The Delhi Teachers Association (DTA), which is affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has strongly condemned the decision of the UGC’s Professor of Practice program. According to the scheme, one can become a professor in universities, colleges without educational qualification, degree and PhD. According to DTA, this will reduce the quality of higher education.
There is deep discontent among researchers across the country at this move by UGC, the association claimed. “On the one hand, the government talks about quality education with the aim of promoting the quality of research, and on the other, it advises appointing professors without a diploma,” it sounds.
After the approval of Professor of Practice, a way has now been opened to provide services to universities without NET and PhD. This will have consequences for qualified researchers in higher education, who work hard for years and obtain their PhD after five years, says DTA chairman Dr Hansraj Suman.
He added that the central government also wants to introduce the Agneepath scheme in universities and colleges, which wants to contract the posts of professors for short term under the new education policy, which the DTA will strongly oppose.
The teachers to be appointed under Professor of Practice include singers, dancers, industry, social workers and experts from other fields, he said, adding that he said the scheme has already been implemented in IITs and IIMs, but if it implemented in central universities, thousands of teacher posts will be abolished, which the DTA will oppose at every level.
According to the UGC guidelines, “Those who have proven expertise in their particular profession or role with at least 15 years of service or experience, preferably at a senior level, are eligible for Professors of Practice. A formal academic qualification is not considered essential for this position if they have an exemplary professional practice in place’, it reads.
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