Introduction:

The University Grants Commission (U.G.C.), while prescribing the revised pay scale for teachers in colleges and in universities, in accordance with the Fourth Pay Commission, has prescribed that the person being appointed as Assistant Professor shall qualify for the new scales provided he/she clears, the Eligibility Test, to be conducted by the U.G.C., in addition to the minimum qualifications already prescribed. The U.G.C., accordingly conducts, the National Educational Tests (N.E.T.), for many subjects. The U.G.C. and the C.S.I.R.(Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) conduct combined tests for science subjects. The NET or the combined Tests enables the candidate to receive the Junior Research Fellowship (J.R.F.) of the U.G.C./C.S.I.R. and/or makes him/her eligible for being appointed as Assistant Professor. In view of the fact that the number of candidates who are required to be qualified for being appointed as Assistant Professors, under the new pay scales, is fairly large, the U.G.C. has authorised the State Governments or the State Agencies on behalf of the State Governments to conduct the State Eligibility Test(SET) for Assistant Professor, provided, the SET is duly accredited by the U.G.C.

State Agency:

In accordance with the guidelines of the U.G.C., the Government of Maharashtra, Higher & Technical Education & Employment Department by their Resolution No. UGC-1391/2066/VS-4 , dt: July, 14, 1994 have nominated the University of Pune as the State Agency for conducting the State Eligibility Test (SET) . The U.G.C. has accredited the SET examinations being held by the University of Pune as the State Agency of the Government of Maharashtra and at the Government of Goa.

Assistant Professor:

It may further be specifically understood that such a candidate who qualifies the SET would only be held eligible for being appointed as Assistant Professor in University/ affiliated college, provided he/she fulfills other academic qualifications prescribed for Assistant Professor post by the U.G.C. and is selected by the respective Selection Committee. Unlike the NET/UGC-CSIR Combined Test the candidates who qualifies the SET is only eligible for being selected as Assistant Professor and not for the award of Junior Research Fellowship (JRF). As per UGC guidelines, after June 2002, SET qualified candidates shall be eligible to apply for the post of Assistant Professor only in the Universities/Colleges belonging to the same state whose SET Examination they have cleared.

Eligibility Criteria:

a) The candidates must have Master’s Degree recognized by U.G.C., in a subject of MH-SET. The candidates having Post Graduate diploma/certificate awarded by Indian University/Institute or Foreign degree/diploma/certificate awarded by the Foreign University/Institute should in their own interest, ascertain the equivalence *of their diploma/degree/certificate, with Master’s degree of recognized Indian Universities from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), New Delhi (www.aiu.ac.in)

(* Such candidates who qualify MH-SET will be required to submit equivalence certificate from AIU, Immediately after the result of the MH-SET examination)

b) The candidates other than SC/ST/OBC/SBC/DT(VJ)/NT/SEBC/Trans-genders/Orphan category, who have secured at least 55% marks (without gracing or rounding off ) in Master’s or equivalent examination, are eligible for this test. OBC/SBC/DT(VJ)/NT/SEBC [belonging to non-creamy layer] and SC/ST/PH/VH/Trans-genders(PH-Physically Handicapped, VH-Visually Handicapped i.e. Blind) category candidates who have secured at least 50% marks (without gracing or rounding off) in Master’s or equivalent examination are eligible for this test. The candidates belonging to DT(A)(VJ)/NT (B,C,D)/SBC/ SEBC must submit a valid category certificate recognized by the Govt. of Maharashtra & Goa. The OBC certificate will not be accepted in lieu of said categories ( The OBC certificate is accepted only at national level for UGC-NET and UGC-CSIR NET in lieu of said categories).

c) The candidates who are studying in the first year of two years Masters Course or in first two semesters of a four semester course of Master’s Degree are not eligible to appear for this test.

d) Candidates who are pursuing their Master’s degree or equivalent course or candidates who have appeared for their qualifying Master’s degree (final year) examination and whose result is still awaited or candidates whose qualifying examinations have been delayed may also apply for this test. However, such candidates will be admitted provisionally and shall be considered eligible for Assistant Professor after they have passed their Master’s Degree or equivalent examination with at least 55% marks (50% marks in case of SC/ST/PH/VH/Trans-genders and BC/SBC/DT(A)/NT(B)/NT(C)/NT(D)/ SEBC [belonging to non-creamy layer ] such candidates must complete their Master’s Degree or equivalent examination within two years from the date of SMH-SETET result with required percentage of marks, failing which they shall be treated as disqualified.

e) The candidates of other States (other than Maharashtra & Goa) belonging to reserved categories shall be treated as Open category, as per the rules of the Maharashtra and Goa States.

f) Candidates can appear for MH-SET in the subject of their Post Graduation only e.g. Commerce : M.Com., Environmental Science : M.Sc. Env. Sci., Life Science : M.Sc. Life Science/Botany/Zoology/Microbiology/ Biotechnology etc., Home Science : M.Sc., M.A. Home Science (Refer Item No. 4 on page 06 in Prospectus, for list of MH-SET and P.G. subjects).

