctoral degrees, which typically take many years of intense and sustained effort ( Box 1 ). Of course, no program is ever perfect, and you will have to “make the best of the courses you have at hand” [ 11 ] to some extent. However, if there is a systematic misalignment between your program and your personal goals and interests, you run the risk of losing your enthusiasm even for the things that brought you to grad school in the first place. So, make sure that your chosen program sparks your enthusiasm and that the department, lab, and mentor will share and nourish this enthusiasm.

Box 1. Grad school ≠ doctorate ≠ PhD.

• Graduate (grad) school: Any institution offering postgraduate degrees (i.e., requiring an undergraduate degree), such as doctorates and master’s degrees. Note that in the United States, law school and medical school are graduate schools, whereas in other countries, they are not, since medicine and law courses begin as undergraduate degrees.
• Doctorate: Any postgraduate degree conferring the title of “doctor.” This includes the PhD (“Philosophiae Doctor,” Latin for “doctor of philosophy”), but also the MD (doctor of medicine, typically granted by a medical school) and the JD (“Juris Doctor,” doctor of law, typically granted by a law school), among others.
• PhD: A postgraduate doctoral degree (sometimes instead abbreviated as DPhil) involving the completion of a substantial body of research in a specific academic discipline, conducted during several years of training under the supervision of an expert in the field. A PhD is a near-universal prerequisite for a career as a professor or PI.

So, a “graduate student” may be studying for a PhD or another type of doctorate, or, more broadly, any other kind of postgraduate degree, e.g., a master’s degree.

Of course, we acknowledge that it is not feasible to thoroughly research every faculty member from every program at every possible institution. Knowing what kind of program would suit your training needs (Rule 2) can be a good way to quickly narrow down your options (see also Rule 5 below about the importance of location). Likewise, if you already know what topic you want to pursue for your research, this can help to focus your search. Nevertheless, trade-offs between the depth and breadth of your search will inevitably emerge. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, we would argue that the importance of fit means that it is advisable to make fewer but more carefully crafted applications (see also Rule 7 below).

Rule 5: Choose a place where you can see yourself living

This is the other side of the “fit” question in Rule 4: You go to grad school to experience both professional and personal growth, so choosing a place where you can see yourself (and your family, if you have one) living and thriving for a number of years is key. Does the institution foster an inclusive community while respecting and welcoming diversity? More simply, will you feel safe and supported enough to be your fully creative and engaged self?

More broadly, consider also the geographical aspects: climate, culture, language, recreational and sport opportunities, proximity to nature or to big cities, and distance from home: Will you have access to what you need to de-stress and replenish your mental resources [ 5 ]? What kind of healthcare will be available, and will you be able to afford it? These are just some of the considerations that should factor into your decision, as well as job opportunities for your partner, availability of childcare, and the opportunity to settle permanently, if applicable to your situation. Likewise, law and medicine qualifications differ by countries, so the place where you attend graduate school may have a large impact on where you will be able to practice your profession. In summary, do not overlook the placement of the program in the world, beyond academia.

Rule 6: Time is money—Invest both wisely

Although scholarships and other sources of funding can be available to cover the living expenses of a single student ( Box 2 ), grad students are not known for living in luxury. So treat the decision to attend graduate school for what it is: a multiyear financial investment, for which you need to plan accordingly. Consider carefully (and well in advance!) the available funding options—both within and outside of the specific institution (e.g., government scholarships; Box 2 ).

Box 2. Funding your graduate studies.

Graduate students typically need funding to cover (i) tuition fees; and (ii) living expenses (which may include health insurance and other costs). Although self-funding (e.g., through loans) can be an option, funding for a PhD or master’s degree can also come from different sources.

• Scholarship/fellowship/award: Although the name can vary by country and institution, this is when some entity pays for your tuition fees and/or living expenses. Many countries have some funding of this kind available, and so do many universities—often on a competitive basis and with specific eligibility criteria. Charitable foundations are another potential source of this kind of funding.
• Studentship/pre-funded project: A department or individual researcher may have secured funding for a PhD student to work on a specific research project, for example, as part of a grant they obtained.
• Research/teaching assistantship: Tuition and/or stipend are provided in exchange for services rendered to the department, such as assisting with teaching duties, or working as a laboratory technician/assistant alongside one’s PhD work.

Note that legal status of your funding (e.g., taxable versus tax free) can vary by country; likewise, in some countries, graduate students who perform research or contribute to teaching activities are classed as employees, whereas in other countries, they are not. Finally, some countries allow international students to work outside of campus while enrolled on a graduate course, whereas others do not or have limits.

It is also important to be aware that the cost of a graduate degree can vary enormously by country, institution, and degree type: Some countries have minimal or even no fees (e.g., tuition fees in several West European ones countries are less than $1,000 USD per year); others can have price tags of several tens of thousands of USD. Note that despite their shorter duration, the cost for master’s degrees can exceed that of PhDs, sometimes by a substantial margin.

In particular, PhDs can vary considerably in duration, with US PhDs taking sometimes twice as long as the same qualification in other countries (e.g., 6 to 7 years, or even longer in the humanities, compared with 3 to 4 years in many other countries). If what you want from a PhD is learning to carry out independent research, and credentials that demonstrate it, then a shorter PhD should suffice to achieve this. A longer PhD will give you more time to carry out long-term projects and accumulate publications, which may be desirable if a career in academia is your end goal—although this can be made up through longer postdoctoral training. The length of your permanence in graduate school(s) will have important financial implications: As the old adage goes, “time is money” [ 11 ]. So be aware of the differences, then choose what most suits your needs and aspirations.

Consider also whether you need a master’s degree first. In many countries, higher education is organized in a 3 tiers system: Undergraduate studies are followed by a master’s degree (often 2-year long), and only then a student becomes eligible to apply for a PhD. However, this is not always the case: In the United Kingdom, for instance, it is often possible to skip the second step and obtain a PhD within 3 years of finishing one’s undergraduate degree. Moreover, several countries offer integrated master’s-plus-PhD programs. Besides fulfilling eligibility requirements, one needs to consider that a master’s degree (or working as a lab manager/research assistant) can be a great way to try out life in a new place (see Rule 5 for the importance of this) and assess whether you truly enjoy the day-to-day aspects of life as a grad student. However, beware of using the master’s route as an excuse to simply put off committing to a PhD: Being honest with yourself is your best policy [ 6 ]. On the other hand, a master’s degree can represent a valuable investment also for those who have no intention of pursuing a PhD afterwards, in terms of acquiring desirable skill and qualifications—but beware that a shorter duration may not always translate to lower cost ( Box 2 ).

Rule 7: Your admission should be a win for everyone

Graduate school admissions are not just an investment on your part: When a program accepts a graduate student, the department and the broader institution are committing to many years’ worth of support for your development and research. More concretely, faculty members are committing to have you as their junior colleague for many years. Mentor–mentee relationships often last even beyond the end of graduate school, sometimes spanning decades. Students can have a substantial impact on a lab’s research direction, but also on the broader departmental and campus culture (from open science practices to public engagement), in virtue of their personality, contribution to teaching, and involvement in departmental or student committees.

So, it is wise to demonstrate your appreciation for these subtler but crucial aspects of what goes into an admissions decision. When writing your statement of motivation (see Box 3 and Rule 8), don’t only tell the committee why that program is right for you. Instead, be sure to also demonstrate why they should want you to join their department and community. Are you collaborative and helpful, the kind of colleague who can support and inspire those around them? Cohort composition can be an important factor in determining who will be admitted: You need to convince the admissions committee that you will contribute to the success and thriving of other people in your cohort and your lab and to the broader community of the department. In other words, convince them that they want to have you around, not just that you want to be around them!

