NTA UGC NET Job Profile 2021: Career Options After JRF & Assistant Professor

Career Scope After Qualifying UGC NET Exam

One may wonder what’s next once they qualify after sitting for the UGC NET Exam. The most commonly asked question regarding qualifying for the exams is the career scope going forward.

That’s only normal because most people learn to get jobs or advance their careers if they already have one. It is no secret that the UGC NET mainly revolves around research and lecturing.

It allows you to join the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) or become an assistant lecturer.

What’s next after passing the JRF Exam?

This article is all about the career scope after qualifying for the UGC NET exam. So, without further ado, let’s get started and see what your future looks like upon qualifying.

Career Opportunities after Qualifying for the UGC NET JRF Exam

It is no secret that the JRF is all about research. Upon qualifying for the JRF exam, you are at liberty to embark on the research and discover various future things.

You get to choose a university or college among the many NET coordinating learning institutions to pursue the research.

Below is a summary of career options to choose from.

• Select the college or university of choice among the NET coordinating Institutes
• Identify an experienced senior faculty and utilize it to get the knowledge necessary for your career.
• Choose research projects that will significantly impact your career, whether short-term or long-term, because it would make a huge difference in the end as far as your career advancement is concerned.
• Look for fields that often attract research funding and start researching, preferably those with over two funding sources.
• After qualifying following the JRF exam, you can look for a renowned organization with a research department and start your career right there.
• You can work in government labs such as SERB, ICMR, DRDO, ISRO and ICAR.
• Alternatively, establish a laboratory, hire research experts and work together to discover new things.
• Last but not least, start research training which is perfect for boosting your knowledge in your area of specialty.

UGC NET Job Opportunities and Promotions after Qualifying for the JRF Exam

The Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) scheme of the University Grants Commission (UGC) is open to candidates who qualify in the National Eligibility Testing (NET) of the UGC and the UGC-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) joint test.

The objective of the JRF scheme is to provide opportunities to NET-qualified candidates to undertake advanced studies and research leading to M.Phil/Ph.D.

for JRF Eligibility are Candidates who have qualified in NET or the UGC-CSIR joint test. However, the selection for the JRF is made by the universities/institutions/colleges.

Upon choosing a college or university for further studies in research, that marks the beginning of a promising career path.

For instance, if working as a Junior Research Fellow (JRF), you can get promoted to Senior Research Fellow (SRF). Other promotions include Project Fellow (PF) to Senior Project Fellow (SPF), Project Assistant or Associate (PA) to Senior Project Assistant or Associate (SPA), Author to Senior Author, and Project Manager to Project Head.

PostAfter PromotionJunior Research Fellow (JRF)Senior Research Fellow (SRF)Project Fellow (PF)Senior Project Fellow (SPF)Project Assistant (PA)Senior Project Assistant (SPA)AuthorSenior AuthorProject ManagerProject Head

There is a lot to achieve after passing the JRF Exam and qualifying for the fellowship.

Heads up!

• The tenure of fellowship is initially for two years under the JRF scheme. Upon expiry of this period, the work of the Fellow will be evaluated by experts.
• If the research work is found satisfactory, his/her tenure will be extended for a further period of three years under the enhanced emoluments of the Senior Research Fellowship (SRF).
• In case the work for the first two years is not found satisfactory, an additional year will be given to him/her for improvement.
• However, during this period he/she will bedesignated as a Junior Research Fellow. In such cases work will be evaluated again after three years, and if improvement is found, the Fellow will get two more years under the
  SRF.
• Thus, the total period of fellowship (JRF and SRF) is five years, will no further provision of extension.

Benefits of Pursuing Research in the Relevant Postgraduate Subject after the UGC NET Exam

Upon passing the JRF Exam, qualifying for the fellowship, and enrolling in a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, there is a lot to expect.

1. A 5-year fellowship
2. The first two years on this fellowship will see the JRF pocket up to Rs. 31000 monthly and an additional House Rent Allowance (HRA) every month.
3. The HRA differs from one individual to the other depending on the institutions they are working for.
4. The last three years mean more money for the JRF fellows since they earn up to Rs. 35000. The HRA is also offered, but again, it is different depending on the institution you chose.
5. Additionally, various grants are offered to the JRF. The amount is not constant since multiple universities have different policies when it comes to this matter. Each IIM and private university also has a different program policy. Therefore, research on what the various institutions provide when selecting the one to enroll in.
6. After the JRF Exam, qualifiers end up killing two birds with the same stone. By the end of the fellowship, they get to earn a doctorate, not forgetting to earn a stipend all along the way.
7. Upon completion, you have a high chance of getting a job in a corporate firm to work as a researcher. After all, they usually prefer JRF qualifiers over other researchers.

House Rent Allowance –

• Suitable single-seated hostel accommodation may be provided to the JRF candidate in the institutions. In case of non-availability, HRA as per rules of the university/institution will be paid, to the fellow subject to the submission of the HRA Certificate through the Registrar/Principal.
• If the fellow makes his/her own arrangements of accommodation, he/she may be entitled to draw HRA as per categorization of cities by the Government of India.
• The fellow need to submit a certificate for the purpose to the UGC for claiming HRA through the concerned university/institution/colleges.

Medical–

No separate/fixed medical assistance is provided. However, the fellow may avail of the medical facilities available in the institution/university/college.

