UGC to Include Yoga in National Eligibility Test from Next Academic Year

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The long pending decision of including yoga in the National Eligibility Test (NET) has finally been approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which was earlier ruled out by a panel set up by HRD Ministry. Yoga Guru H.R. Nagendra, who was the head of the committee, recommended this in order to make yoga a more lucrative career option for those learning it in all institutions.

Now, candidates who are pursuing graduation and post graduation in yoga are now eligible to appear for the NET examination from the next academic year. A senior official mentioned that it was difficult to fill teaching positions for yoga in schools and colleges since there was no NET exam for postgraduate students in yoga. But this approval will provide quick recruitments in various institutes across the country.

Currently, yoga is being taught in 52 institutes in India out of which 16 offer a masters degree in the discipline. The apex higher education regulator has directed 6 central universities to open yoga departments. This will make yoga an important part of the student curriculum. The panel also suggested inviting experts (as guest lecturers) from various institutes like Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Yogpeeth. They also suggested paying the lecturers according to the salary norms of UGC.

NET is a national level examination organised by CBSE to offer candidates post of assistant professors and research fellowships in various universities.