Box 3. Components of a typical graduate application package.

The requirements for application can vary by country and institution, and we recommend that you check them well in advance. For instance, some institutions may require standardized testing such as the Graduate Record Exam [ 12 ], and you will need to arrange for those to be completed before the application deadline. Here, we focus on some aspects that tend to be common across many countries, institutions, and degrees.

• Statement of purpose/motivation statement/letter of intent: This is a document, typically in essay style, where the applicant conveys their suitability for the program and institution, drawing on their own personal interests and trajectory.
• Research proposal: Typically required for PhDs that involve directly joining a lab to work on a specific project defined by the applicant. This document outlines the rationale for the project and how the applicant intends to address it. Typically, when a research proposal is required, the applicant also needs to have identified a relevant supervisor to develop the research proposal together (as a necessary but not sufficient condition for admission).
• Curriculum vitae/resume: A comprehensive but succinctly written list of the applicant’s education and employment history (classes taken and grades) and achievements—often accompanied by official degree transcripts.
• Recommendation letters/letters of support: Letters from former employers or academic advisors detailing why (and whether) the applicant is suitable for the position and how they rank in relation to their peer cohort.
• Interview: Shortlisted candidates may be invited (in person or online) to 1 or more interviews, which may also include a campus visit or other orientation activities. Interviews may be with a panel or a single faculty member and may involve a presentation by the candidate (e.g., of a project that they have been involved with in the past, of the research project that they proposed for the PhD, or a paper that the interview panel has selected).
• Bureaucracy: International applicants often face additional hurdles that can be costly and time consuming. Although this will be country specific, 2 common requirements include visas and language tests (if you are not a native speaker of English and/or the local language). We emphasize the need to consider these aspects well in advance to give yourself the time to prepare and meet the requirements.

Rule 8: Show, don’t tell: Build synergy between CV and motivation statement

Your statement of purpose or motivation is a major factor to getting an interview for grad school and your first real opportunity to show who you are and what you want. Being an academic is a multifaceted profession that encompasses not only research but also teaching, leadership, teamwork, and communication. What unique experiences, skills, and perspectives do you bring to the role? Get into the mindset that you are the asset they want, and demonstrate it with specific examples. Your statement is also an excellent way to show that you are serious about the department’s investment in you, by showing that you have already invested time and effort in them. So, don’t just copy web page slogans, spend time to research the program and department and how you fit within it thoroughly, and let this be reflected in a targeted, well-polished statement (Rules 7–9 from “Ten Simple Rules for Writing a Postdoctoral Fellowship” will come to your aid here [ 13 ]). Tell your own story, not what you think the assessors want to read.

A near-universal principle of successful statements is “show, don’t tell”—especially if you are writing for a panel of academics, who are trained to abhor unsubstantiated claims. Anyone can type the words “I am hardworking and motivated,” but not everyone can provide evidence of hard-won achievements, adversities overcome, or lessons learned from failure and having the grit to get back up [ 14 ]. So let the facts speak for themselves.

Beware, though: Your statement should not be redundant with your CV, which the admissions committee will also have. Instead, aim to build synergy between statement and CV. The statement is your own description of your academic arc and of how it leads to grad school as the logical next step. It’s your chance to guide the committee’s interpretation of your CV and provide context: What are the most salient elements, and what do they say about how you meet the criteria for becoming a successful graduate student? How competitive was that prize you won, and what qualities does it reflect? How did you manage to do well in your classes while also being a high-performing athlete? You can think of your CV as the Results section of a paper, providing the facts and evidence, and your statement as the Discussion [ 15 ]. An evidence-based statement will also help you to steer clear of both arrogance and false modesty, neither of which will serve you well.

Finally, identify carefully who could write a good letter of recommendation for you. Good letters will build on your specific personal arc and add evidence of your abilities and suitability as a graduate student, so choose writers who (i) know you well; and (ii) can speak from a position of authority about your strengths as a future academic/lawyer/clinician. Be sure to send them your CV and motivation statement (with plenty of time!), so that they can write targeted recommendations that enhance the synergy of your entire application package.

Rule 9: Make the most of your interviews

Based on our experience with graduate school interviews across many institutions and countries, we suggest that the criterion for determining whether an interview went well should not be whether you get an offer in the end, but rather whether you had a good conversation. The faculty may seek to push you, to see how you respond to an intellectual challenge—not unlike a departmental seminar. Of course, you are applying to become a student, so it is okay to admit that you don’t know something—it’s a chance to demonstrate your genuine desire to find out the answer. However, being genuine does not mean being unprepared: Practice mock interviews, and if possible, find out who will be interviewing you, and become familiar with their interests and perspectives to make sure you can have an engaging conversation. And remember: You’re interviewing them too, as you are also trying to assess if this is the program that you want to attend. So don’t lose sight of this objective.

Likewise, this may be your chance to meet other applicants and current graduate students: Your peers who may become future friends and collaborators will be an important determinant of your experience in graduate school. Above all, remember: An interview is a chance to spend time with the undivided attention of some leading experts in your subject, talking about your field of interest. So try to enjoy this opportunity!

Rule 10: Learn to fail, and learn from failure

Realize that grad school applications are themselves part of learning how to be an academic. A PhD application is a request for an institution to invest time and money in you, so that you can pursue a topic you’re passionate about. At its core, this is the cornerstone of an academic’s life: a grant proposal (even more so in cases where a specific research proposal is required as part of the application).

Like with grant applications, you are competing for a limited number of resources with many well-qualified people, and many of them will be just as talented and motivated as you (and they may even have read this very article!). Like grantmakers, admissions committees have to make very difficult decisions: Departmental politics come into play, as does the overall composition of the cohort. In the end, admissions committees consist of human beings, who can be tired or hungry and even—dare we say it—make mistakes. Sometimes, with graduate applications, failure really isn’t about you.

Failure is the bread and butter of a researcher’s life [ 16 ]. So be prepared for failure, and plan accordingly: Play the numbers game (but make sure you only apply for places that you genuinely want to take!), and set up backup options that you can fall back to while you prepare for the next round of applications. Beyond the sting of rejection, there may be a lesson to be learned and an occasion to improve. Solicit feedback, then revise and recycle your application [ 13 , 15 ]: Remember, all of your next applications will be better as a result of each single rejection!

Knowing how to turn failure into growth is itself a skill that needs to be cultivated, and it will be invaluable in any career path. So learn to fail well: Find a way to learn from your mistakes, to make better mistakes tomorrow. And remember that in the end, you only need 1 successful application—even if it comes after 19 rejections.

Conclusions

We hope the rules outlined here will help you decide whether to go to graduate school, and, if so, where and how to apply. If you get that coveted letter that says “Congratulations”—go celebrate! But then, before you start, make sure you set aside some time to read “Ten Simple Rules for Graduate Students” [ 1 ] and “Ten Simple Rules for Finishing Your PhD” [ 17 ] and learn about the potential opportunities and pitfalls facing you in your next career step. Many articles in the “Ten simple rules” series are designed with that preparation in mind, so take advantage of these resources. There isn’t (yet) an article with “Ten simple rules for learning to fail”—but this article itself is the fruit of our failures, leading us to realize what we wish we had known when we were aspiring grad students. Following the 10 simple rules laid out here won’t protect you from failure, but it will allow you to avoid some of the classic failure modes—leaving you free to fail in more interesting and informative ways. Welcome to grad school!

