Editor,
I wish to highlight the gross violation of UGC guidelines 2018 and NEP 2020 in the recently conducted interview for faculty members by the Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), Pasighat.
In the interview, nth number of candidates without a PhD degree was selected, while a few were not even enrolled in any PhD programme. It is doubtful whether the shortlisting was done as per the UGC norms or not.
While the UGC guideline of 2018 clearly states that shortlisted candidates should be scrutinized on the basis of their Academic Performance Index (API), it was grossly violated during the shortlisting (UGC Regulation, 2018 as criteria listed out on Annexure 3A). If the APU had shortlisted candidates as per the aforementioned regulation, a candidate without research publication and experience would not have been shortlisted or selected.
The lone state university’s biased decision to purely recruit someone based on the interview is nothing but foolishness. With this, not only is the university’s progress at stake but it has raised questions over pursuing PhD for academic progress. While the same university is offering PhD programmes in various disciplines, it does not want to recruit someone with a PhD or even post-doctorate with years of experience in academic research. This not only contradicts the university’s own vision for holistic development but also puts the APU behind in terms of NAAC accreditation, wherein there are points for the number of regular faculty members with PhD. This plays a crucial role in the accreditation process, and as such can influence low NAAC accreditation, which can significantly impact the funding for the state university and various forms of financial assistance.
Furthermore, the university’s half-witted decision also goes against the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s aim for ‘research and innovation’, which seeks to foster a vibrant ecosystem for research and innovation in higher educational institutions. This poses a bigger question whether APU actually wants to contribute in transforming the state and the country as a whole into a global knowledge powerhouse as per the NEP 2020, or if it is lagging behind.
This injudicious decision of the APU has compelled hundreds of PhD scholars and those with PhD degrees – and many with teaching and research experience – to question their own degree. Further, it also holds the potential to tremendously impact the university’s progress.
Aggrieved candidate