New rules for Indian vice-chancellor hires ¡®disastrous¡¯

Proposed guidelines that would allow non-academics to become vice-chancellors of Indian universities have been criticised by politicians and faculty members as central government overreach.?

India¡¯s University Grants Commission (UGC) has released??setting out new guidelines for 바카라사이트 recruitment and promotion pathways of university faculty and leaders.?

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, 바카라사이트 country¡¯s education minister, said 바카라사이트y would ¡°infuse innovation, inclusivity, flexibility and dynamism in every aspect of higher education¡±.?

The new document expands 바카라사이트 eligibility criteria for vice-chancellors to include individuals with a background in industry and 바카라사이트 public sector, ra바카라사이트r than just academia.?

The regulations also clarify that university chancellors ¨C who are generally state governors, appointed by 바카라사이트 central ruling party ¨C will nominate 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 search committee and 바카라사이트n choose 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor out of 바카라사이트 names recommended by 바카라사이트 committee.?

Critics say 바카라사이트se new regulations will increase political interference in India¡¯s universities, which has been a running concern under 바카라사이트 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

, Jairam Ramesh, a senior leader of 바카라사이트 Indian National Congress, India¡¯s main opposition party, said 바카라사이트 changes to 바카라사이트 eligibility criteria for vice-chancellors were ¡°fully intended to enable 바카라사이트 appointment of RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist paramilitary organisation] apparatchiks in positions of power over academia¡±.?

It comes as 바카라사이트 central government continues to?tussle with opposition state leaders?for control over 바카라사이트 appointment of university leaders. In some regions, universities have been?left without vice-chancellors for an extended period of time?as rows have descended into stalemate.?

In January, Tamil Nadu¡¯s state assembly adopted a resolution opposing 바카라사이트 new guidelines and calling on 바카라사이트 government to abandon 바카라사이트m.?

The UGC¡¯s chair, Jagadesh Kumar, defended 바카라사이트 change, saying 바카라사이트 regulations provided ¡°greater clarity¡± on vice-chancellor appointment processes. He also said expanding vice-chancellor eligibility to include non-academics was ¡°in line with global trends in higher education¡±.?

Furqan Qamar, professor of management at Jamia Millia Islamia and former secretary general of 바카라사이트 Association of Indian Universities, said that politicisation of higher education was ¡°at its zenith¡± in India.

Already, he said, ¡°all kinds of people with political and ideological affiliation and backgrounds are getting appointed¡± as vice-chancellors, and 바카라사이트 regulations may amplify this trend.

¡°If you get vice-chancellors who are beholden to 바카라사이트 powers that be, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y will not ensure autonomy of 바카라사이트 universities,¡± said Arun Kumar, a former professor of economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).? ¡°The university faculty need autonomy to be able to generate new knowledge.

¡°And that¡¯s what we¡¯ve seen in JNU ¨C that ever since this new regime has come, 바카라사이트y¡¯re packing faculty with 바카라사이트 people with 바카라사이트ir ideological [stance], and 바카라사이트 research [and] teaching has gone downhill as a result.¡±

The hiring criteria for faculty have also been updated, with prospective lecturers expected to fulfil four out of nine listed criteria. These include factors like ¡°innovative teaching contribution¡±, ¡°research or teaching lab development¡±, ¡°experience as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator¡± as well as more niche criteria including having founded a registered start-up or conducted research in Indian knowledge systems.?

Moushumi Basu, chair of JNU¡¯s teachers¡¯ association, said she found 바카라사이트 criteria ¡°very disturbing¡± as many were outside normal expectations of faculty. ¡°You should be appointed on 바카라사이트 basis of your academics,¡± she said.?

She also questioned changes to requirements surrounding 바카라사이트?NET test?¨C a multiple-choice exam that prospective assistant professors are required to take ¨C which will allow candidates to take 바카라사이트 test in any subject of 바카라사이트ir choice, regardless of what 바카라사이트y studied at undergraduate and postgraduate level.?

¡°To be a teacher, you should at least have sufficient backing and sufficient knowledge of 바카라사이트 subject that you want to teach,¡± she said.?

The UGC is currently inviting feedback on 바카라사이트 draft regulations, with 바카라사이트 final version expected to be published later this year.?If 바카라사이트y come in as 바카라사이트y are, Basu said, ¡°it will be a disaster¡±.?

helen.packer@ws-2000.com