Editor,
I wish to express my deep disappointment over the recent recruitment test conducted by the Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), Pasighat for the posts of assistant professors.
The recruitment has left many academicians disheartened. Candidates spend years building their Academic Performance Indicator (API) through invigilation, project work, evaluation, research, publications, and earning a doctorate degree. Yet, in this recruitment, less qualified candidates – not even doctorate holders, were appointed over more deserving scholars.
The concern is not new. In the earlier guest faculty recruitment, a candidate without a doctorate and not even enrolled in a PhD was chosen, while a qualified doctorate holder was rejected.
How can such decisions be justified? Are research, experience, and doctoral qualifications no longer important in higher education? If these criteria are ignored, what message is being sent to young scholars who dedicate years to academics?
After witnessing such a scenario, I cannot help but ask myself: Is the research I am pursuing really worth it? When years of effort and contribution are sidelined, the value of academic struggle itself comes under question.
When merit is ignored, does it not question the transparency and credibility of the recruitment process itself? Shouldn’t the university set a higher benchmark instead of lowering standards?
Concerned scholar