College teachers to protest for relaxation from mandatory NET

College teachers to protest for relaxation from mandatory NET

NEW DELHI: Thousands of college teachers from all over India will demonstrate outside the University Grants Commission (UGC) office on Monday demanding relaxation in eligibility norms for those who did their PhD before 2009 without qualifying for the national eligibility test (NET) or state level eligibility test (SLET).

The teachers, who have met HRD minister Smriti Irani and UGC officials, have said that without relaxation, nearly 10 lakh teachers all over the country will lose their jobs. Though Irani has promised to look into the grievance, UGC officials said it would be difficult to relax the criteria now. "Supreme Court has upheld our regulation," an official said.

The threat of job loss emanates from the Supreme Court order of March this year that upheld UGC's 2009 regulation on minimum qualifications required for teaching jobs in colleges and universities.

 

The apex court had said, "It is clear that the object of the directions of the central government read with the UGC regulations of 2009/2010 are to maintain excellence in standards of higher education. Keeping this object in mind, a minimum eligibility condition of passing the national eligibility test is laid down. True, there may have been exemptions laid down by the UGC in the past, but the central government now as a matter of policy feels that any exemption would compromise the excellence of teaching standards in universities/colleges/institutions governed by the UGC. Obviously, there is nothing arbitrary or discriminatory in this. In fact, it is a core function of the UGC to see that such standards do not get diluted."

The SC had also set aside orders of several high courts staying UGC's 2009 regulation.

However, the agitating teachers pointed out that there was a tradition of relaxation given by UGC. Sunil Pant of Kumaon University said, "In 1992, the first relaxation was given and PhD holders without NET and SLET were allowed to teach. Another relaxation came in 2002 which was extended till 2006. Then came the 2009 regulation which apart from mandating NET/SLET also made entrance test and six months course work mandatory. Anyone who was awarded PhD before July 11, 2009 is considered ineligible."

Pant said this has created a piquant situation. "What happens to those who registered for PhD in June 2009 but were awarded the degree in 2014. Obviously, he did PhD under the old regulation so will he become ineligible?" he asked.

 

Source | Economic Times | 29 July 2015

UGC asks HRD Ministry to give breather to PhD holders

http://cbseugcnetforum.in/media/ugc-asks-hrd-ministry-to-give-breather-to-phd-holders/

UGC once again proposed to the HRD Ministry to provide certain relaxation to PhD holders registered before 2009, a move which could provide breather to thousands of candidates applying for teaching jobs in universities.

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.

The guideline had, however, laid down a set of procedures like course work, external assessment and entrance test to recognise a PhD.

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 meeting also decided to derecognise Sikkim-based private university for alleged irregularities in opening campus abroad and offering sub-standard degrees, a public notice of which would be issued shortly.

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.

(With inputs from agencies)