Do I need to take NOC separately everytime I apply for a new position from my current university?
I am currently working as a faculty member at a university in India and am applying for Assistant Professor positions at other institutions. For each application, it requires me to submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
However, the my current university administration issues the NOC only for a specific institution, explicitly mentioning the name of the university I am applying to. This means I have to request a new NOC every time I apply to a different institution.
I requested the administration to issue a general NOC valid for a certain period (for example, six months) without specifying any particular institution's name, so that I can use it for multiple applications. However, they declined, stating that such a practice is not allowed.
Is this standard practice? Are there any alternatives or suggestions to avoid having to obtain a separate NOC for each application?
1 Answer
Yes, this is common in many Indian government/autonomous university contexts. An NOC is often treated as permission to apply for a specific advertised post, not as a reusable certificate valid for six months.
That fits the usual meaning of "through proper channel." The DoPT OM on forwarding applications is about Central Government servants, but it shows the administrative pattern: applications for outside employment are forwarded subject to public-interest and other restrictions. The UGC Model CRR, for non-teaching posts in Central Universities, similarly says in-service candidates should apply through proper channel with vigilance clearance, though they may send an advance copy and produce the NOC or vigilance clearance at interview if forwarding is delayed. The MNIT Jaipur NOC format also leaves blanks for the specific post and institution.
These documents do not establish a universal rule for every institution, but they show why administrations commonly treat the process as application-specific or post-specific. So your administration's refusal to issue a general NOC is not unusual.
Practical options:
- Check each advertisement. Many ask for the NOC only at interview.
- If allowed, send an advance copy and route the official copy through your university.
- If an online form requires an upload, ask the recruiting institution whether they will accept an undertaking, proof that you requested an NOC, or a note saying you will produce it at interview.
- Ask your university for several post-specific NOCs at once, with the advertisements and deadlines attached.
So yes, separate NOCs are a normal bureaucratic burden here. The best workaround is usually timing and paperwork, not a general six-month NOC.
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