UGC makes graduation score count above PhD, ad-hoc teachers cry foul

The recent draft norms released by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the appointment of assistant professors in educational institutions has raised concerns within the teaching fraternity who termed it as a"discriminatory" move. The new draft gives more weightage to graduation scores than the doctoral degrees.

According to the UGC's interview screening norms for the assistant professor's posts in colleges across the country, a candidate with 80 per cent marks in graduation will get 21 weightage points. However, 20 points will be granted to them for having a PhD.

The move has created a tension in Delhi University (DU), where thousands of teachers are working as ad-hocs for the last many years in the hope of getting regularised. The draft norms also made PhD mandatory for the post of associate professor and for the promotion of assistant professors after July 2020. However, presently, PhD is only mandatory for those applying for a professor's post.

"These screening guidelines are highly discriminatory. What will happen to the teachers who have graduated 10-15 years ago and are working as ad-hocs in the university since then? There is a huge difference between marking systems of then and now," asked an ad-hoc teacher, who has been working in DU for the last 10 years.

"It was so difficult to score 80 per cent in graduation then. The evaluation has become so liberal over the years," said another ad-hoc teacher, who completed her graduation in 1994.

The teachers also raised questions on how uniform guidelines can be applicable for colleges across the country. "Different universities have different marking criteria and that too has changed over the years. It will be a blatant discrimination with those coming from rural or backward areas," said Rajesh Jha, a DU's Executive Council (EC) member and a professor at Rajdhani College.

The members of DU Teachers Association (DUTA), who have been raising the issue of absorption of ad-hocs from time to time, also rejected the screening guidelines. "DUTA has been struggling to get these teachers regularised and the UGC is imposing a screening norm for them. We are going to raise the issue during our protest with the MHRD on Friday," said DUTA president, Rajib Ray.

LONG PENDING ISSUE

The members of DUTA, who have been raising the issue of absorption of ad-hocs from time to time, also rejected the screening guidelines.