Asst professor selection: PhD holders getting undue advantage, say aspirants
Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com
Chennai:10.11.2019
In the previous assistant professors’ recruitment conducted in 2015, 56% of the selected candidates held PhD without NET/SLET/SET qualifications, pointing to the undue advantage that PhD holders have in the recruitment process.
According to RTI data, of 1,016 assistant professors appointed in 2015, 568 had completed PhD and166 had completed PhD with NET/SLET/SET qualification. Only 282 candidates with NET/SLET/SET qualifications were appointed.
Though NET/SLET and PhD are considered as equal qualifications for teaching in arts and science colleges, undue advantage was being given to PhD holders in the selection process, aspirants said. As per the scheme of selection notified by the Teachers Recruitment Board, PhD holders get the maximum of nine marks for educational qualification, followed by six marks to candidates with MPhil and NET/SLET/SET qualification. Candidates with PG and NET/SLET/SET qualification get only five marks.
Professors said PhD was not required for teaching and awarding more marks to PhD holders will lead to low quality PhD holders. “State government should treat all qualifications as equal. Awarding more marks will give undue advantage to some,” a senior professor from University of Madras said.
The state government, in an order on why there wasn’t a common recruitment test, said candidates with NET/SLET/SET have already cleared an exam and having to clear another exam will added trouble for them. Hence, interview was chosen as the mode of selection for recruiting assistant professors, it said.
“But, RTI data shows that interview is not helpful to candidates who have cleared UGC and state government’s qualifying exam. The selection gives more weightage to PhD holders. We want either a written exam or equal weightage for all qualifications,” said V Thangaraj, president of Tamil Nadu All Government Colleges UGC-qualified Guest Lecturers’ Association.
NET SLET Association also demanded equal weightage. “The marking system is wrong and NET or SLET qualification should get weightage equal to PhD,” said A R Nagarajan, adviser to NET SLET Association.
“Counting experience up to eight years for entry level post is not needed. Assistant professors’ entry level salary is equal to IAS officers’ entry level salary. While conducting written test for group IV posts, the government should select assistant professors based on a written test to ensure fair selection,” he added.
Officials said the recruitment is based on the state government’s policy and government order. TRB has notified 2,331 assistant professor posts in government arts and science colleges as vacant and the last date to apply for them is November 15.
Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com
Chennai:10.11.2019
In the previous assistant professors’ recruitment conducted in 2015, 56% of the selected candidates held PhD without NET/SLET/SET qualifications, pointing to the undue advantage that PhD holders have in the recruitment process.
According to RTI data, of 1,016 assistant professors appointed in 2015, 568 had completed PhD and166 had completed PhD with NET/SLET/SET qualification. Only 282 candidates with NET/SLET/SET qualifications were appointed.
Though NET/SLET and PhD are considered as equal qualifications for teaching in arts and science colleges, undue advantage was being given to PhD holders in the selection process, aspirants said. As per the scheme of selection notified by the Teachers Recruitment Board, PhD holders get the maximum of nine marks for educational qualification, followed by six marks to candidates with MPhil and NET/SLET/SET qualification. Candidates with PG and NET/SLET/SET qualification get only five marks.
Professors said PhD was not required for teaching and awarding more marks to PhD holders will lead to low quality PhD holders. “State government should treat all qualifications as equal. Awarding more marks will give undue advantage to some,” a senior professor from University of Madras said.
The state government, in an order on why there wasn’t a common recruitment test, said candidates with NET/SLET/SET have already cleared an exam and having to clear another exam will added trouble for them. Hence, interview was chosen as the mode of selection for recruiting assistant professors, it said.
“But, RTI data shows that interview is not helpful to candidates who have cleared UGC and state government’s qualifying exam. The selection gives more weightage to PhD holders. We want either a written exam or equal weightage for all qualifications,” said V Thangaraj, president of Tamil Nadu All Government Colleges UGC-qualified Guest Lecturers’ Association.
NET SLET Association also demanded equal weightage. “The marking system is wrong and NET or SLET qualification should get weightage equal to PhD,” said A R Nagarajan, adviser to NET SLET Association.
“Counting experience up to eight years for entry level post is not needed. Assistant professors’ entry level salary is equal to IAS officers’ entry level salary. While conducting written test for group IV posts, the government should select assistant professors based on a written test to ensure fair selection,” he added.
Officials said the recruitment is based on the state government’s policy and government order. TRB has notified 2,331 assistant professor posts in government arts and science colleges as vacant and the last date to apply for them is November 15.
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