The University Grants Commission (UGC), under its scheme `Strengthening of Basic Science Research' co-ordinated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) and UGC Empowered Committee, has launched the `UGC-Faculty Recharge Programme' as an innovative means of providing high quality faculty with proven flair for research and teaching.
The positions would be at the level of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor in Basic Sciences - in Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering and Earth Sciences. UGC chairman Ved Prakash has written to the vice-chancellors interested in upgrading their faculty resources in basic sciences to approach the Commission.
The scheme has been designed to induct fresh talent and augment faculty resources in Indian universities which are now facing severe shortage of faculty. Under the scheme, the UGC has plans to induct 1,000 faculty at the national level to enable the universities to rejuvenate their faculty resources.
The faculty recharge positions would initially be for a tenure of five years. However, depending upon the peer group assessment report, the positions would either be extended or elevated to the next higher level or in some exceptional cases could even be terminated.
The age of superannuation of the incumbents in these positions would be the same as prevalent in Central universities.
The faculty selected under this programme would receive emoluments at par with those in the Central University; grants would be provided by the UGC through the respective university where they would be placed. Placement of these faculty would, however, be subject to signing of an MoU between the UGC and the university and on the terms and conditions governing the programme.
The vice-chancellors have been asked to let the UGC know how they would take advantage of this new initiative and project their faculty requirments and express their willingness to sign an MoU with the UGC.
