PhD Mandatory For Recruitment Of Assistant Professor In Universities, Colleges

Bhubaneswar: In order to maintain quality in Higher Education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has set the minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers in universities and colleges in its new regulations. One of those regulations makes it mandatory for the candidates to have a PhD degree while applying for an assistant professor’s post.

Highlights of the new regulations:

—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.

—The Academic Performance Index (API) based Performance Based Appraisal. System (PBAS) system has been removed. A new simplified teacher evaluation grading system has been introduced and research scores added for the universities to improve research output.

—Promotion criteria under creativity, activity, service (CAS) for the university teachers have been made more research-oriented while in the case of college teachers, the CAS criteria are more focused on teaching.

—For the first time, provision for promotion in colleges will be up to the Professor level.

—Special provision for recruitment of Assistant Professors in universities and colleges for Ph.D Degree holders from a university/institution in the top 500 global rankings has been made.

—The regulations mandate the introduction of a one-month induction programme for the newly recruited Assistant Professors in universities/colleges/higher education institutions.

—Ph.D Degree has been made mandatory for promotion to Assistant Professor (Selection Grade) in colleges from July 1, 2021. Similarly, Ph.D Degree will be mandatory for direct recruitment to Assistant Prof in Universities with effect from July 1, 2021.

—For the first time, weightages are assigned for CAS in respect of massive open online courses (MOOCs) and E-Content in universities and colleges.

—Research clusters will be created in the universities within the state for sharing research facilities, skills and infrastructure to ensure optimal utilisation of resources and creating synergies amongst higher education institutions.

—Up to 10 per cent of the existing sanctioned strength of professors in the universities shall be appointed as senior professors in the universities who will be appointed through direct recruitment and through promotion under CAS.

—The Universities will accord permission and provide need-based facilities to the college 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 the universities has been made to promote sports in universities and colleges.