University Adopting UGC-NET Criteria Cannot Be Compelled To Accept JEST Score For PhD Admissions: Allahabad High Court

The Allahabad High Court has observed that a university that has adopted UGC-NET criteria for PhD admissions cannot be compelled to accept a Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) score in place of a NET score.

A bench of Justice Jaspreet Singh made this observation while dismissing a writ petition filed by Aakash Narayan, who sought a direction to Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University, Lucknow, to allow him to appear for an interview for PhD admission in Physics for the 2025–26 academic session.

The petitioner holds an MSc degree in Astronomy from Osmania University. It was his case that the university did not call him for an interview as he did not have a UGC-NET score.

He contended that the university should accept his JEST score in place of a UGC-NET score and admit him for PhD. The petitioner had also sought compensation of at least ₹1 lakh, along with litigation costs.

On the other hand, the university informed the Court that it had adopted UGC-NET criteria through a resolution dated October 26, 2024 and the same was incorporated in eligibility requirements in its prospectus for the 2025–26 academic session.

It was the University's case that JEST was not among the examinations which are recognized by it under the admission criteria adopted by it.

Considering these submissions, the Court rejected the petitioner's contention. It noted that JEST is a national-level examination recognized by participating institutions, but that does not mean every university or higher education institution is bound to accept its score for PhD admissions.

"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 the fact that it may be a national level examination", the Court said.

It further observed that a JEST Score can be an additional Score which may be acceptable to any university or higher education institute, "but it cannot be said that a JEST Score must be accepted in all institutes and universities".

The High Court also referred to the University Grants Commission (UGC) Regulations, 2022, and the UGC public notice dated March 27, 2024, on using UGC-NET scores for PhD admissions in place of separate entrance tests conducted by universities.

The Court noted that the respondent university had adopted the relevant criteria and reflected them in its prospectus for the academic session in question.

In these circumstances, the Court said, the petitioner could not insist that the university accept JEST as an alternative to the eligibility criteria it had adopted.

"...no specific directions can be given to any such institute to accept JEST Score as a mandatory condition", the Court observed.

The Court also took note of the fact that the JEST scorecard on which he relied was from 2009.

The petitioner had sought to use that score for admission to the 2025–26 academic session. However, the Court noted that no material was placed on record to establish the score's validity for the relevant academic year.

"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 Court remarked.

Thus, finding no merit in the writ petition, the High Court dismissed it without any order as to costs.