JAMMU: The delegation of Akhil Bharatiya Rashtriya Shaikshik Mahasangh (ABRSM) met the Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar and Secretary Prof. Manish Joshi and discussed the anomalies in the draft regulation 2025.
National President of ABRSM Prof. Narayan Lal Gupta said that in this discussion which lasted for about two hours, the ground level problems regarding the proposed provisions of appointment and promotion of teachers were put before the UGC. ABRSM opposed considering bureaucrats and industrialists eligible for the post of Vice Chancellor and demanded its withdrawal.
Prof. Gupta said that issues like limiting the requirement of PhD in Career Advancement Scheme to Associate Professor and Professor posts only, making the criteria of Notable Contribution practical, giving promotion of Academic Level 15 to college teachers as well and removing the limit of 10% were raised prominently. ABRSM also objected to proposed changes in service conditions before the implementation of the Eighth Pay Commission recommendations.
ABRSM’s National General Secretary, Prof. Geeta Bhatt, stated that the delegation emphasized giving priority to teaching, research, and publication in Indian languages for promotions and recruitment. ABRSM also recommended provisions for paid study leave to teachers for Ph.D. , granting CAS promotion benefits from the date of eligibility, ensuring tenure for Principals until retirement, addressing anomalies in the benefits of past service, eliminating the distinction between undergraduate and postgraduate Principals, and capping contractual academic positions to a maximum of 20% of approved posts.
Prof. Bhatt further added that the delegation discussed the appointment of an Ombudsman to ensure transparency in resolving complaints related to violations of UGC regulations, defining teachers' workload, limiting daily stay in institutions to five hours, organizing refresher and orientation courses offline and treating such activities as on-duty. The delegation also advocated for removing discrimination between NET and Ph.D. in CAS promotions, establishing clear criteria for shortlisting candidates for recruitment and providing a minimum five-year transition period for opting into old regulations for promotions.
The UGC Chairman and Secretary assured the delegation that all issues raised would be considered at the appropriate level and decisions would be made accordingly. Apart from the President and General Secretary, the delegation included National Organization Secretary Mahendra Kapoor, Joint Organization Secretary G. Laxman, Senior Vice President Mahendra Kumar, Vice President Prof. Shailesh Kumar Mishra, Additional General Secretary Prof. Arbindo Mahato, Secretary Prof. Pradeep Khedkar and Joint Secretary Prof. Jaspal Varwal.
