Bharathidasan University will conduct interviews of faculty for promotion under the Career Advancement Scheme on Thursday for the third time in as many years.
The process involving participation of nearly 60 subject experts in 10 subject-wise selection committees will facilitate promotion of 23 Assistant Professors as Associate Professors, including six faculty from constituent colleges, and eight Associate Professors as Professors.
“Though the process was planned during the initial months of the calendar year, it could not be carried out due to enforcement of COVID-19 lockdown. The UGC requires universities to conduct CAS interviews twice a year. Bharathidasan University has taken the initiative to fulfil the requirement once a year unfailingly,” Vice-Chancellor P. Manisankar said.
The mandate of the selection committees is to ascertain the eligibility of the faculty to move up the career ladder based on the Academic Performance Indicator based Performance-Based Appraisal System specified by University Grants Commission. The publications of journals and books, projects undertaken, and research guidance are among the aspects factored in for awarding points to the faculty.
Though seniority in service will not be affected by delay in conduct of CAS interview, timely completion of the activity will be of immense significance for Assistant Professors awaiting promotion as Associate Professors to become eligible to take up headship of departments or assuming roles of high responsibility in the university system, a senior professor said.
The CAS interview pertains only to the regular faculty who account for only one-third of the sanctioned posts.
The university has been managing the teaching activity with guest lecturers, but the overall research output that will be a key factor for the university to secure impressive national-level ranking can be improved only by filling sanctioned posts with regular faculty, representatives of faculty organisations emphasised.
Meanwhile, the Bharathidasan University Professors Association has welcomed the timely conduct of CAS interview.
The scheduled conduct of CAS will result in better funding from UGC and other funding agencies, and increase in enrolment of the students belonging to deprived sections in the region, a press release issued by BUPA president R. Sakthivel said.
Young and resourceful professors who have benefited from the CAS process in recent years have proved their capabilities through research and publications, the release said.
