Violation of UGC Regulations, 2010 and Lack of Transparency in the Recruitment of Regular Principals: FEGOCTA

22nd November 2014

Federation of Government College Teachers’ Associations, Manipur (FEGOCTA) held an Emergency Executive Committee at D.M.College of Science, Imphal on 18th November, 2014 to discuss irregularities in the recruitment of 25 regular College Principals, the new Tenure, Transfer and Posting Policy of college teachers and disproportionate reservation of ST-184, General-58, OBC(MP)-15, OBC(M)-20, SC-nil in the MPSC advertisement to recruit 280 posts of Assistant Professors. FEGOCTA decides to support the legal course of action taken up by the college teachers against irregularities in recruitment of regular Principals.

Despite Cabinet approval for the creation of posts of 418 Part Time Teachers in 2nd September, 2014, but yet to issue Orders till date. To prevent irregularities, violations of UGC Regulations, 2010, lack of transparency and inconsistencies in the policies/Orders in future and for good higher education governance, FEGOCTA demands to constitute Manipur Higher Education Service at the earliest. Court cases have been increasing and huge public money and precious time and energy of the Higher Education Department officials are being spent in defending the irregularities and violations of UGC Regulations 2010 in the courts.

There is strong resentment and anger among teaching community in Manipur at the clear violation of UGC Regulations, 2010 and lack of transparency in the recruitment of regular college Principals after more than twenty years. Three candidates who have been finally appointed as regular Principals apparently do not possess even essential qualifications. As per UGC Regulations 2010, the essential qualifications of direct recruitment of regular college Principals include Associate Professor with fifteen years of teaching experience, evidence of research guidance and Academic Performance Indicator (API) score of 400 in Category III( Research and Academic Contributions). Of the three one has teaching experience of about 17 years of which 10 year from 1997 to 2007 was Part Time which is not counted as teaching experience in the recruitment in Manipur University. Another does not possess essential qualification of research guidance from Manipur University/other central/state universities as per UGC guidelines. Another got Ph.D. Degree in 2012 only and Advertisement came out in August, 2013 and hence does not possess research guidance which is one of the essential qualifications.

Further as per UGC Regulations 2010 there is capping in API score of 400 in five parameters of research papers(Journals etc)-30 %, research publications(books etc)-25%, research projects-20%, research guidance-10% and training courses and conferences/seminars etc -15%. All the three appointed as regular Principals do not appear to have API score of 400 as per capping in these five parameters. Non-inclusion of the members of IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell) of Manipur University and other Universities as the Experts in the Screening Committee of API Score assessment led to enough room to suspect manipulation and favoritism? Two Experts in the Screening Committee of which one was Professor of Physics gave API score of 402 and 410 to Associate Professors of Physics who finally appointed as regular Principals. UGC Regulations, 2010 clearly lays down that API (Academic Performance Indicator) score calculation and assessment should be done in transparent manner by using uniform format, objective and credible methodology of all the candidates.

Except three candidates the API score of the 45 candidates many of whom claimed to have more than required API score of 400 was never made public. MPSC notified on 31st October, 2014 with one holiday and Sunday and fixed the Interview on 4th November, 2014 without being published in Newspapers.

A writ petition was filed by 12 college teachers challenging the direct recruitment of regular Principals under UGC Regulations 2010. The prayer was that recruitment should be made under existing Recruitment Rules 2002 of Manipur Gazette under which recruitment of regular College Principals could not take place in 2005 and 2008 under which they were eligible. Hon’ble High Court of Manipur on 2nd September, 2014 dismissed the writ petition saying that recruitment be made under UGC Regulations 2010. Perhaps Higher Education Department and MPSC went ahead based on this verdict of Hon’ble High Court. However other writ petitions are still pending in the court and new writ petition is going be filed on Principals’ issue.

5% relaxation in 55% marks in master’s degree to ST, SC, differently able persons and Ph.D. Degree holders who completed masters’ degree prior to 19th September, 1991 were not mentioned in the MPSC Advertisement leading to litigation. Higher Education Department and MPSC have neither understood UGC Regulations, 2010 in true spirit nor followed it transparently. MPSC and Higher Education Department did not consider FEGOCTAs’ requests to cancel interview of three candidates and re-advertise all the twenty five posts of Principals.

FEGOCTA has been demanding to appoint regular College Principals and organized National Seminar on UGC Regulations on API for direct recruitment of Principals on 10 March, 2014. There would have no litigation, controversy and strong opposition had Higher Education Department followed UGC Regulations, 2010, recruitment rules and transparency in the recruitment process of regular Principals. FEGOCTA and directly affected college teachers have full faith in the judiciary.

(Dr. N. Somorendro Singh) General Secretary, FEGOCTA,