Now, colleges too will have profs; PhD must for appointment of Asst profs in varsities: Javadekar

New Delhi: University Grants Commission (UGC), an autonomous organisation of Union Human Resource Development ministry, has brought out new regulations making Ph.D. compulsory for the appointment of teachers in the higher education from 2021. The new regulation also has the provision of Associate Professors getting promoted to professors in colleges as well.

The ministry has clarified that PhD Degree shall be mandatory requirement for Direct Recruitment to the post of Assistant Professors in University with the effect from July 1, 2021. However Masters degree with NET or Ph.D. will continue to be the minimum eligibility requirement for Direct Recruitment to the post of Assistant Professors in colleges.

Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar has disclosed all these details. Javadekar said that incentives to teachers as provided in the earlier Regulations of 2010 and subsequent amendments have been retained. These include incentives for M.Phil/Ph.D. API-based Performance based Assessment System has been removed. A new simplified teacher evaluation grading system has been introduced and research score added for Universities to improve research output.

The HRD minister said that Promotion criteria under Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) for University teachers has been made more rresearch-orientedwhile in case of College teachers, CAS criteria is more focused on teaching. For the first time provision for promotion in Colleges will be up to Professor level.

He said that special provision has been made for the recruitment of Assistant Professors in Universities and Colleges for Ph.D Degree holders from a University or Institution in the top 500 Global rankings. The Regulations mandate introduction of one month induction programme for newly recruited Assistant Professors in Universities/Colleges/Higher Education Institutions.

The minister also said that Ph.D Degree has been made mandatory for promotion to Assistant Professor (Selection Grade) in colleges from July 01, 2021. Ph.D Degree will be mandatory for direct recruitment to Assistant Professors in Universities from July 1, 2021. For the first time, weightages are assigned for CAS in respect of MOOCs and E-Content in Universities and Colleges.

UGC plans to create research clusters in the Universities within the State for sharing research facilities, skills and infrastructure to ensure optimal utilization of resources and creating synergies amongst higher education institutions. Up to 10 per cent of the existing sanctioned strength of Professors in Universities shall be appointed as Senior Professors in the Universities. Senior Professors in Universities will be appointed through direct recruitment and through promotion under CAS.

Universities will accord permission and provide need based facilities to Colleges teachers to supervise Ph.D/M.Phil scholars. Special category of medal winners in Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in eligibility criteria for Assistant Director/College Director, Physical Education and Sports and Deputy Director, Physical Education and Sports in Universities has been made to promote sports in Universities and Colleges.