UGC likely to accept teachers' demands on API issue

As college and varsity teachers' bodies protests continued unabated over the issue of revised Academic Performance Index (API) scores, UGC is likely to accommodate several of their demands including not to increase workload.
Sources told PTI that internal review and external consultations have led the University Grants Commission to consider possible revisions including restoring the direct-teaching hours of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors to 16, 14 and 14 respectively
The direct teaching hours will include tutorials, they said. The hours spent on practicals and project supervision will be counted on par with the lectures.
Teachers' bodies had been complaining that the new API norms would increase the work load of teachers.

"It is also likely that capping of API scores will be removed," said the source.
Earlier in the week, UGC had held meeting with representatives of teachers' bodies over the issue aiming to end the protests. Sources said that authorities are keen that academic activity does not suffer, so these changes are being considered.
UGC has also has notified the Pay Review Committee to look into issues related to service conditions, objective methods of annual evaluation and career progression, they added.