UGC yet to fulfil patna Universitys request for faculty in different subjects

Updated on: Tuesday, May 07, 2013

The much publicized UGC's faculty recharge scheme has come a cropper in Patna University (PU). Even as the PU had submitted to the UGC its faculty requirement in different subjects more than a year back, not a single faculty has been appointed till date.

The UGC, under its scheme of 'Strengthening of Basic Science Research', had launched the 'UGC-Faculty Recharge Programme' as an innovative means for providing high quality faculty with proven flair for research and teaching. These positions were at the level of assistant professor, associate professor and professor in basic sciences, namely physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and earth science.

The scheme was designed to induct fresh talent and augment faculty resources in Indian universities. Under the scheme, the UGC had planned to induct 1,000 faculties at national level to enable the universities to rejuvenate their resources.

The faculty recharge positions were supposed to be initially for five years' tenure. However, depending on the peer group assessment report, the positions were either to be extended or elevated to the next higher level or could even be terminated. The age of superannuation of the incumbents in these positions was to be the same as prevalent in central universities. Placement of the faculty was subject to signing an MoU between the UGC and the university concerned.

It may be mentioned here that the ever declining strength of teaching faculties in PU has brought the academic activities to a virtual standstill in most of its degree colleges and postgraduate departments. While the number of students in different faculties has increased manifold and a large number of new courses of studies have been introduced during the last three decades, the number of teachers has declined considerably during the period.

At present there are less than 400 teachers for over 16,000 students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The number of sanctioned posts of different categories of teachers in PU is about 900. Patna University Teachers' Association (PUTA) president P K Poddar has urged the state government to initiate immediate steps for recruitment of faculty against vacant sanctioned posts so that the academic activities in colleges and universities of the state do not suffer any further.

UGC yet to fulfil patna Universitys request for faculty in different subjects

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