Research scholars body oppose 50% quota for retired faculty in new colleges
Rules of a 3-year probation period for newly appointed faculties were also flagged
Guwahati, May 20: Raising serious concern, the Gauhati University Research Scholars’ Association (GURSA) has urged upon the State government to reconsider the newly published recruitment rules for government model colleges and newly provincialized colleges.
In a statement, GURSA noted that the new rules reserve 50 per cent of the total new teaching posts for retired professors of government and provincialized colleges. Additionally, if a department has only three sanctioned posts, two of them may be reserved for retired professors, pushing the reservation to as much as 66.67 per cent.
“This policy is detrimental to young and potential candidates who meet the eligibility criteria as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) standards, as it reduces their chances of employment. At a time when unemployment in Assam has become a critical issue, such a decision is deeply concerning. Denying qualified young candidates – who are well-versed in modern teaching methodologies and practical use of ICT tools – could negatively impact the long-term productivity of academic institutions,” the statement said.
Moreover, the rule stipulating a three-year probation period for newly appointed faculties creates uncertainty and instability in the career path of aspirants, especially after they have invested several years on higher education and research. The policy lacks clarity regarding career advancement and may open the door to unfair or biased treatment, GURSA alleged.
The Association has stated that the idea of a three-year probationary period for college teachers is fundamentally flawed. Furthermore, while retired professors would receive salaries up to Rs 1 lakh in addition to their pensions, newly recruited professors would be placed on a fixed pay of Rs 50,000. This glaring disparity violates the pay scale policies outlined by the UGC and imposes injustice on the newly appointed faculty. Lack of job security, inadequate salary, and unclear career prospects threaten to shatter the aspirations of deserving candidates.
GURSA also expressed concern that the proposed rules leave room for political interference in the recruitment process. Notably, as per the government notification, issued by the Higher Education Department of Assam Government on April 25, 2017, it had been clearly stated that the chairperson of a college’s governing body must not be actively associated with any political party. It had aimed to ensure transparency and fairness in college administration and recruitment.
“However, the new rules now propose appointing the local MLA as a member of the governing body of government model colleges. If the governing body holds final decision-making authority in recruitment, this could lead to increased political influence. It is worth noting that the Higher Education Department of Assam had previously issued a draft requiring a qualifying examination for the recruitment of assistant professors in provincialized colleges. GURSA had also opposed that draft proposal,” the statement added.