The educational scenario in India is changing, and the 2025 draft regulations for the recruitment of assistant professors will be a major game-changer. The ultimate goal is to ensure that the qualifications of the teaching staff more or less match the subjects’ theoretical field. Apart from this, the regulations resulted in the faculty being restructured. Being a secure and inclusive stream, the guidelines are precisely and inclusively engineered for the future teaching workforce.
The Core Framework
According to the draft regulations, candidates aspiring to become assistant professors in fields such as Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Education, Law, Social Sciences, Sciences, Languages, Journalism, Library Science, and others must possess a postgraduate (PG) degree at National Credit Framework (NCrF) Level 6.5. A minimum of 55% marks (or an equivalent grade) in their PG degree is mandatory, along with qualifying for the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), or State Level Eligibility Test (SLET).
This move emphasizes maintaining a baseline academic standard across disciplines. However, the requirements are nuanced for different fields, reflecting the varied demands of each domain
Engineering and Technology: A Unique Exception
In the engineering and technology department, the draft made an addition that allows anyone who does not hold a NET/SET/SLET certificate exam to apply. Candidates who have completed their PG program at NCrF Level 7 – an M.E. or M.Tech, with at least 55% marks can fill the posts without appearing in these tests. The document’s trajectory is in line with AICTE norms and promises a tacit understanding of the practical and technical aspects of engineering education and its differentiation from the broader genre of academic activities.
This exception also underscores the government’s recognition of the specialized nature of engineering and technology disciplines, where professional and research skills often take precedence over standardized testing.
The PhD Advantage
This manner of inclusion acknowledges the specific culture of these subjects in an area where clout is often gained through practice, professional recognition, and support of the practice rather than solely through formal education. Through their validation of professional activities, laws sustain traditional Indian arts, and these artistic expressions continue to be promoted and transmitted to the future generation of those artists who have a close relationship with what they do.
Bridging Tradition and Modernity
The draft regulations also celebrate India’s cultural heritage by providing specific provisions for disciplines such as Drama, Yoga, Music, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and other traditional Indian art forms like Sculpture. For these fields, candidates with undergraduate (UG) degrees and significant professional attainments are eligible to apply as assistant professors.
This manner of inclusion acknowledges the specific culture of these subjects in an area where clout is often gained through practice, professional recognition, and support of the practice rather than solely through formal education. Through their validation of professional activities, laws sustain traditional Indian arts, and these artistic expressions continue to be promoted and transmitted to the future generation of those artists who have a close relationship with what they do.
Striking a Balance
The 2025 draft regulations are trying to incorporate academic rigour and inclusivity. By making the prerequisites more tailored to specific fields and admitting other areas of proficiency, they want to engage good educators who will be able to cover the related techniques of their discipline.
However, the said modifications might also lead to some questions about the implementation. Hence, with the quick in and out process of engineering, would the cheapness of the academic standards be a problem? Spared the PhD ones. What of the N.E.T/S.E.T/Math teachers? These are questions only the young professionals will tackle as the rules come into force.