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the mentorship of Emmanuel Stamatakis and David Menon, Joshua Buckholtz and Joshua Greene, Katie Warnaby, Tim Vogels, Everton Agnes, Kate Nation, MaryAnn Noonan, Nicola Byrom, Abbie Pringle, Dennis Chan, Russell Poldrack, Chris De Zeeuw, Freek Hoebeek, Edward Bullmore, and John Suckling. We also wish to thank Helena Gellersen, Hanna Tolle, Robert Chavez, Marcio Morales, and Sydney Cash for insightful discussions about graduate school and broader career advice, as well as the aspiring graduate students who attended our workshops about graduate school applications, whose questions helped to shape the advice in this paper. Finally, we are grateful to Dervila Glynn and Cambridge Neuroscience for giving us the occasion to meet and for their continuous and invaluable support.

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24 Apr, 2024 | 3:14 PM IST

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UGC amends rules for PhD admissions

The ugc has declared that beginning with the academic year 2024-25, phd students will be given admission based on their national eligibility test (net) scores.

In a landmark decision made by the University Grants Commission (UGC), aspirants for PhD admission will not be required to take university entrance exams.

The UGC has declared that beginning with the academic year 2024-25, PhD students will be given admission based on their National Eligibility Test (NET) scores.

The UGC Council approved new guidelines for PhD admissions under the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020. According to these guidelines, NET qualifiers will be eligible for three categories. Students with the highest NET scores will be placed in Category 1.

They will also be eligible for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), an assistant professorship, and PhD admission and fellowship.

They would have to give an interview for PhD admission, which will be based on UGC regulations 2022.

Following that, students with the highest percentage will be placed in the second group. These students will be considered for assistant professorship and PhD admissions.

Students who pass the exam but with a lower percentage will be placed in category 3. The candidate’s rank will be included in the final result certificate.

“For PhD admission, the net percentage of candidates in categories 2 and 3 will be considered for 70% weightage, while the interview will be weighted at 30%. The NET score in both categories will be valid for one year only, and if they do not participate in the PhD programme within that time frame, they will be ineligible for it. According to the circular released by UGC on Thursday, the candidate would have to retake the NET examination.

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New Delhi: Academicians are wary of the University Grants Commission (UGC)’s latest regulation which says that students who have completed a four-year undergraduate course can now directly pursue a doctoral degree. Academics say these students will have no research experience and will be lost in the first few years of their study.

Another argument raised by academicians was that the implementation of the four-year undergraduate programme, as devised under the National Education Policy (NEP), has not been brought into effect in all universities. Since this undergraduation is a prerequisite for a direct entry into the PhD program, current students will have to continue to pursue a Master’s degree to be eligible for the same.

Rohit, Assistant Professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), said that in the Indian higher education system, every programme has served a purpose. The bachelors course introduces the student to a subject, master’s offers a specialisation, an M.Phil degree gives them an interim training to conduct research and then ultimately the PhD helps them establish themselves as a subject matter expert. The latest regulations disrupt this structure.

He said “It does seem like the UGC is trying to emulate the American system of an integrated PhD but it stands to do more damage than good. Without specialised knowledge in a discipline, no student can write a doctoral research paper, be it a humanities or a sciences student.”

Adding that the move will discourage students from joining doctoral programs, he argued “At JNU we have seen the academic rigour of students improve with time and degrees. Students who have not had excellent education in their undergraduate degree will naturally shy away from going for a doctorate when they are not able to perform on par with their contemporaries in their graduate degree courses or masters courses itself.”

Also Read: ‘Need well-rounded professionals’ — why IITs, IIMs & IIITs are giving humanities a new thrust

Removal of M.Phil, master’s programmes 

Associate Professor Debraj Mookerjee of the Ramjas College in Delhi University said the scrapping of the clause mandating students to publish research papers in journals is a positive move. However, the decision to remove the M.Phil and master’s programme will force students to spend the first couple of years of the doctoral study in learning research methodology.

He said “The bachelors and master’s programme in our country is designed in a way where students do not get to conduct any research. While the M.Phil programme gave them the space to conduct a full-fledged research, its removal will pose an issue for aspiring doctorate students. They will be forced to spend the first couple of years of their doctoral study trying to figure out the process.”

Srikanth Kondapalli, the Dean of School of International Studies and a Professor of China studies at the JNU, said that while the move seems to be a measure by the UGC to implement the NEP, there are not enough undergraduate colleges with a four-year programme.

“The scrapping of the M.Phil degree made sense since it now makes the pursuit of a doctorate degree at par with universal standards. However, at JNU, where students from all regions and strata of the society come in, the M.Phil served as a preparatory course for those students who did not have the calibre to pursue a doctoral degree.”

He added, “Since the implementation of the NEP’s four-year-long undergraduate programmes has not been brought into effect in all universities across the country, this provision stands to help tech students more.”

On removal of the need for publishing research articles in peer-reviewed publications, Prof Mookerjee said, “For the past couple of years, we have witnessed an increase in the number of bogus journals in which students would pay money to get published. This provision will put a stop to publication of poor quality research papers.”

Learning right methodology is vital

Prof Pankaj Kumar of the Allahabad University said that the UGC has made the higher education institutions a field of rigorous experimentation. Research for all doctoral students has to be an endeavour that they can achieve only if they have an academic bent of mind and have the motivation to conduct research on their own.

He said, “Students have lost the bent for research post the coming of the internet. Most of their work is a simple copy and paste. In addition to this, with the removal of courses that teach them how to conduct research, students will not be able to conduct research.”

He added that pre-doctoral courses, at par with international standards, is the need of the hour so that interested students can learn the right methodology and design to work towards their doctorate degree.

The new PhD regulations — “University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022” — says a candidate should have a minimum of 75 per cent marks in “aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed”.

If not, the student has to pursue a one-year master’s programme and score at least 55 per cent.

The rules further say “A 1-year master’s degree programme after a 4-year bachelor’s degree programme, or a 2-year master’s degree programme after a 3-year bachelor’s degree programme, or qualifications declared equivalent to the master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55 per cent marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed” will be required.

The UGC has removed the clause “publishing paper in a peer-reviewed journal” as mandatory for a PhD. The 2016 regulations had said that PhD scholars “must publish at least one research paper in a refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences/seminars before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication”.

The latest regulations by UGC have also brought in several provisions to improve the quality of research by students and aid provided by their mentors/guides. Women candidates and persons with disability will be given extra time to finish their research.

Scholars who were previously required to appear before the Research Advisory Committee to present their findings and progress once every six months will now have to do so every semester.

The new rules bars faculty members with less than three years of service left before superannuation from taking new students. While the move encourages the entry of an increased number of students into PhD programs, the previously proposed common entrance test for PhDs has been left out.

The new regulations also allow each supervisor to guide up to two international research scholars in addition to their domestic students.

(Edited by Geethalakshmi Ramanathan)

Also Read: Only 34% Indian schools have internet access, less than 50% have functional computers, shows data

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PhD: UGC revises eligibility, admission & evaluation norms

A draft notification has been issued, revising the regulations for awarding Doctor of Philosophy, i.e., PhD, by institutions under the University Grants Commission (UGC). These would come into effect from the date of publication in the Union Gazette. This would modify the May 5, 2016, Regulation and its subsequent two amendments.

The proposals on the criteria for admission, eligibility, programme duration and evaluation are the following:

A) Proposed admission norms Admission should be given via the National Eligibility Test (NET) of the UGC or similar recognised test.

UGC simplifies hurdles in PhD admission, introduces new criteria

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Each year, the universities and colleges can determine the number of seats while taking into account the number of available research supervisors, basic facilities and the student-teacher ratio.

Relevant information such as the number of seats, subject-wise list, admission criteria and procedures should be published on the website in advance. If there is an entrance test, details of that should also be included. Details should also be published in two newspapers, including one in regional language.

The central/state reservation policy should be adhered to.