Leave-

• JRFs are entitled to a maximum period of 30 days of leave in a year in addition to public holidays. They are not entitled to any other vacations.
• Women candidates are eligible for maternity leave of 180 days at full rates of fellowship once during the tenure of their award.
• In special cases, Junior Research Fellows may be allowed leave without fellowship by the Commission up to one academic year during the entire tenure

Career Opportunities after Qualifying for the UGC NET Exam as an Assistant Professor or Lecturer

The main reason why people sit for the UGC NET exams is to qualify for the lecturer or assistant professor position. Upon qualifying, this is what to expect:

• Select any top university in India and apply for an assistant professor post
• You can teach professional students, undergraduates, or post-doctoral fellows. It all depends on the position you get and the skills you possess.
• Carry out problem-solving sessions to help the students learn

UGC NET Job Opportunities and Promotions after Qualifying as an Assistant Professor

Becoming an assistant professor is an excellent opportunity to pursuing even better careers in the future. You stand a chance to serve in other job posts and even earn yourself promotions in the future. Let’s dive into the jobs and their respective promotions.

As a junior Assistant Professor, you can get a promotion to an Assistant Professor. Others include Assistant Professor to Senior Assistant Professor, Senior Assistant Professor to Assistant Professor (Selection Grade), Assistant Professor (Selection Grade) to Associate Professor, Associate Professor to Professor, and Professor to General Head or Manager.

S. No.Offered PositionsPosition after Promotion1.Junior Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor2.Assistant ProfessorSenior Assistant Professor3.Senior Assistant ProfessorAssistant Professor (Selection Grade)4.Assistant Professor (Selection Grade)Associate Professor5.Associate ProfessorProfessor6.ProfessorHead of Department (HOD)

UGC NET Exam qualifiers opportunities in Public Sector Undertakings

Upon passing your JRF exam or the assistant professor, you no longer have to pursue a lectureship. After all, some Public Sector Undertakings (PSU’s) are willing to hire candidates who have qualified for the UGC NET Exam.

They employ executives in corporate communications, management, finance, human resource, and Research & Development.

Some of the PSU’s one can work with include: (Open Link )

• Department of Space, Indian Space Research Organisation
• Oil and Natural gas corporation (ONGC)
• Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
• National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
• Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
• Naval Materials Research Laboratory
• Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
• Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)
• Oil India Limited (OIL)
• University Grants Commission (UGC) — Also provides opprtunity as consulatnt puerly on contract basis.
• Power Grid Corporation of India Limited

UGC NET Career Options in Various Academic Departments

You can also consider these job profiles upon passing your JRF exam or qualifying for the assistant professor:

• Program Executive
• Author
• IP Lead
• Guest Faculty
• Coaching Tutor both Online and Offline
• Transmission Executive
• Center Manager
• Lab Trainer
• Consultant

UGC NET Job Portal

Let’s Look at some data based on UGC NET JOB Portal to see how competitive for you to get the JRF and opportunity for an Assitant lectureship.

[Please note — Below graphs are based on data shown on UGC NET Job Portal, i.e considered only those who has registered on the portal.]

#1. Top 20 Subject Wise Subject wise list for NET Qualified Candidates — You can see here that commerce and management subjects are most popular and contain higher no of qualified students followed by computer science and education.

#2. Top 20 Subject wise list for NET-JRF Qualified Candidates — You can see that JFR counts are in line with the NET qualified students shown above. Commerce and management subject is most popular for NET Exam.

How to Apply for a Job Opportunity for UGC NET Exam Qualifiers

Things are now plentiful, thanks to the official UGC NET Job Portal. It is a place to find all the jobs discussed above. If you want to recruit, you get to post the job over there, not forgetting to check out the academic profiles and resumes of the relevant and interested parties. On the other hand, students search for the jobs that suit them best. Follow these steps to use the portal for jobs.

1. Visit the official page of the UGC NET Job Portal.
2. On the left side of that page, choose to register if it is your first time or log in if you already have an account.
3. Fill in the necessary details, including category, password, user name or email ID, and verification code.
4. Finally, browse the jobs and apply for the ones you deem fit, not forgetting to consider your skills and qualifications while at it.

FAQs on Career Scope after Qualifying for UGC NET Exam

• Is it easy to get a job after qualifying for UGC NET Assistant Professor or JRF Exams?
• As long as you qualified for the UGC NET Exam, you can rest assured that the future of your career is bright. For instance, presenting that certificate is enough to earn you a job in renowned learning institutions and organizations.
• Does qualifying after the JRF exam offer you a scholarship or a job?
• It is important to note that JRF is a scholarship program. It allows you to pursue a PhD in the relevant subject, but you also get to pocket a monthly stipend while at it. Equally important, it gives you a great opportunity to get other jobs related to research.
• Will NTA ensure that you get a job after qualifying for the UGC NET Exam?
• After you qualify for the JRF exam, a job isn’t a guarantee. However, qualifiers can rest assured that they will get a 2-year research scholarship. Alternatively, they can enrol in a PhD program which increases their chances of getting great jobs in the future.
• What salary should I expect after qualifying for the UGC NET Exam?
• Upon qualifying after the JRF exam, you can expect a monthly stipend of Rs. 31000 for at least two years. On the other hand, assistant professors receive Rs. 41000 every month. The salary increases as you get various promotions which is easy and possible with the UGC NET certificate.

Final Words

Passing the JRF exam and qualifying for the program offers you many job opportunities, especially in years to come. The same case applies to the assistant professor posts. Therefore, consider doing the UGC NET exam even if you are yet to do so.

Career After NET JRF Exam: Salary Structure, Options & Road Ahead