‘Injustice To Sons Of Soil’: Maharashtra’s New Professor Recruitment Norms Draw Flak For Ignoring UGC Guidelines

The recruitment process for professors in public universities in the state has started according to the new formula fixed by the Higher and Technical Education Department. However, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Maharashtra Navpradhyapak Sanghatana, has opposed this formula, and objections have been raised that local candidates in the state are being rejected. Also, there has been a demand to implement the professor recruitment process according to the University Grants Commission (UGC) formula.

There are a large number of vacancies for the posts of assistant professor, associate professor, and professor in public universities in the state. Due to this, the universities are suffering in terms of academic and administrative work as well as ranking. Despite the state government approving the recruitment, the recruitment process has been stalled for the last two years.

Against this backdrop, the Higher and Technical Education Department has recently issued a government decision and has fixed a new formula of 75-25 for professor recruitment. In this, 75 marks have been fixed for academic qualification, teaching experience, research, and 25 marks for the interview.

Also, the qualification of the candidate has been determined for various factors such as degrees obtained from foreign universities, nationally important institutions like IITs, central and state universities, postgraduate degrees, curriculum creation for websites like SWAYAM, PhD guidance, awards, research, intellectual property creation, and funds received for research. After that, advertisements for recruitment are published by public universities.

Against this backdrop, ABVP has opposed the 75-25 formula of the Higher and Technical Education Department. Responding to the development, ABVP's West Maharashtra State Minister Atharva Kulkarni said, “The Ministry of Higher and Technical Education issued a government decision to ensure transparent recruitment of professors. There is an objection to applying the 75-25 formula for the post of Assistant Professor. Also, some of the conditions in this government decision do not seem to be in accordance with the UGC guidelines. According to the UGC guidelines, the division of 50 marks for academic qualification and 50 marks for interview is appropriate and comprehensive.”

“However, according to the 75-25 formula in the state government decision, candidates will be eligible for the interview only if they get at least 50 marks. How will a candidate who has only passed the NET-SET get teaching experience, research work marks? Also, many candidates who have studied in colleges and universities in rural areas will not be eligible for the interview due to low marks. This government decision is unfair and against natural justice for candidates, even if they have NET-SET and a PhD. Therefore, without delaying the recruitment process, the 50-50 formula approved by the UGC should be adopted for the post of assistant professor instead of the 75-25 formula, and there is a demand to change the grading system that is detrimental to educational qualifications,” he added.

The University Grants Commission regulations have been ignored in the government's decision regarding professor recruitment. Due to this, injustice is being done to local NET, SET and PhD-qualified candidates. 

Dr Sandeep Pathrikar, President, Maharashtra New Professors Association, said, “Opportunities have been denied to the ‘sons of the soil’. On the one hand, the government is saying that locals should get job opportunities, while on the other hand, injustice is being done. Also, irregularities in academic records, research publications should be eliminated, and uniform rules should be made for all eligible candidates. A new government decision should be published in this regard, and recruitment should be made.”