Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Professors, principals to get performance marks

Performance appraisal of professors and college principals? If the University Grants Commission (UGC) has its way, for the first time, lakhs of professors and principals in the 400-odd universities across the country will face evaluation. 

The UGC proposal includes compulsory stay on campus for five hours every day, 30 weeks of actual teaching (six working days), minimum six hours research per week and performance assessment. The vacation period too has been cut from 10 weeks a year to eight weeks. 

The UGC's draft notification on `revision of pay scales, minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers in universities/colleges and other measures for maintenance of standards 2009' stipulates that everyone -- from associate professors to principals -- in all colleges/universities will come under the newly-introduced Performance Appraisal Scoring System (PASS) and Academic Performance Indicator (API). UGC sources said the regulation would be finalised in March after receiving feedback from universities and teacher associations. 

Simply put, they will be evaluated on various criteria. For instance, a professor who excels in developing new technologies for teaching and satisfies the required number of hours for teaching will get 150 points. While 200 points has been earmarked for student mentoring, professional activities (being a member of board or committee) will earn him/her 50 points. And then there are points for familiarity with up-to-date teaching material too. 

To ensure that the best get into teaching, direct recruitment will be only through merit and selection committees will be headed by the vice-chancellors themselves. On its part, the UGC will draw up a national subject expert bank and colleges/universities must include the expert while appointing a professor. 

"The idea is not aimed at policing the education system but to bring in quality in our higher education system. Universities can develop a weightage formula. But UGC will seek a compliance report every year from the universities on the performance. We have sought feedback from the stakeholders," UGC sources told TOI. 

Predictably, university teachers are not happy with UGC's diktat. Said B G Bhaskara, treasurer of the Federation of University and College Teachers' Associations in Karnataka, "There are too many conditions, especially for recruitments at the college level. They are not practical. Some measures like performance indicators are needed but why is the teaching community targeted? Didn't state and central government employees too benefit from the 6th Central Pay Commission?" 

How 52 weeks a year are to be spent by university/college professors 

* Teaching: University (30 weeks); colleges (30 weeks) 

* Admissions/examination work: University (12 weeks); college (10 weeks) 

* Public holidays: University and college (two weeks each. If holidays go up, teaching days must go up accordingly) 

* Vacation: University (8 weeks); college (10 weeks) 

Source : Times of India.

5 comments :

Unknown said...

THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL IS THE MOST WELCOME STEP THAT MHRD HAS TAKEN. A FEW PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF THEIR MARKS AND POSITIONS IN STUDENT TIME AND THEN ON THE BASIS OF CONNECTIONS OR PROXIMITY OR BY BELONGNING A PARTICULAR GROUP OR CASTE OR REGION COULD MANAGE THEIR PROMOTIONS TO PROFESSORSHIP BY ANY MEANS AND NOW ENJOY THE CREAM WITHOUT GIVING ANY PERFORMANCE. AT THE SAME TIME IN MANY INSTITUTES PERFORMERS WERE IGNORED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT PALATABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION OR THEY DID NOT BELONG TO THE GROUP/CASTE/REGION IN POWER. NOW THE CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL BASED ON SET NORMS WILL OPEN THE PANDORA BOX. SUCH PROFESSORS WHO DO NOT COME TO THE EXPECTATION SHOULD BE DEMOTED. CARROTS AND STICKS OR REWARD AND PUNISHMENT BOTH SHOULD RUN SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS IN HIGHER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. MHRD DESERVES APPRECIATION FOR BRINGING UP CLEAR NORMS. THEY SHOULD ALSO ENSURE THE IMPLEMENTATION.
- DR. P P BAHUGUNA
PRESIDENT, TEACHERS ASSOCIATION ISM UNIVERSITY DHANBAD

Dr.Bh.Subrahmanyam said...

The simple logic behind every pay revision is just to see that enhanced emoluments are received by the incumbents in the context of inflationary conditions and also their enhanced status and their 'use'or otherwise of their service.In fact every revision aims at enhancing the status.This is what even the 'preamble'to the latest pay revision of college lecturers also tells. Nothing more than this.It is ridiculous on the part of the UGC to frame such an iron-curtain type of rules for college lecturers.Will any other sect of employees like those working in Bank or Insurance sectors agree for this type of 'tamasha' from their respective pay commissions? What do the UGC expect of teachers? Need they have two horns on their head without the qualities of head and heart?If the present frame of rules is allowed to stay,then NOBODY especially in the U.G.colleges will get the enhanced pay at all. Perhaps this is the wish ultimately of all the three powerful bosses-the Central and State Governments and of course the UGC.In any cases every college lecturers is just a "Peeping Tom" who can look at the highly placed ones only throw a key hole.Now even that hole is closed by permanently arranging the key in the hole.The accursed lecturer cannot now even view,let alone come out of the shell.The present set of rules instead of putting the lecturers on the Everest tries its level best to throw them into the deep sea.For this the accursed lecturers have luckily vast opportunity of choosing either the Arabian sea or the Indian Ocean or the Bay of Bengal,of course depending upon the region in which they live!

Unknown said...

It is very sad what is happening with teachers?
Review at every step is not desirable. In fact who will monitor the performance of the teacher? HOw marks will be awarded to the teacher? By such appraisal system, you are making the principal and other authorities the real master of the dogs. If you are not in the Principal's good book, you are gone all the way.
PK AGRAWAL

Unknown said...

Only one post of professor in the department is very controversial.
This makes other hopelss and lethargic.
Further if a junior becomes the professor, he will become the senior and would claim for HODship. THis will create a lot of controversies amongst the departmental staff itself.

Dr.Bh.Subrahmanyam said...

Bowing to the vociferous protests about its draconian 'Draft' guidelines,the UGC was compelled to issue,almost immediately, a clarification to the effect that not withstanding its own earlier circulated 'Draft,' the pay masters need not wait and can place all the present Selection Grade Lecturers/Readers who had completed three years of service in the outgoing Rs.12000-18300 scale as on 01-01-2006,in the new scale of Rs.37400-67000 with an AGP of Rs.9000 and also the coveted designation,'Associate Professor' can be bestowed on them.Wise sense prevailed upon the UGC which proved itself to be not-so-unresponsive Institution,as feared earlier.See UGC website for the clarification.Good luck.

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