Cast your NET wide

Updated on: Monday, December 21, 2009

The UGC NET (National Eligibility Test), which is slated to be held on December 27, 2009 is known for both its stiff competition and alarmingly low success rates. Yes, this test for Junior Research Fellowships and Lectureships is undoubtedly a tough nut to crack.

In the past, the general perception was that flexible entry schemes made entry channels porous enough for anybody who took a shot at the exam to become a teacher. Not unnaturally, therefore a large number who had neither the competence nor the aptitude for teaching made an easy entry into this profession. What was probably worse and had a more serious impact on this vocation was that there was severe resistance by certain fractions of teachers to the acceptance and implementation of new ideas and policies. As a result, falling standards in higher education were inevitable.

Hence, the selection test was updated to make it even more rigorous than before. The purpose: to attract the best talent to the profession of teaching. The NET — a mandatory qualification for the recruitment of all teachers in universities and colleges across India conducts tests in as many as 77 subjects in the Humanities (including languages), Social Sciences and some science subjects like Forensic Science, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science and Applications and Electronic Science. UGC’s counterpart, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) conducts the NET in five disciplines which comprise Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth Atmospheric Ocean and Planetary Sciences and Mathematical Sciences. The qualifying percentage required to appear for these tests is 55 per cent in one’s Masters degree (50 per cent for reserved categories).

However, this time around, there is an element of surprise with negative marking of as much as 25 per cent being introduced. Shatarupa Sinha, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Gargi College, University of Delhi, cautions, “This measure must have been introduced to avoid random guess work. One should attempt to answer only if one is completely sure, otherwise move to the next question. This is a test of knowledge, skill and speed.” The test is divided into three parts.
Paper I assesses the teaching/ research aptitude of the candidate by testing his or her reasoning ability, comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness. There is an option of answering any 50 questions out of the given 60 in 75 minutes.
Paper II includes short questions based on the subject selected by the candidate.

Paper III comprises only descriptive questions from the syllabus of the subject selected by the candidate.
Though the test remains compulsory for postgraduate students, those with Ph.D degrees are exempted from the NET for postgraduate and undergraduate level teaching. There are not many vacancies available and the number of applicants is rising every year.

So if you want to be a competitor to contend with, get ready to face the challenge — and give it your best shot! Good luck!

Cast your NET wide

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