How to Become an Assistant Professor: Quick Facts

What Does an Assistant Professor do

Assistant Professors are academic professionals who teach across colleges and universities and guide their respective students in particular subject domains. They also help the students with their research and dissertations and mark their assessment assignments. Read More: Associate Professor Jobs

Some of the essential duties of an Assistant Professor are discussed below, 

1. Assistant Professors are responsible for assisting their college/university in all activities, and events and helping in the smooth administration of the institute.
2. Assistant Professors are also responsible for the recruitment and training of the junior teaching staff like ad-hoc professors.
3. They must also conduct their own research, write dissertations, and publish articles & journals.
4. Assistant Professors are also in charge of representing their college/university at various conferences and seminars.
5. Assistant Professors teach undergraduate and postgraduate students and guide them in their research work and help them clear their doubts.

Assistant Professor Qualification

There are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to become an Assistant Professor. Some of the major qualifications to become an Assistant Professor are listed below for your reference. 

1. Aspiring candidates must complete a bachelor’s degree in any relevant discipline from various streams such as Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, Science, Languages, Journalism & Mass Communication and etc.
2. It is also required that the candidates must complete their master’s degree in any relevant discipline preferably in the same discipline as in bachelor’s program
3. Besides fulfilling the above qualifications, it is also mandatory for the candidates to appear for National Eligibility Test (NET) which is conducted by UGC or the CSIR.
4. Candidates must also pursue PhD from any recognized university which is ranked among the top 500 universities,
5. To become an Assistant Professor in the discipline of Management studies, candidates must have a master’s degree in any related discipline or full-time 2 years PGDM declared equivalent by AIU.

Assistant Professor Eligibility Criteria

There are certain eligibility criteria that must be followed to start a career as an Assistant Professor in India. Some of the essential eligibility criteria are discussed below for your reference. Read: How to Become a Lecturer in India

1. Candidates must complete their bachelor’s degree in any discipline with a minimum aggregate score of 50% or above from a recognized institute 
2. Candidates must also complete their master's degree across any discipline with a minimum aggregate of 55% or above from a recognized institute.
3. Candidates need to qualify in the National Eligibility Test (NET) or a State Level Eligibility test- SLET/ SET.
4. Candidates who are or have completed a PhD program, then the candidate is exempted from appearing in UGC NET exam.

UGC Guidelines for Assistant Professor

Since it is a mandatory requirement to clear the UGC NET exam, there are certain guidelines that are set by UGC for recruiting Assistant Professors. There is also direct recruitment for Assistant Professors which is usually done on merit by the duly constituted selection committee. UGC has laid down some basic eligibility criteria as well which are discussed below for your reference. 

1. Candidates must have a sound academic record with a minimum aggregate score of 55% or above or an equivalent CGPA score throughout
2. Candidates also need to clear the National Eligibility Test (NET) or an accredited test (State Level Eligibility test- SLET/ SET).
3. Clearing NET/SLET/SET is one of the mandatory requirements for the appointment of Assistant Professors.
4. However, candidates who are or have been awarded a PhD degree in accordance with the University Grants Commission shall be exempted from the requirement of appearing in NET/SLET/SET.
5. A relaxation of 5% may be provided to scheduled caste/scheduled tribe/differently-abled.
6. For recruitment of a Physiotherapy Assistant Professor, a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy or master’s degree in physiotherapy with a minimum aggregate of 55% or above. Read More: Eligibility to Become a Professor

How to Become an Assistant Professor in India

To become an Assistant Professor in India, candidates must prepare themselves right from the school level. Candidates must maintain a good academic score from the beginning and also participate in academic events and acquire certificates from school as well as college levels. Candidates must pursue their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in any of the relevant disciplines such as arts, commerce, humanities, law, social sciences, science, languages journalism & mass communication etc. 

Post completion of a master’s degree, candidates need to appear for the UGC NET exam. It is one of the mandatory requirements to become an Assistant Professor. Candidates must also publish their research papers in various peer journals as it will add value to candidates' resumes.

How to Become an Assistant Professor After 12th

Undergraduate Preparations: Some of the most crucial steps that must be followed in order to be an Assistant Professor after clearing their bachelor's degree are as follows,

• Candidates must prepare themselves for entrance exams to pursue undergraduate degrees in any discipline.
• Candidates must complete an undergraduate degree in any discipline with a minimum aggregate of 50% or above from a recognized institute.
• Candidates must take part in various college activities and seminars especially those related to academics.
• Candidates can start preparing for UGC NET right from their undergraduate level so as to save time and be clear on the first attempt. 

Postgraduate Preparations: Some of the most crucial steps that must be taken after completion of an undergraduate degree in order to become an Assistant Professor are as follows.

• Candidates must clear the entrance exam to pursue a master's degree.
• Candidates must pursue a master’s degree in any discipline preferably in the one in which the candidate has done a bachelor’s degree.
• Candidates must publish their research work in various magazines and peer-reviewed journals.
• Candidates must appear for the UGC NET exam in order to pursue a career as an Assistant Professor.
• Candidates must do various certification courses as well in order to develop teaching and research skills which will be very helpful in skill development.