CHENNAI: Nearly 2,000 out of the 5,303 guest lecturers working at government arts and science colleges in Tamil Nadu are not qualified for the post, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy said on Wednesday.
As per UGC rules, only teachers who have a PhD or have cleared NET/SET (National Eligibility Test/ State Eligibility Test) are to be appointed as guest lecturers. But in previous years, college principals favoured local candidates and even people with MPhil degrees were appointed as guest lecturers, the minister explained, adding that his government is trying to rectify this.
“The government has decided that henceforth lecturers will only be appointed through the exam conducted by the Teachers’ Recruitment Board,” said Ponmudy. The government has announced that 4,000 assistant professors will be recruited in arts and science colleges. The minister further said the existing guest lecturers will be given weightage marks in the upcoming assistant-professor recruitment drive.
“Guest lecturers who pass the written test for assistant professor will be given up to 15 weightage marks in the interview as per their experience,” said Ponmudy. The interview will carry 30 marks in total. The minister said the weightage marks will provide an edge to the guest lecturers and give them an opportunity to easily get recruited for the posts.
“This is the first time such a large recruitment drive will be held, to hire 4,000 lecturers. From 2007 to 2015, only 4,654 lecturers were appointed to government arts and science colleges,” said Ponmudy, adding that 1,895 guest lecturers will be appointed.