Centre sets up committee to attract talented teachers

The HRD ministry on Friday set up a committee to attract and retain talented teachers in the central government funded educational institutions to combat the problem of teacher vacancies.

The committee will also be responsible for "selection of the most meritorious to the teaching profession".

"The continuing vacancies in central government funded institutions is a matter of concern as these universities and colleges have to discharge their role as pace setting institutions in their areas of operation," the Human Resource Development Ministry said in a statement.

The government has also received several petitions regarding the policy for selections to the post of assistant professors in universities and colleges, including such state higher educational institutions.

"The central government has, therefore, in the larger public interest of attracting and retaining talented and quality manpower and selection of the most meritorious to the teaching profession, constituted a committee on July 24," it said.

The committee would evaluate the Academic Performance Indicator (API) scheme as regards the entry point and career advancement of teachers by taking into account its criticism and suggest suitable improvements/alternatives.

"(It would also do) evaluation of Ph.D-NET qualifications for entry of teachers and accordingly suggest a policy for selections, consideration of the problems and issues related to ad-hoc and contractual appointments in central universities and recommendations to resolve them," the statement said.

The committee will be chaired by former University Grants Commission (UGC) chief Arun Nigavekar.

"The committee has been asked to submit its report within a period of two months from the date of its constitution," the statement said.

A total of 6,251 teachers' posts are lying vacant in the 39 central universities under the purview of the UGC.

HRD Minister Smriti Irani, in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on July 23 last year, said: "The total number of sanctioned teaching posts available in 39 central universities under the purview of the UGC is 16,692, of which 6,251 posts are vacant."