Srinagar, July 20 (KNO) : The aspirants for contractual lecturers Saturday accused the higher education department of playing with their career by altering the eligibility criteria for the job in various government degree colleges.
A group of aggrieved aspirants told Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the higher education department has reduced one point for Ph.D degree holders while as two additional points are awarded to NET and SET qualified candidates who apply for the contractual lecturer or teaching assistant post in the colleges.
“The present rules and short listing criteria of contractual lecturers have left higher qualified unemployed youth like doctorates, post-doctorates out of the department. This is regressive and will take the state backwards in higher education sector,” the candidates told KNO.
They said the doctorate and post-doctorate candidates are talented and are receiving huge amount of grants from different agencies and moving the state ahead in terms of research and development.
“UGC has framed new rules and regulation from time to time and has recommended all the Universities and higher education institutions to strictly adopt their rules in letter and spirit,” the candidates said and urged the higher education department to adopt the recent guidelines of the UGC issued vide number- UGC Notice, F. No. 1-2/2017 (EC/PS); dated: October 16 of 2018.
The aspirants have urged Advisor to Governor Khurshid Ahmad Ganai to direct the higher education department to carry out the preparation of merit list as per the original notification.
“We urge the advisor to look into the matter regarding the abrupt change in the short listing criteria for the posts of Contractual Lecturers on academic arrangement (2019-20),” the aspirants told KNO. They said the Secretary Higher Education Department (HED) recently issued order regarding the appointment of contractual lecturers and teaching assistants.
“The said notification clearly mentioned the eligibility criteria and the definite points/weight-age for different qualification. In wake of this order, the Director Colleges, higher education issued notification for the engagement of contractual lecturers and teaching assistants for Kashmir division vide notification number DC/HE/Adv/AA/KD/2019/002 date: 01-06-2019 (Copy attached) and Jammu Division vide notification no. DC/HE/Adv/AA/KD/2019/001 date: 01-06-2019 following the same rules and regulations as mentioned by the Secretary Higher Education Department,” they told KNO.
They however said the while merit list is being prepared and in fact Nodal Principal, GGM Science College, Jammu published the merit list of the applied candidates as per the same criteria.
“However, after preparation of such merit lists in different disciplines, Secretary, Higher Education Department, issued another order regarding the change in the weight-age for different qualification which will cost Ph.D and post-doctorate candidates dearly,” the aspirants told KNO. Advisor Khurshid Ahmad Ganai meanwhile told KNO that the matter will be looked into. (KNO)