Allahabad High Court: universities cannot be forced to accept JEST score for PhD admission

The Allahabad High Court, in a ruling on October 23, 2026, affirmed that universities are not obligated to accept Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) scores as a substitute for University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) scores for PhD admissions if they have formally prescribed UGC NET as an eligibility requirement. Justice Jaspreet Singh dismissed a plea by candidate Aakash Narayan, who sought to compel Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow, to consider his JEST score for admission to its PhD programme in Physics for the 2025-26 academic session.

This judgment reinforces the autonomy of higher education institutions to set their own admission criteria, aligning with the broader framework established by the UGC to make easier PhD admissions in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The ruling clarifies the distinction between national-level examinations and their acceptance by individual universities, impacting prospective PhD candidates across India.

The Petitioner’s Case and the University’s Stance

Aakash Narayan, holding a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Astronomy from Osmania University, petitioned the Allahabad High Court after Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow, did not call him for a doctoral admission interview. Narayan, who did not possess a UGC NET score, argued that his JEST score should be considered for eligibility. He sought directions for the university to allow him to participate in the interview and also claimed compensation of at least Rs 1 lakh, along with litigation costs.

The university opposed the plea, stating that it had prescribed UGC NET as an eligibility criterion through a resolution dated October 26, 2024. This requirement was later incorporated into the eligibility conditions specified in the prospectus for the 2025-26 academic session. The university maintained that JEST was not among the examinations recognised under its admission criteria. The JEST scorecard submitted by Narayan was from 2009, further complicating his insistence on its acceptance for the 2025-26 academic year.

High Court’s Observations on University Autonomy

The Allahabad High Court, led by Justice Jaspreet Singh, observed that while JEST is a national-level examination, this does not mandate every university to accept its score for PhD admissions. The court clarified that an institution has the right to prescribe eligibility criteria in accordance with applicable rules and regulations. It noted that a JEST score might be accepted as an additional qualification by certain higher education institutions, but this does not create an obligation for all universities to do so.

The court stated, “If the university has accepted the UGC criteria as eligibility, it cannot be said that the same is arbitrary or violative of any Rule or Regulations. The petitioner cannot insist that a particular university must accept JEST Score despite that it may be a national level examination.” It further added, “In absence of any material to indicate the validity of the JEST Score, the insistence of the petitioner to treat his JEST Score of the year 2009 for the academic year 2025-26 is not acceptable nor on the said basis any direction can be issued to the respondent university.” The ruling underscores that no specific directions can be given to any institute to accept JEST scores as a mandatory condition.

UGC’s Evolving Role in PhD Admissions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has been actively working to align higher education with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, particularly in simplifying the PhD admission process. In its 578th Meeting held on March 13, 2024, based on expert committee recommendations, the UGC decided that from the academic session 2024-25, the NET score can be used for admission to PhD programmes in place of entrance tests conducted by different universities/Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). A public notice regarding this was issued on March 27, 2024.

From June 2024 onwards, NET candidates are declared eligible in three categories. For students qualifying in Categories 2 and 3, 70% weightage will be given for test scores and 30% weightage for the interview for admission to PhD programmes. The marks obtained in the NET by candidates in Categories 2 and 3 will be valid for a period of one year for admission to PhD. The UGC-NET, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) usually twice a year in June and December across over 80 subjects, now plays a key role in PhD admissions. While UGC-NET is not compulsory for all PhD admissions in India as per UGC guidelines, universities can admit PhD candidates through multiple routes, including university-level PhD entrance exams, national-level exams like GATE or CSIR NET, and interviews and research proposal evaluation. The UGC Regulations, 2022, and the public notice dated March 27, 2024, were referred to by the court.

Further reading

• UGC NET Dec 2026: Apply by Oct 28
• UGC NET December 2026 registration open: apply by 28 October, full list of Maharashtra exam centres
• AP EdCET registration: dates and steps to apply
• UGC NET: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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