New Teacher Recruitment Criteria 2024 Sparks Row in Delhi University

Delhi University (DU) has made big changes to teacher recruitment criteria. These new rules have caused a lot of debate. Many teachers think the new rules are unfair and want them to be taken back.

Key Changes in Teacher Recruitment Criteria

Here are the main changes in the new rules:

1. Higher Eligibility Score: The minimum score needed to apply has been raised from 50 to 55 points. There is a five-point relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
2. Two-Stage Selection Process: The selection process will now have two stages:
   – A presentation by the candidate.
   – An interview with the selection committee

Details of the Presentation Assessment

The presentation will be judged on several things:

• Humility, Passion, and Zeal for Teaching: These qualities will be evaluated during the presentation.
• Essay Writing: Candidates will have to write an essay on the day of the presentation to assess their writing skills.

Opposition from Teachers

Many teachers are unhappy with the new teacher recruitment criteria. Abha Dev Habib, secretary of the Democratic Teachers’ Front, is leading the call to take back the new rules. She believes that changing the criteria while the selection process is ongoing is unfair.

Habib stated that, “The new rules reduce the number of candidates who can appear before the Selection Committees. Many teachers are waiting to be hired, and these changes are not in their interest.”

Concerns About Centralization and Corruption

The new teacher recruitment criteria also introduce a central committee to handle presentations. Habib is worried this will lead to:

• Over-Centralization: Decisions will be made by a central committee, reducing the role of individual colleges.
• Potential for Corruption: A single window for appointments could lead to centralized corruption.

Criticism of the Presentation Assessment

Maya John, a member of DU’s Academic Council, criticized the high weightage given to subjective parameters in the new teacher recruitment criteria. She said:

• Objective Parameters: Things like academic record, experience, and research performance now count for only 20 points out of 100.
• Subjective Parameters: Qualities like passion and zeal have been given more weight, making the assessment seem arbitrary and unclear.

John believes these changes will limit the number of applicants and make the selection process less transparent.

Allegations of Violating UGC Guidelines

Mithuraaj Dhusiya, another member of the Academic Council, said the new rules might break the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines from 2018. He pointed out:

• The new teacher recruitment criteria include a ‘Presentation Assessment Committee’ that is not mentioned in the UGC regulations.
• Dhusiya called the new SOP “draconian” and demanded it be rolled back immediately.

Implications for Teacher Recruitment

The new teacher recruitment criteria at DU have major effects on the hiring process. By raising the eligibility score and adding a presentation assessment, DU aims to improve teacher quality. However, critics argue:

• Fewer Eligible Candidates: The higher score and presentation might reduce the number of people who can apply.
• Subjective Selection: More focus on subjective qualities makes the process seem less fair.
• Centralization: A central committee might lead to less transparency and more chances of corruption.

Teachers’ Demand for Rollback

The teachers’ community is strongly against the new teacher recruitment criteria. They argue:

• The new rules are unfair and reduce their chances of getting hired.
• The process is now less transparent and more subjective.
• The new rules might break existing UGC guidelines.

Conclusion

The changes in teacher recruitment criteria at Delhi University have sparked a lot of debates. Many teachers feel the new rules are unfair and demand a rollback. The controversy shows the need for a fair and transparent hiring process that takes everyone’s interests into account.

To sum up

1. Higher Eligibility: Raised from 50 to 55 points.
2. Two-Stage Process: Presentation and interview.
3. Subjective Focus: More weight on qualities like passion and zeal.
4. Central Committee: Concerns about centralization and corruption.
5. UGC Guidelines: Possible violations of existing rules.

The debate over the new teacher recruitment criteria at DU highlights the challenge of improving teacher quality while ensuring fairness and transparency. The teachers’ community continues to call for a rollback of these changes to ensure a fair hiring process for all.

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