The Kannur University (KU) Syndicate Standing Committee’s decision to relax norms for appointment of Principals in private aided affiliated colleges contravenes University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations and will dilute merit, say experts.
The decision of the Syndicate Standing Committee on staff of affiliated colleges held on June 11 has decided to relax the stipulation for appointment of Principals of colleges either through promotion or by direct recruitment.
UGC regulations
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As per the UGC regulation, the minimum qualifications for appointing Professor/Principal through direct recruitment are a Master’s degree with at least 55 per cent marks, a Ph.D degree and published work and research guidance, designation of Associate Professor/Professor with total 15 year of teaching/research/administration experience in universities, colleges and other higher education institutions, and a stipulated Academic Performance Indicator (API) based Performance Based Appraisal System set out in the regulation.
The API score is calculated in three categories, namely category-I (relates to teaching-learning evaluation), category-II (co-curricular, extension and profession-related activities) and category-III (research and academic contribution).
The standing committee has set the minimum category-III API score per year under the assessment period of three years prior to the current academic year at 20 (totalling 60) for direct recruitment.
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The committee has also decided that a minimum total of 360 API points is required for the appointment of Principals under direct recruitment.
This means that the candidate for appointment required 120 API each year in categories I and II each year during the assessment period.
As per the UGC regulation, direct recruitment of a Professor/equivalent cadres required a consolidated API score of 400 points from category-III alone. Sources in the academic circles here say that the decision to revise stipulation under category-III from 400 points as prescribed by the UGC to 60 points is against the existing rules. API scores in categories-I and II have no direct connection with merit and excellence, they said adding that any college teacher will get those scores from mostly self-appraisal.
Moreover, the Kannur University has no authority to relax stipulations prescribed by the UGC, they add.
Total score
When contacted, university Syndicate standing committee convener K.P. Mohammed Ali defended the decision to fix the total score at 360 points for direct recruitment, saying that the API scores (20 per year for three years) are same for recruitment of professor cadre under direct recruitment and through promotion.
The standing committee also has also decided that criteria for promotion of Principal in private aided colleges through ‘seniority and fitness’ basis included Associate Professorship and 20 years of teaching experience, while it is 15 years for direct recruitment.
Move against existing rules, say experts
Kannur University has no authority to relax stipulations