COIMBATORE: The Teachers Recruitment Board’s recent notification, announcing the recruitment drive to fill up 2,340 assistant professor posts in government arts and science, and education colleges, categorically stated that MPhil and PhD degrees obtained through correspondence/distance education/open university system would not be eligible.
While the policy may not be in line with norms laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC), it comes in the wake of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court ruling that only candidates who obtained degrees through the regular colleges can be appointed as teaching faculty.
TRB’s notification said that only candidates, who have obtained a degree from a recognised university under the 10+2+3 pattern, will be considered for selection. The MPhil and PhD degrees obtained through correspondence/distance education/open university system are ineligible for appointment as lecturers or assistant professors in colleges and universities, it said.
This is in direct contradiction to a notice issued by the UGC earlier this year. It said that degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by recognised open and distance learning institutions should be treated equivalent to those issued by traditional universities.
The eligibility criteria on essential qualifications of the candidates acquired through correspondence, distance, open university system as eligible for the direct recruitment of assistant professor is subject to the outcome of the writ appeal to be filed before Madurai Bench of High Court of Madras against orders issued on June 21, it added.
On June 21, Justice SM Subramaniam, while passing a judgment, said, “Teaching is a noble profession. Teaching in a classroom is a skill. Thus, the candidates who studied and possessed the requisite educational qualifications through a regular pattern of education in college alone to be selected and appointed for the post of Assistant Professor. The candidates, who studied through Open University system, correspondence course without attending the regular classes are undoubtedly not eligible for appointment to the post of Assistant Professor.” (sic)
This observation is in direct contradiction to the notice issued by UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain on February 23 this year. According to the notice, the degrees, diplomas, certificate awarded for programmes conducted by the open and distance learning institutions, recognised by the erstwhile Distance Education Council/ UGC should be treated as equivalent to the corresponding awards of the degree, diploma, certificate of the traditional universities and institutions.
The distance education system in the country is contributing a lot in an expansion of higher education without compromising on quality, he reasoned.