g) Candidates should note that their candidature is provisional. It will be deemed final upon verification of eligibility documents with reference to the claims made in their application, after the result of SET examination.

h) A candidate who has already qualified MH-SET in a subject, will not be allowed to appear again for MH-SET in the same subject. The candidates violating this rule will be liable for initiating legal action.

i) To apply for the MH-SET, there is no upper age limit.

j) As per the U.G.C. rules the candidates who have passed M.Sc. (by Research) are not eligible to appear for the MH-SET.

k) The MH-SET State Agency will not issue any mark sheet to qualified/not qualified candidates. Students should note that there is a provision for online verification of MH-SET result. The MH-SET Unit will issue e-certificate to qualified candidates only on verification of the Eligibility documents immediately after the result of the MH-SET examination.

Scheme of Examination:

a) The SET will be conducted in Objective Mode. The test will consist of two papers. All the two papers will consist of only objective type questions and will be held on the day of Examination in two separate sessions as under.

Session	Paper	Number of Multiple Choice Questions	Marks	Duration
First	I	50 questions all of which are compulsory	50 x 2 = 100	1 hour (10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m.)
Second	II	100 questions all of which are compulsory	100 x 2 = 200	2 hours (11.30 a.m. to 01.30 p.m.)

b) Paper-I shall be of general nature, intended to assess the teaching/research aptitude of the candidate. It is primarily designed to test reasoning ability, comprehension, divergent thinking and general awareness of the candidate. Paper I shall consist of fifty (50) objective type compulsory questions of two marks each.

Paper I has 4 sets with 4 different Test Booklet Codes viz. A, B, C, D. Student has to ensure that the same Test Booklet Code is pre-printed and pre-shaded on the OMR sheet (Answer Sheet) of Paper I.

Paper-II shall consist of hundred (100) objective type compulsory questions, (except mathamatical science) based on the subject selected by the candidate. Each question will carry two marks. In Mathematical Science, a student has to attempt all questions (100) either from Sections I & II or from Sections I & III only. The OMR sheets of the candidates attempting questions from both sections II & III, will be rejected.

Paper II of each subject has 4 sets with 4 different Test Booklet Codes viz., A, B, C, D. Student has to ensure that the same Test Booklet Code is pre-printed and pre-shaded on the OMR sheet (Answer Sheet) of Paper II.

Top part of the OMR sheet will be given to each student along with Admit Card to practice writing and shading of Seat No., Subject Code (For all 2 Papers).

All questions of Paper-II will be compulsory, covering updated syllabi for all subjects except Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences ,Physical Science ,Mathematical Sciences, Earth , Atmospheric , Ocean & Planetary Science (For later subjects the syllabi of earlier Papers II & III together).

The Candidate will have to mark the responses for questions of Paper-I & Paper-II on the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) Sheet provided along with the Test Booklet.

No corrections in the OMR sheets are permitted. In case of corrections, the candidate shall be responsible for his/her loss.

The detailed instructions for marking the test booklet code, subject code, seat number and responses on the OMR sheet are given under item No. 14 on page 14 in the Prospectus. It may be noted that these instructions to candidates will not be sent to any of the candidate by post.

c) The candidate has to return the original OMR sheet to the invigilator on conclusion of each session. However, the candidates are allowed to carry the Test Booklet of Paper- I and II along with duplicate copy of OMR sheets (carbonless copy) on conclusion of examination only.

d) There will be no negative marking.

e) The State Eligibility Test for Maharashtra & Goa states will be conducted based on syllabi of UGC.NET which have been updated and uploaded on the UGC website “https://www.ugcnetonline.in/” with the link ‘Updated syllabi’ which will be applicable for SET to be conducted on 23rd June,2019 except for the subjects Life Science,Chemical Science,Physical Science,Mathematical Science,Earth,Atmospheric,Ocean & Planetary Science. The updated syllabi are also available on the website “http://setexam.unipune.ac.in” Now Paper II will contain 100 compulsory MCQs of two marks each from the subject selected by the candidate and the duration of this paper has been made as two hours (120 minutes). The syllabi of subjects, Life Science, Chemical Science, Physical Science, Mathematical Science, Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean & Planetary Science will be as before. In these subjects,the syllabi of paper II and paper III shall now form the syllabus of paper II. Kindly ignore the instructions given at the top of the syllabi of these subjects. In addition,ignore the sample questions given at the bottom of paper III syllabus of these subjects.Paper II of these subjects will also contain 100 compulsory MCQs ,of two marks each from the subject selected by the candidate and the duration of this paper has been made as two hours (120 minutes). As per UGC letter No.F.4-2/90(NET/SET Policy) dated 19th January,2019.”