Notwithstanding the vehement protest of pre-2009 qualified PhD candidates the Higher education department of Uttarakhand is going ahead with the proposed interviews for the posts of guest lecturers in the Government colleges of State from Monday.
The Director of the State Higher education department, B C Malkani told The Pioneer that interviews would be conducted in two phases for 681 posts of guest lecturers.
He said that in the first phase interviews for the science and commerce subjects are slated to be held. Malkani said that the process of interviews would be conducted irrespective of protest of pre 2009 PhD holders as the entire process is legal and transparent. The Vice Chancellors (VCs) of Kumaon and Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand University, a joint secretary level officer, SC and ST nominees and higher education Director would constitute the interview panel.
It is worth mentioning here that association of pre-2009 PhD qualified candidates has threatened to disturb the process of interviews for these posts. The association held a massive protest at the higher education directorate in Haldwani on Saturday. These candidates demand that their candidature for these posts should also be considered.
The University Grant Commission (UGC) has categorically told that only National Eligibility Test (NET) and State Eligibility Test (SET) qualified candidates are eligible to teach in the colleges.
However, on the demand of pre-2009 PhD candidates the UGC has formed a high Powered committee to discuss the issue. The association of Pre-2009 PhD candidates is demanding that the process of interviews for guest faculty should be stalled till a final decision on the matter is taken by the UGC.
large number of posts of lecturers is vacant in the Government colleges of the state due to which the academic activities are being affected.
The recruitment of guest faculty is a stop gap method to fill these posts temporarily. These teachers would be appointed for one year only with a monthly remuneration of Rs 25,000.