HYDERABAD: Students are planning to challenge UGC's new National Eligibility Test (NET) guidelines for lecturer posts. University Grants Commission (UGC) recently introduced a new rule stating that only top 15% candidates in NET will be eligible for taking up teaching jobs in collegesand universities.

Till last year, any candidate who scored minimum marks was eligible for teaching posts. Students from English and Foreign Languages University (Eflu) on Sunday said they would approach court against UGC guidelines. The protesting students said that the UGC's

decision was in violation of a Kerala HC order, issued on December 17, 2012. A total of 28,000 students appeared for the NET examination from Osmania University centre on Sunday.

"In its order, the Kerala HC had clearly stated that NET was only an eligibility test and not a competitive examination. The exam is only meant to test whether the candidates are qualified to teach or do research. However, by deciding to grant NET certificates to only the top 15% candidates, UGC is denying an opportunity to others," said Mohan Dharavath, student leader, Eflu. Students said that new guidelines would do more harm than good.

"Those candidates who had secured NET in the past would appear for the examination to get grants under Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). Such candidates are likely to figure in the top 15% of the merit list over and over again denying opportunity to others," said Dharavat.

The students are planning to file a PIL within a month's time. UGC conducts NET once in every six months.