The University Grants Commission’s new draft regulations lowers the criteria in promoting university teachers to higher posts, which is likely to affect the quality of post-graduate education in universities.

In its draft regulation for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges, the UGC has proposed to do away with most of the existing rules on promotions for the post of Associate and Assistant professors.

Video editing: Suraj Wadhwa/Outlook

For instance, according to existing regulations, 'successfully' guiding a PhD student is mandatory for direct recruitment to the post of Associate professor. The proposed regulations seeks to do away with that requirement.

"Associate professor is a higher level post and therefore requires candidates with independent research record. Guiding a Ph.D. student is a sureshot way to assess a person’s capability in doing independent research and mentoring," a professor told Outlook. 

“All reputed universities in India and abroad require evidence of independent research output like quality publications and successful Ph.D. guidance.”

 The draft rules have also watered down assessment procedures. There is no Academic Performance Indicator-based scoring in the draft regulation and the bench-marks of the score of the assessment criteria are set very low.

While ignoring Academic Performance Indicator (API) for promotion from level 10 (Entry level Assistant Professors) to 11 and level 11 to 12, the draft proposes to replace it with an assessment report by the HoD and a recommendation by screening and evaluation committee. 

API scores directly reflect the ability and contributions of the candidate, and there is no scope for another source to manipulate that.

A professor told Outlook: “Putting the onus of decision-making at the hands of the HoD discredits the objective analysis of the candidate's abilities, and is dependent on the inter-personal relationship of the candidate and the HOD.

Though there is a clear-cut assessment table, with marks for criteria (like marks in PG, number of publications, number of projects, teaching experience, etc.) for shortlisting candidates at the Assistant  professor level for direct recruitment, there is no criteria for short listing candidates at the level of associate or professor.

But there is a bright spot in the draft.

The UGC has, however, sought to make PhD degree mandatory for direct recruitment to the post of Assistant Professor in universities.  According to the existing rules, qualifying eligibility tests like the NET, SET, and SLET are sufficient for the appointment of Assistant Professors in Colleges and Universities.

PhD has also been made mandatory for promotion to the post of Associate professors, under the CAS (Career Advancement Scheme). Under the existing regulations, PhD is not mandatory. Professors have lauded the move, hoping that it would strengthen the core of university education and its research output.