UGC’s changed rule to hire entry-level professors

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in news?
• What is the University Grant Commission (UGC)?
• News Summary: UGC’s changed rule to hire entry-level professors
• What was the system earlier?
• Why did UGC reverse the decision it had announced in 2018?
• How has the academic community reacted?

 

Why in news?

• It is no longer mandatory to have a PhD degree to apply for the post of assistant professor in colleges and universities. 
• It is enough to clear the National Eligibility Test (NET), State Eligibility Test (SET), or State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) to be eligible for appointment.
• The University Grants Commission (UGC) had notified this change on June 30.

 

What is the University Grant Commission (UGC)?

• About

• The UGC was formally established in November 1956 as a statutory body by the UGC Act 1956.
• It was set up by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
• It was established for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in India.
• It is essentially an autonomous government agency that channels public funds (grants) to higher education institutions.
  • This is done in exchange for their compliance with set quality criteria.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi and it has six regional centres in Pune, Bhopal, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Bangalore.

• Timeline

  • 

Image caption: Evolution of UGC - timeline

• Mandate

• The UGC has the unique distinction of being the only grant-giving agency in the country which has been vested with two responsibilities: 
  • that of providing funds and 
  • that of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education.
• The UGC`s mandate includes:
  • Promoting and coordinating university education.
  • Determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and research in universities.
  • Framing regulations on minimum standards of education.
  • Monitoring developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disbursing grants to the universities and colleges.
  • Serving as a vital link between the Union and state governments and institutions of higher learning.
  • Advising the Central and State governments on the measures necessary for improvement of university education.

 

News Summary: UGC’s changed rule to hire entry-level professors

What was the system earlier?

• 2010 notification
  • As per the 2010 notification, candidates for assistant professor must qualify in the NET, SET, or SLET. However, candidates who had PhDs were exempted from this eligibility condition.
  • In other words, if a candidate had a doctoral degree, she could apply for appointment even if she had not cleared NET, SET, or SLET.
• 2018 notification
  • The UGC issued a notification in July 2018, which said, “The PhD Degree shall be a mandatory qualification for direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor in Universities with effect from 01.07.2021.
  • UGC also directed universities and colleges to implement the new minimum criteria for recruitment from 2021.
  • However, due to the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the UGC pushed the July 2021 deadline to July 2023.
• Current status
  • UGC first set the date to implement the PhD requirement from July 2021, but this was extended to July 2023. 
  • However, even before this deadline could kick in, it has once again notified that a PhD is no longer mandatory.
  • Thus, UGC has reversed its 2018 decision even before it could be implemented. 

 

Why did UGC reverse the decision it had announced in 2018?

• Analysts believe that the purpose of current change is to increase the accessibility by removing an inessential entry barrier.
  • In certain disciplines such as policy-making, design, foreign languages, law, architecture and other similar subjects, universities often find it difficult to get candidates with a PhD.
  • Removal of mandatory PhD conditions at the entry level will help universities in recruiting candidates with a flair for teaching but without a PhD.
• At the same time, it also ensures quality as the new entrants will need to complete PhD to move to the next level (of associate professor).
• India produces more than 25,000 PhDs every year. In major disciplines, there is intense competition to select the best PhDs for faculty positions. 
• Therefore, removing PhD as a mandatory condition at the entry-level assistant professor position will not affect the quality of education.

 

How has the academic community reacted?

• Teachers acknowledge that removing the PhD requirement could help candidates from marginalised sections.
  • PhD is a longer research degree that requires a commitment of time and money. 
  • People coming from marginalised sections find it very difficult to prolong their studies, mainly women, Dalits, and Adivasi candidates. 
  • They can now appear for the position of assistant professor.
• Removing the PhD requirement allows people to enter the profession at a younger age.

 

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Q1) What is UGC Act 1956?

The UGC Act 1956 refers to the University Grants Commission Act of 1956, which is an important legislation in India that established the University Grants Commission (UGC). The UGC is a statutory body responsible for the coordination, determination, and maintenance of standards of university education in India.

 

Q2) What is the significance of a PhD degree? 

A PhD represents the highest level of education and demonstrates a deep understanding and expertise in a specific field. It signifies a comprehensive knowledge base and specialized skills acquired through years of research and study.

 

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Source: Don’t need PhD to teach in a college: A look at UGC’s changed rule to hire entry-level professors