Editor,
In recent times, several voices have been raised regarding the recruitment process at the Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), Pasighat. As an educator who has dedicated years to the service of this state, I feel compelled to add my voice, not out of resentment, but out of deep concern for the integrity and future of higher education in our state.
I have spent many years teaching and holding administrative responsibilities, and I am currently on the verge of completing my PhD. Although the UGC 2023 guidelines no longer make a PhD mandatory for university teaching positions, I have always believed in continuous academic growth and in upholding professional standards. However, my experience during the recent recruitment process at APU left me deeply disheartened.
The interview, which I had hoped would be a serious and respectful academic exercise, was instead casual and unprofessional. Remarks of a personal nature were made during the process – highly improper for an academic setting and unbecoming of those entrusted with selecting educators for our premier state university. After years of serving in education with commitment and discipline, the least one expects is a fair and dignified evaluation.
What is even more troubling is the manner in which the selection process appears to have been conducted. Instances where supervisors sit as subject experts for their own research scholars raise serious ethical questions. Such practices are not allowed in most universities because they compromise fairness and create scope for bias.
Furthermore, candidates with limited or no teaching experience were selected over those who have served in the education system for years. In some cases, even fresh postgraduates were appointed to teach master’s students. If such trends continue, the quality of education at our only state university will be at risk.
Experience in teaching is not something that can be replaced by degrees alone. It is built through years of dedication, patience, and genuine engagement with students. Academic qualification is important, but so is character, maturity, and commitment to the profession. A PhD does not automatically make one a teacher, these values do.
It is painful to see that in our state, experience seems to hold very little value, while in other parts of India it is rightly regarded as the foundation of quality education. The university system should reward merit, experience, and integrity, not connections or political favour.
This appeal is not just for myself but for every educator who believes in fairness, transparency, and the dignity of the teaching profession. The future of Arunachal’s higher education depends on the values we uphold today. Let our first and only state university stand as a beacon of merit and ethics, not as a symbol of favouritism and neglect.
It is my sincere appeal to the authorities concerned, policymakers, and the academic community to review these practices and ensure that recruitment at the APU is conducted with fairness, transparency, and respect for experience. The future of our students and the credibility of our institutions depend on it.
If the foundation of our only state university is built on favouritism and neglect, then we must ask ourselves: how much was enough to barter away the future of the state?
An aspirant