‘Edu dept violating norms to promote faculty’

MUMBAI: Noting that the state higher education department was violating norms set by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for promotion of teachers, the apex body has sought the state’s response to complaints of irregularity in promotions through the Career Advancement System (CAS).

In a letter to the director of higher education, issued on Sunday, the UGC said promotion and recruitment of teachers are governed by its regulations and are mandatory in nature. “All universities are advised to strictly comply with them and cannot be overlooked at any stage in any circumstances,” said the letter.

While Dhanraj Mane, director, higher education, Maharashtra, was unavailable for comment, OP Gupta, principal secretary, higher and technical education department, refused to comment as he had not received the letter from the UGC.

The UGC’S action is in response to a complaint received from the National Forum for Quality Education (NFQE)—A teachers’ association on the matter. In July last year, the NFQE along with the Prahar Vidhyarthi Sanghtna and All India NET and SET Teachers Organisation (AI-NASTO) had written to the UGC alleging the state higher education directorate was not promoting NET/ SET teachers despite completing tenure and being eligible for CAS.

The teachers’ groups had alleged biased treatment and arbitrary promotion of faculty members that violate the guidelines set by the UGC, the central body governing all universities and colleges in the country.

The UGC’S Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and Other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education Guidelines, 2018, makes provisions for recruitment and promotion of faculty under CAS.

“Central assistance on account of the seventh pay commission is around ₹1,200 crore. The state may forfeit such huge financial assistance because of such contemptuous act of concern officials in promotion of faculty members in colleges and universities,” said Kushal Mude, convenor of AI-NASTO.

WHILE DHANRAJ MANE, DIRECTOR, HIGHER EDUCATION, MAHARASHTRA, WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT, OP GUPTA, PRINCIPAL SECRETARY, HIGHER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, REFUSED TO COMMENT