Sixty per cent seats to be filled from NET/JRF, while 40 per cent seats from the university/common entrance and the interview conducted by the institution. In case of vacant slots in one category, these can be filled from the other category.

Only those candidates with 50 per cent marks in the entrance exam should be considered. For SC/ST, OBC and differently-abled, 45 per cent.

Candidates in the NET/JRF categories should be ranked on the basis of their interview, and the others on their performance in the written test (70) and interview (30).

If retired professors get appointed as an emeritus professor at the same university, they can continue as supervisors till the age of 70.

B) Proposed eligibility norms One-year/two-semester Master’s degree with 55 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent grade, after a four-year under-graduate degree. Two-year/ four-semester Master’s degree with 55 per cent marks or equivalent grade Four-year/ eight-semester 'bachelor’s degree with research' with a grade point average of at least 7.5/10.

Applicants should have completed MPhil course work, with 55 per cent marks in aggregate or equivalent grade. Candidates pursuing MPhil but have not completed viva voce and final defence can be given admission to PhD on a provisional basis.

Candidates in the SC/ST, OBC and differently abled categories and the economically-weaker section need only 50 per cent marks. The minimum marks/grade should be considered without including the grace mark.

C) Norms on programme duration The programme duration should be 2 to 6 years, excluding course work. If the duration is extended as per the special rule of a particular institution, it should not be more than 2 years.

For women and the differently abled, the duration can be extended up to 2 years. Women can also avail maternity/ childcare leave for 240 days. Women who have to relocate due to marriage or any other reason can be allowed to transfer the research study to a new centre, subject to conditions.

There is also a provision to take leave for a few weeks to take part in a student-exchange programme in the country or abroad that would help in preparing the thesis.

D) Evaluation method An anti-plagiarism software report also needs to be submitted along with the draft dissertation or thesis on the satisfactory completion of the course work. It is recommended to present the research work in the journal or present it in the conference, with the permission of the institution. But not mandatory.

No university or college should conduct the PhD programme in the distance education mode or online mode. Those in service should also follow the above-mentioned provisions while pursuing PhD.

Even though there is no MPhil programme from 2022-23 academic year onwards, the already earned MPhil degree would remain valid. On the satisfactory completion of the programme, the PhD provisional certificate should be given to the research student.

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Home » UGC » UGC Issues New Guidelines for Awarding PhD Degrees, Read More

UGC Issues New Guidelines for Awarding PhD Degrees, Read More

New Delhi, 16 November 2022, UGC New Guidelines – The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued new eligibility criteria and made amendments to the existing regulations for PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees. As per the recent guidelines, candidates must secure 75% marks in a four-year undergraduate program and if they fail to do so, they have to apply for the master’s programme and score a minimum of 55% marks.

Note – 

• The PhD scholars are now required to teach or provide research apprenticeship to the students for a minimum of 6 hours per week.
• The working people can apply for part-time PhD programmes and provide a “No Objection Certificate” from the respective organisation.

UGC New Guidelines – Course Information

Candidates can check the course details from the information given below:

UGC New Guidelines – Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must have 1/2 year master’s degree after 3/4 years of bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 55% marks in total.
• Those seeking admission after 4 years of the bachelor’s degree programme, must secure a total of 75% marks in aggregate.
• Candidates who have completed the M.Phil. programme with a minimum of 55% marks are also eligible to apply for the PhD programme.

Note – The relaxation of 5% marks will be given to the candidates who belong to the categories of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), and Economically Weaker Section (EWS).

UGC New Guidelines – Duration of the Programme

• The programme shall be for a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years from the date of commencement.
• The additional two years can be given through the re-registration process. However, the total period should not exceed eight (8) years.
• Female candidates and Persons with disabilities (PwD) are allowed a relaxation of two years.
• Female scholars can take maternity or childcare leave for up to 240 days.

UGC New Guidelines – Admission Process and Research Supervisors

• Students are required to pass the entrance examination with a minimum of 50% marks. The entrance test will be course-specific.
• Candidates will be called for an interview after the announcement of results. The weightage of the entrance test will be 70% marks and the rest 30% marks will be based on the performance in the interview round.

Research Supervisors

• The faculty members who are working as Professors/Associate Professors in their institutions cannot supervise scholars of other institutions. They can work as co-supervisors for such institutions.
• In multidisciplinary research work, institutes can appoint co-supervisors from other institutions or departments.
• The faculty members who have less than three years of experience are not eligible to take research scholars under their supervision.

UGC New Guidelines – Evaluation Process

• Candidates must complete the coursework within the allotted time frame and acquire a minimum of 12 credit points to produce a draft of the final thesis.
• Candidates must create a presentation and present it in front of the Research Advisory Committee (RAC).
• The institutions will check the plagiarism to detect the uniqueness of the content.
• After the successful completion of plagiarism detection, candidates can submit the research work with a declaration of plagiarism-free content.
• Candidates will go through the viva and interview process that will be conducted by the respective institutions.

Note – To read the official notification, please click here .

UGC New Guidelines – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q.1 is phd mandatory for the job of assistant professor.

No, as per the University Grants Commission (UGC), it is not necessary to obtain a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) for the post of Assistant Professor.

Q2. How many papers are required to be published by a PhD scholar?

A PhD scholar must publish four to five development papers.

Q3. What is the duration of doing a PhD course?

The average duration of a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) course shall be a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years from the date of commencement.

Centre Gives Nod to ‘Mera Yuva Bharat’ Autonomous Body for Youth Empowerment

Guide to setting goals as a student for academic success, the nobel prizes of 2023: celebrating excellence and innovation, ace board exams – mastering time management for students, skill india digital, a powerful digital application platform , times higher education (the) rankings include 91 indian varsities, iisc ranked the best in india, west bengal state education policy – key highlights, recommendations and goals, impact of new education policy on indian students, smart learning – how ai is transforming digital education, an overview of national education policy 2020, ncert – understanding ncert’s evolution and new role as a deemed-to-be-university , a comprehensive guide on potential job opportunities in state bank of india (sbi).

• Source of Information: Buddy4Study app compiles details on scholarships/fellowships from government websites and private scholarship sources. Links to the official sources accompany each listing detail pages.
• Non-affiliation : The Buddy4Study app is not associated with any government entity in India or elsewhere. When featuring government scholarships, we rely on publicly accessible information from central and state government websites in India.

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UGC notifies new draft regulations for PhD

The University Grants Commission on Thursday released draft regulations for candidates aspiring to pursue PhD.

The new rules have it that candidates must have an aggregate score over 55% in undergraduate courses and have a one or two-years master’s degree. Else, the candidate must have B grade or above on the UGC 10-point scale.

The new rules apply to every University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act, or a State Act, and every Institution Deemed to be a University under Section 3 of UGC Act, 1956 and every degree-granting autonomous College and every affiliated college, allowed to offer PhD programmes. A candidate seeking admission after a 4-year/8-semester Bachelor’s degree with Research should have a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10

Also, candidates who have cleared the M Phi with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade ‘B’ in the UGC 10-point scale (or an equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed) or an equivalent degree from a Foreign Institution accredited by an Assessment and Accreditation Agency which is approved, recognized or authorized by an authority, established or incorporated under a law in its home country or any other statutory authority in that country to assess, accredit or assure quality and standards of educational institutions are eligible for admission to the PhD programme as per the new draft regulations of the UGC.

Guidelines have been released even for admissions. “All Universities shall admit PhD scholars through a National Eligibility Test (NET) or National Entrance Test or an Entrance test conducted at the level of individual universities,” the draft reads.

The UGC has invited suggestions and feedback from all stakeholders, and these must be sent to the UGC before March 31, 2022. 

