The Allahabad High Court has ruled that universities cannot be compelled to accept Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) scores instead of University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) scores for PhD admissions when their declared admission criteria require UGC NET.

The ruling came while dismissing a petition filed by Aakash Narayan, who sought permission to attend a PhD admission interview at Dr Shakuntala Misra National Rehabilitation University in Lucknow for the 2025–26 academic session. Justice Jaspreet Singh delivered the judgment on October 1, 2026.

Why the Candidate Approached the Court

Narayan, who completed his MSc in Astronomy from Osmania University, had applied for a PhD programme in Physics at the Lucknow-based university. However, he was not invited for an interview because he did not have the UGC NET score required under the university's admission criteria.

The candidate argued that his JEST score should be accepted as an alternative because the examination is recognised by participating institutions for admission to research programmes in relevant subjects. He asked the court to direct the university to allow him to attend the interview and also sought compensation of at least ₹1 lakh and litigation costs.

The university opposed the petition, stating that it had adopted UGC NET-based eligibility criteria through a resolution dated October 26, 2024. The requirement was also included in its prospectus for the 2025–26 academic session, making the admission conditions available to applicants before they applied.

Court Explains Universities' Admission Criteria

The court observed that although JEST is a national-level examination recognised by participating institutions, this does not require every university to accept its scores. Institutions can establish admission criteria in accordance with applicable UGC regulations and their published eligibility requirements.

The judgment stated:

“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.” - Justice Jaspreet Singh, Allahabad High Court.

The court further explained that JEST scores may be accepted by universities that recognise the examination, but they cannot be made compulsory for all higher education institutions. It found no binding rule requiring the respondent university to treat JEST as equivalent to UGC NET for the admission process in question.

Validity of the JEST Score Also Raised Concerns

Another important factor was the age of the scorecard submitted by the petitioner. According to the judgment, the JEST scorecard relied upon by Narayan was from 2009. He did not provide material establishing that the score remained valid for PhD admission during the 2025–26 academic session.

The court also considered the UGC's PhD regulations introduced in 2022 and its public notice dated March 27, 2024, concerning the use of UGC NET scores for PhD admissions in place of separate university entrance examinations.

Finding no merit in the petition, the High Court dismissed it without imposing any costs.

What the Ruling Means for PhD Aspirants

The decision highlights the importance of checking university-specific admission requirements before applying for doctoral programmes. A national-level examination score may be recognised by certain institutions without being accepted universally.

PhD aspirants should therefore review the admission prospectus, verify which examinations are accepted, check score validity and confirm eligibility requirements for the relevant academic year.

The ruling does not prohibit universities from accepting JEST scores. Instead, it clarifies that candidates cannot demand their acceptance where an institution has adopted different eligibility criteria and no binding rule requires otherwise.