SHUN ADHOCISM IN UNIVERSITIES
There are many universities which are relying on adhoc appointments of the teaching faculty to carry on academics while cutting the expenditure as adhoc teachers are quite economical as compared to permanent faculty. This practice is very old and there are so many universities in the country which at times compromise the quality of education while taking the help of adhoc faculty members or guest faculty which at times are not fulfilling the required criteria meant for standing at the podium in classrooms. As far as central universities are concerned, the statement by the Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar in response to a written question in Lok Sabha made it clear that the University Grants Commission (UGC) is not considering any proposal to absorb adhoc teachers as permanent faculty in central universities. This is the right thing to ensure that quality education is imparted in these higher seats of education. The policy to make adhoc employees permanent has its own disadvantages and loopholes which at times raise big questions because the very appointment of the adhoc employees is under the scanner and if these will be allowed to carry on with the jobs than those having caliber and quality will have to suffer step-motherly treatment which should not be the case. The statement by the Union Minister that no proposal is under consideration in University Grants Commission (UGC) to absorb adhoc teachers as permanent teachers however, the Ministry of Education and UGC from time to time had requested all the Central Universities to fill up the posts on a regular basis. This should be the course of recruitment in the higher seats of education as compromise at any level can degrade the standards of imparting education which can prove to be disastrous. It is pertinent to mention that
as many as 3,904 teachers are employed in central universities in temporary posts. Of them, 122 are on adhoc basis and 1,820 on contract basis while 1,931 are working as guest faculty. Whatever be the figures of adhoc, contractual or guest faculties in central or the other universities, the government should ensure that standards stipulated for the university faculty should be maintained at all such institutions as the same are significant for imparting quality education and steering the country to new heights.