Also read: UGC to allow PhD under distance education

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Don’t need PhD to teach in a college: A look at UGC’s changed rule to hire entry-level professors

Why has the higher education regulator reversed a decision it made in 2018 will this not affect the quality of faculty recruitment in higher education.

It is no longer mandatory to have a PhD degree to apply for the post of assistant professor in colleges and universities. It is enough to clear the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), or State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) to be eligible for appointment.

The University Grants Commission (UGC), India’s higher education regulator, notified this change on June 30, reversing a decision it made in 2018. The new minimum criteria for direct recruitment of college and university teachers at the entry level came into effect on July 1.

What was the system earlier?

In revised regulations on ‘Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges’ released in June 2010, the UGC said that candidates for assistant professor must qualify in the NET, SET, or SLET. However, candidates who had PhDs were exempted from this eligibility condition.

In other words, if a candidate had a doctoral degree, she could apply for appointment even if she had not cleared NET, SET, or SLET.

This changed in 2018, when Prakash Javadekar was Education Minister (known as the HRD Minister then). The UGC issued a notification in July 2018, which said, “The PhD Degree shall be a mandatory qualification for direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor in Universities with effect from 01.07.2021.”

What this meant was that candidates had a three-year window (2018-21) to complete their PhDs. UGC also directed universities and colleges to implement the new minimum criteria for recruitment from 2021.

In October 2021, taking note of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the UGC pushed the July 2021 deadline to July 2023.

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Does this mean a PhD was never in effect a mandatory qualification for the assistant professor’s job?

In effect, no. UGC first set the date to implement the PhD requirement from July 2021, but this was extended to July 2023. However, even before this deadline could kick in, it has notified that a PhD is no longer mandatory.

Thus, UGC has reversed its 2018 decision even before it could be implemented.`

But why did UGC reverse the decision it had announced in 2018?

The purpose seems to be to cast the net wider by removing an inessential entry barrier, while ensuring at the same time that quality does not suffer.

UGC Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar told The Indian Express , “In certain disciplines such as policy-making, design, foreign languages, law, architecture and other similar subjects, universities often find it difficult to get candidates with a PhD. Removal of mandatory PhD conditions at the entry level will help universities in recruiting candidates with a flair for teaching but without a PhD. They of course need to complete their PhD to move to the next level [of associate professor].”

Jagadesh Kumar argued that this would not lead to a decline in the quality of education .

“We already have more than 25,000 PhDs produced every year in India. In major disciplines, there is intense competition to select the best PhDs for faculty positions. Therefore, removing PhD as a mandatory condition at the entry-level assistant professor position will not affect the quality of education.”

The UGC chairman clarified that while NET/SET/SLET is the minimum requirement for assistant professor, universities or colleges may set higher shortlisting criteria for interviews in order to manage the number of candidates.

“Since HEIs (higher education institutions) are autonomous, they can set a higher selection criteria in certain disciplines but use the UGC’s minimum criteria in other disciplines. For example, in a foreign languages centre, the university may use a Master’s degree and UGC-NET, if candidates with a PhD are not available. But in a chemistry department, the shortlisting committee may decide to shortlist only candidates with a PhD and, say, two journal publications. In the latter case, it will help to call only a manageable number of candidates to the interview,” he told The Indian Express.

How has the academic community reacted?

Teachers acknowledge that removing the PhD requirement could help candidates from marginalised sections. But there are apprehensions over how the selection process will work in practice — and whether candidates with research degrees might be overlooked for those with just a NET/SET/SLET.

Abha Dev Habib, an associate professor at Delhi University, said, “PhD is a longer research degree that requires a commitment of time and money. People coming from marginalised sections find it very difficult to prolong their studies, mainly women, Dalits, and Adivasi candidates. They can now appear for the position of assistant professor.”

Removing the PhD requirement allows people to enter the profession at a younger age. Abha Dev Habib acknowledged that it is difficult to find candidates with PhDs for many subjects and in many universities. For these universities, the revised criteria “is a big relief”, she said.

Jagadesh Kumar sought to allay fears that the selection process may be distorted in consequence of the new criteria. “There is no change in the selection criteria and there will be no change in the selection committee’s composition,” he said.

The selection committee comprises the Vice-Chancellor as chairperson, an academic appointed by the Visitor/ Chancellor, three experts in the subject nominated by the VC on the advice of the university’s statutory body, the Dean of the faculty and/or Head of Department, and an academic from among SC/ ST/ OBC/ Minority/ Women, nominated by the VC.

However, Apoorvanand, a professor at DU, told The Indian Express : “My fear is that many applicants who only have a Master’s degree in many subjects, from what I was told, are being appointed, while others who have taught as ad hoc [professors] or have a PhD have been disregarded.”

“Everything”, Apoorvanand said, “depends on the interview”, of which no record is kept. “How are you assessing the candidate based on the interview?”

(Ishita Roy is an intern with The Indian Express)

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UGC Opens Doors For Students To Pursue Dual PhD Across Universities From This Year

Published By : Suramya Sunilraj

Last Updated: June 19, 2023, 14:50 IST

New Delhi, India

According to the UGC, students will be able to do PhD research in two or more academic subjects in an interdisciplinary manner (Representative Image)

UGC has informed all universities and HEI's of the country about the new rules for PhD. The admissions will be taken in universities on the basis of new rules

From the new academic year 2023-24, students of different universities across the country will be able to pursue PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in two subjects simultaneously, as per the new National Education Policy.

According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), students will be able to do PhD research in two or more academic subjects in an interdisciplinary manner.

The UGC has informed all the universities and higher educational institutions of the country about the new rules for PhD. The admissions will be taken in universities on the basis of new rules.

The UGC has also constituted a standing committee. The basic objective of this standing committee is to monitor the entire process of appointment of teachers and award of PhD degree in higher educational institutions.

This standing committee can complain to the UGC about higher educational institutions not following the rules. The committee may also recommend action to the UGC against such educational institutions.

The UGC said, “The standing committee will collect information on the selection of specific institutions, faculty appointments and PhD degree awards. Along with this, the committee will also verify the documents to ensure compliance of UGC rules in these institutions.”

Many universities have made rules for PhD admission on the basis of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). These include Delhi University as well.

Notably, admissions for all undergraduate courses in Central universities will be done based on the merit list of the CUET.

Delhi University has made CUET mandatory for postgraduate and has now decided to give admission to PhD programmes on the basis of CUET. However, teaching and non-teaching staff working at Delhi University can directly appear for the interview for PhD admission.

Delhi University is going to take the help of the National Testing Agency (NTA), which will be conducting the CUET examinations from the academic year 2023-24 for PhD These exams will be named ‘CUET PhD’

In a similar development, under the new Education Policy, the students of the central university will also be able to pursue two courses together.

After the central universities accepted this proposal, students studying in their facilities will be able to study two courses simultaneously.

Students will have an option that they can opt for a regular course and another via distance learning.

According to educationist G.S. Kandpal, the new education policy gives freedom to central universities to conduct two courses together and join online courses. Under the new education policy, students from all over the country can pursue two-degree programmes simultaneously.

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Division I Council approves changes to transfer rules

Student-athletes who meet progress-toward-degree requirements to be immediately eligible at new school.

The Division I Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a package of rules changes to allow transferring student-athletes who meet certain academic eligibility requirements to be immediately eligible at their new school, regardless of whether they transferred previously. The council's action is not final until the meeting concludes Thursday and is subject to ratification by the Division I Board of Directors at its meeting later this month. If ratified, the rules would be effective immediately.

Specifically, to be immediately eligible after a transfer, undergraduate student-athletes would have to have left their previous school while academically eligible and in good standing (not subject to disciplinary suspension or dismissal) and meet progress-toward-degree requirements at their new school before competing. For graduate transfer student-athletes to be eligible, they would have to earn a degree from their previous school, leave while academically eligible and be enrolled as a full-time postgraduate student while continuing to satisfy minimum academic standards.

