How to Become an Assistant Professor: Qualifications and Steps

An assistant professor is mostly a faculty member in a college or a university. This professional is responsible for teaching UG and PG students as well as conducting research in their area of expertise. A career as an assistant professor is a sought-after one looking at the fact that lakhs of students appear for the UGC NET exam every year. Assistant professors were required to be PhD holders or pursuing PhD courses in different disciplines.  However, the UGC University Grant Commission) of India in an announcement in 2023 stated that a PhD degree is not mandatorily required to become an assistant professor in India. Let us take a look at how to become an assistant professor in India, the required qualifications, and the steps, in this post.

Key Facts About an Assistant Professor in India

1. Eligibility: The candidate should complete their master’s degree with minimum aggregate marks of 60% or above in any discipline, and must clear the UGC NET exam.

2. Job Opportunities: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Counselor, Professor, HOD, etc.

3. Skills Needed: Communication and Research Skills, Analytical and Counseling Skills, Knowledge about Topics, and Training, among others. 

4. Salary: An Assistant Professor in India earns a salary ranging between Rs 1.8 Lakh to Rs 12.9 Lakhs with an average annual salary of Rs 5.6 Lakhs per annum.

How to Become an Assistant Professor?

To become an Assistant Professor, candidates are required to pursue their master’s degree in any discipline earning a minimum aggregate score of 55% or above from a recognized college or university. Earlier, a PhD was mandatory for candidates to become assistant professors but now as per the UGC update, candidates without a PhD can also apply for the position of Assistant Professor. 

Below are the qualifications and steps to become an Assistant Professor in India: 

1. Candidates are required to complete a bachelor’s degree in any discipline and in any stream like Science, Arts, Commerce, Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, Languages, and more. 
2. Candidates must also complete their master’s degree, preferably in the same discipline as their bachelor’s program
3. Candidates must also appear for the National Eligibility Test (NET) conducted by UGC or the CSIR
4. Earlier, candidates needed to pursue a PhD mandatorily from a recognized university. However, the UGC of India has removed this mandate now

Click here to read this blog:- How to Become a Police Officer

Eligibility Criteria to Become an Assistant Professor

Candidates must clear certain eligibility criteria to start a career as an Assistant Professor in India as mentioned below:

• They must have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline with 50% min. aggregate marks from a recognized institute 
• They must complete their master's degree in a discipline (preferably in the same as the bachelor’s) from a recognized institute with a minimum aggregate of 55% marks
• They must qualify in the National Eligibility Test (NET) or a State Level Eligibility test- SLET/ SET
• However, candidates who has a PhD degree are exempted from appearing the UGC NET exam

Role of an Assistant Professor

Assistant Professors are faculty members of an educational institution like a college or a university.  They teach students and guide them in their particular subject. They help students in completing dissertations and research work. Below are some essential duties of an Assistant Professor:

• Assistant Professors assist in all activities of their college/university like educating the students, supporting them through events, and helping in the smooth administration of the institute
• They recruit and train ad-hoc professors and other junior teaching staff
• They conduct research, write dissertations, and publish journals
• These professionals represent their institution at conferences and seminars held across the country
• They teach UG and PG students and guide them in their research

Skills Required to Become an Assistant Professor

Here are some skills that support aspiring Assistant Professors in their career: 

1. Written and Verbal Communication – Good communication skills, both written and verbal, are a must for assistant professors to engage students. The candidate has to be loud and clear to make students understand and follow their teaching. Further, good listening, writing, speaking skills, and legible handwriting are important too.  

2. Interpersonal Skills – An assistant professor must communicate with colleagues, students, and other professionals in their role. Hence, having quality interpersonal skills is important for these professionals. These skills help them gain confidence and excel in their careers.   

3. Skills in Research – Research plays another role in building the career of an assistant professor.  Candidates need to have good experience in research, especially candidates pursuing PhD after their master’s work to complete their thesis. The research papers also help assistant professors to earn better and acquire better positions.      

4. Ability to Solve Problems – Assistant professors must also possess the ability to reason well and to solve problems. These skills help them identify issues and present workable solutions to them.  

5. Cognitive Abilities – The job of an assistant professor demands increased mental abilities to help candidates reason well before passing judgments. They must have a good attention span, sharp memory, and the ability to comprehend well. All these abilities help them become an expert in their profession.

Conclusion

An Assistant Professor may be recruited based on different eligibility criteria such as age limits or educational qualifications as per the requirement of the college or university you are applying for. You can check the requirements in the official notification of the concerned university/institute you are applying for. If you are looking at online UG, PG, or PhD courses in India to pursue your dream of becoming an assistant professor, you can check the official website of Amity University Online. So, visit the portal now and learn more. 

Check Out Our Top Online Degree Programs