Abhyspeeth Education Desk
Pune : In a long-overdue move, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has finally granted NET/SET exemption to 1,421 college professors in Maharashtra who had completed their M.Phil. degrees between 1994 and 2009 but were not being given the benefit of the qualification for over two decades.
This decision brings a huge sigh of relief to hundreds of senior professors in aided and government colleges across the state, many of whom had spent years in service without receiving proper recognition for their academic credentials.
Until 1993, M.Phil. was considered a valid qualification for appointment to the post of Assistant Professor. From June 2006 to July 2009, direct recruits were also allowed to claim eligibility through an M.Phil. degree. However, those who had completed their M.Phil. between 1994 and 2009—and were already in service—were left out of this provision due to a lack of clarity in UGC regulations.
Despite being highly qualified, many of these professors were denied career advancement and had to wait for years for justice.
Recognizing the injustice, Maharashtra’s Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil took up the issue with the UGC. Responding to his request, the UGC asked the Directorate of Higher Education to submit a list of such pending cases. A special committee was formed to examine these proposals.
Out of 1,441 applications received, the UGC has approved 1,421 cases for exemption from NET/SET, based on the date of M.Phil. qualification. A formal communication regarding this approval has been sent to the Maharashtra state government.
“The long-pending concerns of M.Phil. qualified professors have finally been resolved. These educators will now get the recognition they deserve,” Dr. Shailendra Deolankar, Director, Higher Education
This move clears the way for these professors to be treated as UGC-eligible from the date they completed their M.Phil., even without NET/SET. It also opens the door to retrospective promotions, salary adjustments, and the removal of technical hurdles in their service history.
Many of them had remained in temporary or lower-ranking positions despite their experience and qualifications. The UGC’s approval will now help regularize their roles and secure their future in academia.
The issue was consistently highlighted by the University Development Forum (Vidyaapeeth Vikas Manch), which raised concerns about inequality and demanded a one-time relief for the affected professors. Their efforts, backed by representations to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, helped push the matter forward at the national level.
For the academic community in Maharashtra, this is not just a technical correction—it’s a major step toward fairness and recognition. It shows how persistent follow-up, political will, and collective advocacy can lead to long-awaited reforms in the education system.