"With these rule changes, NCAA members continue to prioritize long-term academic success for college athletes who transfer, while supporting their opportunity to compete immediately," said Lynda Tealer, deputy athletics director at Florida and chair of the council. "We hope that this practical approach to transfer eligibility requirements will encourage student-athletes to make well-informed decisions about transferring and the impacts such a move could have on their ability to graduate on time in their degree of choice, particularly as it relates to transferable credits."

Moving forward, student-athletes are expected to enter the Transfer Portal within their sport's notification-of-transfer windows, which Division I members emphasized are important for providing transparency to student-athletes and coaches for recruitment opportunities, roster management and financial aid planning. There will continue to be exceptions to the legislated transfer windows, including for the departure of a head coach or a discontinued sport. Student-athletes who plan to enroll as graduate students at their next school can enter the portal at any time during the academic year but must enter the portal prior to the conclusion of their respective sports' final transfer windows.

In addition to reviewing the council actions during its meeting next week, the Division I board will consider directing the Committee on Academics to examine criteria for academic waivers and consider the creation of a Transfer Academic Progress Rate, which would give real-time information about the academic health of a school's four-year undergraduate transfer student-athletes. 

The board also will consider charging the Committee on Academics to study the creation of a Graduation Passport, which would specifically track academic progress and will provide a measure of graduation outcomes for student-athletes who transfer. This resource would be the first metric of its kind to specifically track graduation for students who transfer. Currently, the federal graduation rate does not count transfers as graduates, and the NCAA's graduation success rate generally assumes outcomes based on the academic status at the time of a student-athlete's departure. 

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New federal rule would bar companies from forcing ‘noncompete’ agreements on employees

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by a federal agency Tuesday, though the rule is sure to be challenged in court.

The Federal Trade Commission voted Tuesday 3-2 to ban measures known as  noncompete agreements , which bar workers from jumping to or starting competing companies for a prescribed period of time. According to the FTC, 30 million people — roughly one in five workers — are now subject to such restrictions.

The Biden administration has taken aim at noncompete measures, which are commonly associated with high-level executives at technology and financial companies but in recent years have also ensnared lower-paid workers, such as security guards and sandwich-shop employees. A 2021 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis found that more than one in 10 workers who earn $20 or less an hour are covered by noncompete agreements.

When it proposed the ban in January 2023, FTC officials asserted that noncompete agreements harm workers by reducing their ability to switch jobs for higher pay, a step that often provides most workers with  their biggest pay increases . By reducing overall churn in the job market, the agency argued, the measures also disadvantage workers who aren’t covered by them because fewer jobs become available as fewer people leave their positions. They can also hurt the economy overall by limiting the ability of other businesses to hire needed employees, the FTC said.

The rule, which doesn’t apply to workers at non-profits, is to take effect in four months unless it is blocked by legal challenges.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas and rob the American economy of dynamism,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said. “We heard from employees who, because of noncompetes, were stuck in abusive workplaces.”

Some doctors, she added, have been prevented from practicing medicine after leaving practices.

Business groups have criticized the measure as casting too wide a net by blocking nearly all noncompetes. They argue that highly paid executives are often able to win greater pay in return for accepting a noncompete.

“It’ll represent a sea change,” said Amanda Sonneborn, a partner at King & Spalding in Chicago who represents employers that use noncompetes. “They don’t want somebody to go to a competitor and take their customer list or take their information about their business strategy to that competitor.”

But Alexander Hertzel-Fernandez, a professor at Columbia University who is a former Biden administration Labor Department official, argued that lower-income workers don’t have the ability to negotiate over such provisions.

“When they get their job offer,” he said, “it’s really a take-it-or-leave-it-as-a-whole,” he said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday that it will file a lawsuit to block the rule. It accused the FTC of overstepping its authority.

“Noncompete agreements are either upheld or dismissed under well-established state laws governing their use,” said Suzanne Clark, the chamber’s CEO. “Yet today, three unelected commissioners have unilaterally decided they have the authority to declare what’s a legitimate business decision and what’s not by moving to ban noncompete agreements in all sectors of the economy.”

Two Republican appointees to the FTC, Melissa Holyoak and Andrew Ferguson, voted against the proposal. They asserted that the agency was exceeding its authority by approving such a sweeping rule.

Noncompete agreements are banned in three states, including California, and some opponents of noncompetes argue that California’s ban has been a key contributor to that state’s innovative tech economy.

John Lettieri, CEO of the Economic Innovation Group, a tech-backed think tank, argues that the ability of early innovators to leave one company and start a competitor was key to the development of the semiconductor industry.

“The birth of so many important foundational companies could not have happened, at least not in the same way or on the same timeline and definitely not in the same place, had it not been for the ability of entrepreneurs to spin out, start their own companies, or go to a better company,” Lettieri said.

The White House has been stepping up its efforts to protect workers as the presidential campaign heats up. On Tuesday, the Labor Department issued a rule that would guarantee overtime pay for more lower-paid workers. The rule would increase the required minimum salary level to exempt an employee from overtime pay, from about $35,600 currently to nearly $43,900 effective July 1 and $58,700 by Jan. 1, 2025.

Companies will be required to pay overtime for workers below those thresholds who work more than 40 hours a week.

“This rule will restore the promise to workers that if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you should be paid more for that time,” said Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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New federal rule would bar companies from forcing ‘noncompete’ agreements on employees

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by a federal agency Tuesday, though the rule is sure to be challenged in court.

The Federal Trade Commission voted Tuesday 3-2 to ban measures known as  noncompete agreements , which bar workers from jumping to or starting competing companies for a prescribed period of time. According to the FTC, 30 million people — roughly one in five workers — are now subject to such restrictions.

The Biden administration has taken aim at noncompete measures, which are commonly associated with high-level executives at technology and financial companies but in recent years have also ensnared lower-paid workers, such as security guards and sandwich-shop employees. A 2021 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis found that more than one in 10 workers who earn $20 or less an hour are covered by noncompete agreements.

When it proposed the ban in January 2023, FTC officials asserted that noncompete agreements harm workers by reducing their ability to switch jobs for higher pay, a step that often provides most workers with  their biggest pay increases . By reducing overall churn in the job market, the agency argued, the measures also disadvantage workers who aren’t covered by them because fewer jobs become available as fewer people leave their positions. They can also hurt the economy overall by limiting the ability of other businesses to hire needed employees, the FTC said.

The rule, which doesn’t apply to workers at non-profits, is to take effect in four months unless it is blocked by legal challenges.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas and rob the American economy of dynamism,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said. “We heard from employees who, because of noncompetes, were stuck in abusive workplaces.”

Some doctors, she added, have been prevented from practicing medicine after leaving practices.

Business groups have criticized the measure as casting too wide a net by blocking nearly all noncompetes. They argue that highly paid executives are often able to win greater pay in return for accepting a noncompete.

“It’ll represent a sea change,” said Amanda Sonneborn, a partner at King & Spalding in Chicago who represents employers that use noncompetes. “They don’t want somebody to go to a competitor and take their customer list or take their information about their business strategy to that competitor.”

But Alexander Hertzel-Fernandez, a professor at Columbia University who is a former Biden administration Labor Department official, argued that lower-income workers don’t have the ability to negotiate over such provisions.

“When they get their job offer,” he said, “it’s really a take-it-or-leave-it-as-a-whole,” he said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday that it will file a lawsuit to block the rule. It accused the FTC of overstepping its authority.

