Guwahati, April 25: The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University Grants Commission (UGC) in New Delhi recently and the UGC has agreed to share the UGC-NET score with USTM that will be utilised by the University for admission into PhD.
The MoU was formally signed by Prof. Manish R. Joshi, Secretary, University Grants Commission, Ministry of Education, Government of India and Mrs Anju Hazarika, Registrar, USTM.
According to the agreement, UGC will provide USTM with essential details of NET-qualified candidates, including their roll numbers, names, photographs, signatures, parent names, gender, category, marks obtained, qualifying status, and other relevant information. This data will assist USTM in verifying the authenticity of applicants’ credentials for PhD admission.
Expressing gratitude, Mahbubul Hoque, Chancellor of USTM, said, “We feel honoured as the University Grants Commission, Government of India, has partnered with us in our continued commitment to excellence in research and development.”
Prof. G.D. Sharma, Vice Chancellor of USTM, stated: “UGC and USTM have signed a MoU to enhance the quality of research in the North East region of India. They will be sharing a list of NET qualified candidates in different subjects for Ph. D. Admission. USTM will identify the emerging areas for research relevant to the North East region and select nationally meritorious NET qualified candidates to do research having application to society. Such support will also help in bringing quality research publication and convert their research into incubator and startups. This is for the first time that UGC has taken such initiative to enhance the quality of research in universities”.
USTM has been making remarkable strides in academic and research excellence. The Department of Physics at USTM was recently ranked 34th by the prestigious Nature Index 2024, outperforming many of the nation’s premier institutions on this global research platform. Additionally, USTM secured 48th position overall in the Nature Index for research output.
The university is deeply involved in a wide array of research initiatives spanning multiple disciplines and has 124 Patents published to its credit. The university has undertaken many funded projects from both government and private entities, targeting innovative solutions to both regional and global challenges.
USTM’s research centers are committed to advancing fields such as biotechnology, environmental science, and nanotechnology. The university also places strong emphasis on research that addresses local issues, particularly those affecting the Northeast region of India with the goal of contributing to sustainable development and community well-being.