UGC's proposal distress Minority-run colleges

Updated on: Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Chennai: UGC Draft Regulations on Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers in Universities and Colleges annoys minority-administered colleges and teachers'organisations

The regulations based on the recommendations of the professor S P Thyagarajan committee mandate all private colleges to include two nominees of the vice chancellor of the affiliating university on the selection committee constituted for appointing teachers.

This has become a bone of contention among administrators of minority-run colleges, who have been campaigning against the mandate on the ground that it infringed upon the Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions under Article 30 of the Constitution. Leading colleges in India including the Loyola, Madras Christian College and Stella Maris College in Chennai and the St Stephen's College in New Delhi have been in the forefront of such a demand.

In fact, the University of Madras has not approved the appointment of nearly 160 teachers including five principals of well known minority colleges since the selection committees which recruited them did not comprise the vice chancellor's nominees as mandated by the current UGC Regulations of 2000.

UGC member Xavier Alphonse who while supporting the demand of the minority-run colleges had earlier said that separate regulations would be issued for minorities refused to comment on the draft regulations saying it was not approved by the government.

However, Loyola College principal Father Albert Muthumalai opposed the regulations. 'We want this draft to be revisited keeping in mind the rights of the minorities. The draft has in fact hardened the rule by not only retaining the existing norms but adding another stringent norm saying even the SC/ST/OBC member will be nominated to the selection panel by the vice chancellor when members belonging to these communities are to be appointed in teaching vacancies,' he said.

All India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (AIFUCTO) president Thomas Joseph, however, did not agree. 'We are opposed to any special concessions or separate regulations for minority institutions. The UGC Regulations are for ensuring quality across institutions. These are only standards and do not infringe upon minority rights in any way,' he said .

Asked for his comments, professor Thyagarajan said 'we have framed a general guideline for all universities and colleges. A policy for minority colleges is a separate issue regarding which the UGC might be taking the views of the National Minorities Commission.'

UGC's proposal distress Minority-run colleges

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