“Noncompete agreements are either upheld or dismissed under well-established state laws governing their use,” said Suzanne Clark, the chamber’s CEO. “Yet today, three unelected commissioners have unilaterally decided they have the authority to declare what’s a legitimate business decision and what’s not by moving to ban noncompete agreements in all sectors of the economy.”

Two Republican appointees to the FTC, Melissa Holyoak and Andrew Ferguson, voted against the proposal. They asserted that the agency was exceeding its authority by approving such a sweeping rule.

Noncompete agreements are banned in three states, including California, and some opponents of noncompetes argue that California’s ban has been a key contributor to that state’s innovative tech economy.

John Lettieri, CEO of the Economic Innovation Group, a tech-backed think tank, argues that the ability of early innovators to leave one company and start a competitor was key to the development of the semiconductor industry.

“The birth of so many important foundational companies could not have happened, at least not in the same way or on the same timeline and definitely not in the same place, had it not been for the ability of entrepreneurs to spin out, start their own companies, or go to a better company,” Lettieri said.

The White House has been stepping up its efforts to protect workers as the presidential campaign heats up. On Tuesday, the Labor Department issued a rule that would guarantee overtime pay for more lower-paid workers. The rule would increase the required minimum salary level to exempt an employee from overtime pay, from about $35,600 currently to nearly $43,900 effective July 1 and $58,700 by Jan. 1, 2025.

Companies will be required to pay overtime for workers below those thresholds who work more than 40 hours a week.

“This rule will restore the promise to workers that if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you should be paid more for that time,” said Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Day 1 of Trump New York hush money trial

By Kara Scannell , Jeremy Herb , Maureen Chowdhury , Kaanita Iyer , Aditi Sangal and Elise Hammond , CNN

Our live coverage has moved. You can find live coverage of today's opening statements here.

Inside the first day of Trump's trial in Manhattan criminal court

From CNN's Jeremy Herb

Donald Trump has been inside a half-dozen courthouses over the past year, but he had a new experience walking into a  downtown Manhattan courtroom Monday morning : a half-empty room.

The former president slowly walked through the cavernous and dingy courtroom, past six empty rows of benches – set aside for prospective jurors – giving a quick glance to the six reporters sitting in the back row before sauntering to the front of the room and taking his seat at the defense table.

The vacant rows served as a reminder to Trump that he’s in a different setting now that he’s a criminal defendant for the first time. By the afternoon, the courtroom was packed full with 96 jurors – some of whom may be on the jury who will hear the hush money trial against the Republican presumptive presidential nominee.

Trump only spoke three times during Monday’s session, acknowledging to the judge he understood his rights as a criminal defendant. Throughout the day Trump often engaged with his attorneys, whispering to them and sharing notes as they debated motions with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.

Trump also sat back at times and closed his eyes as  Judge Juan Merchan  slogged through the jury pool and asked up to 42 questions of each prospective juror.

While Trump didn’t have a platform inside the courtroom, he didn’t take long to make his feelings known when he left for the day, speaking to the camera right outside the courtroom after pulling out his iPhone from his suit pocket and handing it to an aide.

“It looks like the judge does not allow me to escape this scam. It’s a scam,” Trump said, complaining that the judge said he could not attend next week’s Supreme Court arguments on presidential immunity and his son’s graduation, though Merchan  did not rule one way or the other  on whether Trump would be excused for the graduation.

Read more about Day One of Trump's criminal trial

Here are the key takeaways from the first day of the Trump hush money trial

From CNN's Jeremy Herb, Kara Scannell and Kaanita Iyer

The opening day of the first criminal trial of former President Donald Trump hit home the reality that the presumptive Republican nominee for president will be sitting in a Manhattan courtroom as a defendant four days a week.

Here are the key takeaways from day one of “The People of the State of New York vs Donald Trump.”

The difficulty in picking a jury: Merchan brought in 96 New Yorkers as prospective jurors. More than half were quickly dismissed because they said they did not think they could be fair and impartial. Among the other nine potential jurors who were questioned, none said they had read any books written by either Trump or Michael Cohen. And none had said they’d worked or volunteered for Trump.

Defense wants to slow things down: Sources told CNN that there will likely be many objections and sidebars during the trial because the defense is completely focused on preserving every issue for appeal. These tactics fit the larger Trump legal strategy, which included months of appeals to delay the start of the trial, which was successful on separate grounds. The defense now hopes legal proceedings, which are expected to last six to eight weeks, move at a slow pace with the 2024 election just months away.

Trump accused of violating gag order: Prosecutors asked Judge Juan Merchan to sanction Trump and fine him for violating the gag order prohibiting him from talking about witnesses in the case, the DA’s office or court staff. Merchan scheduled a hearing on the district attorney’s motion for next Tuesday.

“Access Hollywood” tape can’t be played, but actress can testify: Merchan sided with prosecutors in allowing Karen McDougal, an actress and model who alleged she also had an affair with Trump, to testify. Prosecutors can also introduce National Enquirer stories slamming Trump’s opponents as evidence. Trump has denied the affair. A key victory for Trump, meanwhile, was Merchan's ruling that the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape can’t be played in court, saying it was prejudicial. Prosecutors also will not be allowed to bring up other sexual assault allegations against Trump that surfaced after the “Access Hollywood tape” was made public in October 2016.

Trump is also facing charges in 3 other criminal cases

From CNN’s Devan Cole, Amy O'Kruk and Curt Merrill 

The first criminal trial against former President Donald Trump is underway in New York.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges related to his alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential election. 

It is one of  four criminal cases  Trump faces, while he also juggles being the Republican presumptive nominee for president. The former president is now facing at least  88 charges  over the four criminal indictments in Georgia, New York, Washington, DC, and Florida. Trump has pleaded not guilty to every charge in these cases. 

Here's a recap of each case: 

• Hush money:  Trump was first indicted in March 2023 by the Manhattan district attorney on state charges related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in 2016. Prosecutors allege Trump was a part of an illegal conspiracy to  undermine  the integrity of the 2016 election. Further, they allege he was part of an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, including the $130,000 payment. 
• Classified documents:  Trump was indicted in June 2023 by a federal grand jury in Miami for taking classified national defense documents from the White House after he left office and resisting the government’s attempts to retrieve the materials. The National Archives said in early 2022 that at least 15 boxes of White House records were recovered from the estate, including   some that were classified . The charges were brought by special counsel Jack Smith. 
• Federal election interference:  Smith separately charged the former president last August with four crimes over his efforts to reverse the 2020 election results. The indictment alleges Trump and a co-conspirator "attempted to exploit the violence and chaos at the Capitol by calling lawmakers to convince them ... to delay the certification" of the election. That case is currently on hold as the Supreme Court weighs Trump’s claims of presidential immunity in the matter. 
• Fulton County:  State prosecutors in Georgia brought a similar election subversion case against Trump and others. An Atlanta-based grand jury on August 14, 2023, indicted Trump and 18 others on state charges stemming from their alleged efforts to overturn the former president’s 2020 electoral defeat. A trial date has not yet been set in that case. 

Read more about  the four criminal cases  Trump faces.  

Former federal judge explains why Trump faces felony charges in hush money case

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Former President Donald Trump is facing felony charges in the hush money trial — not misdemeanors — because of the allegation of underlying crimes, a former federal judge explained Monday.

Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. 

“If you file these false business records in furtherance of another crime then it can be a felony and that's what's unusual here,” said Shira Scheindlin, a former US District Court judge.

That means that prosecutors need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records with the intent to commit or conceal another crime — but they don’t have to prove that Trump committed that crime. 

Prosecutors allege Trump was trying to hide the reimbursement of hush money payments that were made to influence the election outcome. They also allege tax fraud, according to the indictment .

“The jury has to just find that the intent of filing the false business records or making the false business records was to further the underlying crimes and then it becomes a felony,” Scheindlin said.

