AU suspends CRET, adopts UGC NET for PhD admissions
Prayagraj: In a significant policy shift, the Allahabad University (AU) has decided to suspend the
Combined Research Entrance Test
(CRET). The decision followed the University Grants Commission (UGC) notification dated March 27, 2024, regarding the revised standards and procedures for the award of PhD degrees. Instead, UGC-NET scores will now be considered for admission to doctoral programmes. However, in departments where sufficient NET-qualified candidates are not available, AU will conduct CRET to fill the vacant PhD seats, the AU stated.
The decision was taken during the Executive Council (EC) meeting held on Wednesday at the AU campus. During the meeting, chaired by vice-chancellor Prof Sangita Srivastava, the EC addressed disciplinary issues. Acting on the recommendations of a committee constituted to examine a scuffle between the head and an associate professor of the English department of English, the council decided that both the faculty members would be barred from holding any administrative responsibilities for the next five years. "The EC unanimously censured the behaviour of both the teaching faculties," confirmed AU PRO Prof. Jaya Kapoor.
Other key decisions included the approval of Prof Ashish Khare's appointment as registrar, and nod to promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) in the Psychology department. Faculty members Chandranshu Sinha, Sandeep Anand, and Sanjay Kumar were elevated from associate professor to professor. No candidates turned up for the post of internal auditor.
Two newly appointed visitor's nominees—Prof Deepa Dwivedi from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, and vice-chancellor of Madhusudan Law University, Cuttack Prof Kamaljeet Singh, were formally greeted by the AU VC.
AU reported that it is operating at a profit for the first time, attributed to enhanced internal resource generation through self-financed courses and improved financial management.
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