UGC mulling new regulations on appointments

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is mulling issuing new regulations on minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and for the maintenance of standards in higher education.

An Expert Committee constituted by the University Grants Commission under the chairmanship of Prof. S. P. Thyagarajan for recommending minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards in higher education, recently submitted its report. The UGC is expected to take a decision on the recommendations soon.

The 86-page recommendations are targeted at university and college teachers, librarians and directors of physical education admitted to the privileges of the universities. It is recommended that the minimum qualifications required for the various posts would be those listed out in the sub-clauses of Clause 3 of the report.

Clause 3 which lists the new procedure for recruitment and the new qualifications says the direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors in the Universities and colleges “shall be on the basis of merit through all India advertisement and selections by the duly constituted Selection Committees as per the guidelines prescribed under these Regulations to be incorporated under the Statues/Ordinances of the concerned university. The composition of such committees should be as prescribed by the UGC in these Regulations.”

Clause 3.3.1 says “NET/SLET/SET shall remain the minimum eligibility condition for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professors in Universities / Colleges / Institutions. Provided, however, that candidates, who are or have been awarded Ph. D. degree in compliance of the “University Grants Commission (minimum standards and procedure for award of Ph.D.Degree), Regulations 2009, shall be exempt from the requirement of the minimum eligibility condition of NET/SLET/SET for recruitment and appointment of Assistant Professor or equivalent positions in Universities / Colleges / Institutions”.

However “NET/SLET/SET shall not be required for such Masters Degree Programmes in disciplines for which NET/SLET/SET/ accredited test is not conducted. Any relaxation in the prescribed qualification, including the NET exemption, can be made only by the University Grants Commission in a particular subject in which NET/SLET/SET is not conducted.

“Such relaxation would be based on the application made by only the affected universities for the specified subject(s) and for a specified period based on sound justification. Provided in case of State Universities, where NET/SET/SLET qualified candidates are not available, the concerned Universities may grant exemption only with the concurrence of the respective State Government.

“Provided further in case of Central Universities such exemption can be granted by the concerned University only with the concurrence of the UGC. Provided further that exemption so granted in both the cases stated above, shall be subject to the condition that the candidates shall acquire their NET/SLET/SET qualification, preferably within a period of 2 years, failing which they shall not be eligible for any increments in their pay scales and for seniority for the years of service rendered by them without such qualifications.

The eligibility for increments and service seniority shall become operational from the date of qualifying for NET/SLET/SET or acquiring Ph.D. Degree as per the UGC Regulations, 2009.”

The Expert Committee report has also stipulated the norms for Direct Recruitment to various posts including Director, Associate Professor and Principal. It has evolved guidelines on selection committees and selection procedures. There is a recommendation on the pay bands of various posts.

The selection and pay scale of even the Pro-Vice Chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Universities have been stipulated by Expert Committee report. Incentives for Ph.D./M.Phil. and other higher qualifications too have been fixed, The report also speaks of increments, allowances and various leaves, age of superannuation, re-employment procedure, pension and related benefits, appointment on contract basis, code of professional ethics etc. The full text of the report is available at http://www.ugc.ac.in/notices/UGCregulations2009.pdf