The relaxation would help thousand of PhD holders affected by the new UGC guideline in 2009, which had made NET and PhD a minimum eligibility criteria for applying for assistant professor in colleges and universities.
At the full commission meeting here today, UGC decided to request the HRD Ministry to issue a notification in this regard after an examination of the matter.
According to a commission member, UGC had in May last year had proposed the relaxation, but the HRD Ministry had failed to act on the proposal, triggering discontent among the candidates and confusion in the academic circles.
PhD aspirants registered before 2009 and not fulfilling the laid down procedures went on a war path and protested the move, seeking reprieve from the government.
The relaxation would pave the way for recognising the PhDs on par with those done after 2009.
The commission meeting today also cleared a proposal to appoint D P Singh, the vice chancellor of Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore as the new director of NAAC.
Singh, considered a right wing sympathisiser, had earlier served as vice chancellor of Banaras Hindu University and Hari Singh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar.
The decision came after numerous complaints were received against the fraudulent practices of the university.
"A public notice would soon be issued about the UGC decision," the member said.
UGC also cleared the establishment of a Buddhist studies (a demed to be university) in Ladakh.