Par panel against raising retirement age of faculty

Updated on: Friday, November 27, 2009

New Delhi: The government's decision to raise the retirement age of teachers from 62 to 65 in centrally funded institutions drew flak from a Parliamentary panel .

'It would be more practical not only to motivate youths to take up teaching as a profession, but also make the profession more attractive for them,' the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD said in its report, presented to Parliament today.

The Committee, headed by senior Congress MP Oscar Fernandes, said it was not at all convinced by the argument of the higher education department that raising the retirement age was a long-term policy decision for making the teaching career attractive to the youths.

'On the contrary, it is more a move to extend the tenure of existing faculty members who are on the brink of their retirement,' it said, adding that they may not be in a position to introduce 'innovative ways of teaching tuned to the changing times'.

The committee also recommended to the department that it review its decision to raise the retirement age and provide better level playing field for the youths so that they accept teaching as attractive career opportunity.

Referring to the establishment of 12 new universities this year, the committee said it has every doubt about the availability of faculty for these new institutions in view of the shortage of faculty in the existing ones.

In view of the shortage of faculty, the government last year decided to enhance the age of superannuation in teaching posts in centrally funded higher educational institutions.

The committee pointed out that as many as 1,707 (20 per cent) out of 8,723 sanctioned teaching posts in 24 central universities were vacant.

Observing that quality of education has been the major casualty in view of shortage of faculty, the committee said that the more than 200 vacancies alone in Allahabad University is 'quite alarming'

The government has enhanced the rates of junior research fellowship by 50 per cent, the committee was told. The universities have been permitted to engage adjunct or guest faculty to meet the shortfall.

The government has allowed contractual appointment of faculty, including persons of Indian origin. The government is also allowing sharing of consultancy charges with the faculty.

Par panel against raising retirement age of faculty

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