CNN's Kara Scannell and Lauren del Valle contributed reporting to this post.

By the numbers: Where we stand with jury selection

From CNN's Jeremy Herb, Kara Scannell and Laura Dolan

The jury of  12 , along with  six  alternates, will be chosen from hundreds of New Yorkers after an  exhaustive selection process  that could stretch beyond the first week of the trial.

Court officials expect about  500  new jurors to appear each day for the selection process. About 100 prospective jurors at a time will be brought into Judge Juan Merchan’s courtroom to be vetted.

Here is the breakdown of the first day of jury selection:

• Just after 2:30 p.m.,  96 prospective jurors were brought in for questioning and sworn in.
• At least 50 were immediately excused after saying they could not be fair and impartial.
• At least nine more prospective jurors were excused after raising their hand when asked whether they could not serve for any other reason. Those reasons were not disclosed.

Upon questioning:

• Merchan called 18 New Yorkers to the jury box for questioning. 
• Ten were questioned by the end of the day. One person  was dismissed  after she said she had firmly held beliefs about Trump and another person was chosen for the jury box. Merchan  excused another juror  who said his child was getting married on June 8.  

What's next: Around 32 potential jurors remained after Monday's session, according to a pool reporter in the courtroom. They included those who were already questioned and not excused along with those who still face questioning by Merchan on Tuesday. Another panel of potential jurors will be brought in after the first group is completed, the judge said.

The post was updated with the details on how many jurors remained after Monday's session.

Fact Check: Trump falsely claims judge won't let him attend son’s high school graduation next month

From CNN’s Marshall Cohen

After leaving court on Monday, former President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that Judge Juan Merchan would prevent him from attending his son’s high school graduation in May. 

“It looks like the judge will not let me go to the graduation of my son,” Trump said, before lamenting “that I can’t go to my son’s graduation.” 

Trump’s son Eric Trump ratcheted up the rhetoric by tweeting, “Judge Merchan is truly heartless in not letting a father attend his son’s graduation.”

Facts First:  The judge hasn’t ruled yet on Trump’s request to be excused from court so he can attend Barron Trump’s high school graduation.

Criminal defendants like Donald Trump are typically required to attend their case proceedings in person. Trump’s lawyers asked Merchan on Monday about whether their client could be excused for some events, including the graduation and the upcoming arguments in front of the US Supreme Court in one of Trump’s other criminal cases.

While Merchan didn’t let Trump attend next week's Supreme Court hearing – because Trump has to be in New York for the trial — he said it was too early to rule on the graduation.

Trump appeared to fall asleep during some moments of trial, New York Times' Maggie Haberman says

Former President Donald Trump appeared to fall asleep during the first day of the hush money trial , according to a New York Times reporter who was at the courthouse.

In one moment, his jaw kept falling onto his chest and he didn’t appear to pay attention to a note his lawyer passed him, New York Times senior political correspondent Maggie Haberman said.

“He appeared to be asleep. Repeatedly his head would fall down,” she told CNN.

The moment happened before jury selection began on Monday afternoon. According to the pool reporters inside the courtroom, Trump was leaning back in his chair with his arms folded and his eyes appeared to be closed for several minutes at a time.

Trump's team asked whether he could attend SCOTUS arguments next week. The judge said see you "here next week"

Judge Juan Merchan told Donald Trump's team he will see them next week when asked about the possibility of changing the schedule so the former president could attend Supreme Court arguments April 25.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche noted the former president "very much" wants to attend the arguments over whether  the former president may claim immunity  in special counsel Jack Smith’s election subversion case.

Prosecutor Josh Steinglass said there's no obligation that the defendant has to be present at the Supreme Court arguments, opposing the request.

"Your client is a criminal defendant," Merchan told Blanche. "He's required to be here" and not at the Supreme Court.

Merchan said he will see him "here next week."

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New federal rule would bar companies from forcing ‘noncompete’ agreements on employees

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies would no longer be able to bar employees from taking jobs with competitors under a rule approved by a federal agency Tuesday, though the rule is sure to be challenged in court.

The Federal Trade Commission voted Tuesday 3-2 to ban measures known as  noncompete agreements , which bar workers from jumping to or starting competing companies for a prescribed period of time. According to the FTC, 30 million people — roughly one in five workers — are now subject to such restrictions.

The Biden administration has taken aim at noncompete measures, which are commonly associated with high-level executives at technology and financial companies but in recent years have also ensnared lower-paid workers, such as security guards and sandwich-shop employees. A 2021 study by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis found that more than one in 10 workers who earn $20 or less an hour are covered by noncompete agreements.

When it proposed the ban in January 2023, FTC officials asserted that noncompete agreements harm workers by reducing their ability to switch jobs for higher pay, a step that often provides most workers with  their biggest pay increases . By reducing overall churn in the job market, the agency argued, the measures also disadvantage workers who aren’t covered by them because fewer jobs become available as fewer people leave their positions. They can also hurt the economy overall by limiting the ability of other businesses to hire needed employees, the FTC said.

The rule, which doesn’t apply to workers at non-profits, is to take effect in four months unless it is blocked by legal challenges.

“Noncompete clauses keep wages low, suppress new ideas and rob the American economy of dynamism,” FTC Chair Lina Khan said. “We heard from employees who, because of noncompetes, were stuck in abusive workplaces.”

Some doctors, she added, have been prevented from practicing medicine after leaving practices.

Business groups have criticized the measure as casting too wide a net by blocking nearly all noncompetes. They argue that highly paid executives are often able to win greater pay in return for accepting a noncompete.

“It’ll represent a sea change,” said Amanda Sonneborn, a partner at King & Spalding in Chicago who represents employers that use noncompetes. “They don’t want somebody to go to a competitor and take their customer list or take their information about their business strategy to that competitor.”

But Alexander Hertzel-Fernandez, a professor at Columbia University who is a former Biden administration Labor Department official, argued that lower-income workers don’t have the ability to negotiate over such provisions.

“When they get their job offer,” he said, “it’s really a take-it-or-leave-it-as-a-whole,” he said.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday that it will file a lawsuit to block the rule. It accused the FTC of overstepping its authority.

“Noncompete agreements are either upheld or dismissed under well-established state laws governing their use,” said Suzanne Clark, the chamber’s CEO. “Yet today, three unelected commissioners have unilaterally decided they have the authority to declare what’s a legitimate business decision and what’s not by moving to ban noncompete agreements in all sectors of the economy.”

Two Republican appointees to the FTC, Melissa Holyoak and Andrew Ferguson, voted against the proposal. They asserted that the agency was exceeding its authority by approving such a sweeping rule.

Noncompete agreements are banned in three states, including California, and some opponents of noncompetes argue that California’s ban has been a key contributor to that state’s innovative tech economy.

John Lettieri, CEO of the Economic Innovation Group, a tech-backed think tank, argues that the ability of early innovators to leave one company and start a competitor was key to the development of the semiconductor industry.

“The birth of so many important foundational companies could not have happened, at least not in the same way or on the same timeline and definitely not in the same place, had it not been for the ability of entrepreneurs to spin out, start their own companies, or go to a better company,” Lettieri said.

The White House has been stepping up its efforts to protect workers as the presidential campaign heats up. On Tuesday, the Labor Department issued a rule that would guarantee overtime pay for more lower-paid workers. The rule would increase the required minimum salary level to exempt an employee from overtime pay, from about $35,600 currently to nearly $43,900 effective July 1 and $58,700 by Jan. 1, 2025.

Companies will be required to pay overtime for workers below those thresholds who work more than 40 hours a week.

“This rule will restore the promise to workers that if you work more than 40 hours in a week, you should be paid more for that time,” said Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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