Yes. As per the latest draft (2021) of the UGC Regulations, the Ph.D. Degree shall be a mandatory qualification for appointment as well as the promotion and for the direct recruitment to the post of Associate Professors.
However, for certain fields, the UGC is planning to open a window for direct recruitment of Professors of Practice and Associate Professor of Practice, without the mandatory requirement of a Ph.D. degree or the need to have qualified the NET exam.
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