NRIs, working civil servants, NGO workers to fill in for lack of teachers, boost quality
Indian universities and higher education institutions which are facing acute shortage of teachers can now fill up to 25% sanctioned posts with adjunct faculty drawn from industry, NRIs, PSUs, working and retired officers of central and state civil services and even from NGOs.
These professionals need not even meet the educational qualification criteria as prescribed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the post of professor. Their special skills and domain knowledge will be enough to qualify them to become adjunct faculty in universities and colleges, say recent guidelines issued by the UGC for empanelment of adjunct faculty.
"A person of eminence with or without a postgraduate or PhD can be hired as adjunct faculty. The strength of adjunct faculty may not exceed 25% the sanctioned strength of faculty at any time," state the guidelines, which also fix the tenure and honorarium for them.
They will be provided an honorarium of Rs1,000 per lecture, with a maximum ceiling of Rs80,000 per month. They will also get travel costs and free accommodation in the guest house. They will be appointed by the competent authority based on the recommendation of a committee. Their period of empanelment will vary — from six months to three years.
Adjunct faculty is also expected to actively participate in service-related activities, such as sitting on departmental committees, serving as advisers to faculty and/or undergraduate and postgraduate students, helping students network, and actively collaborating with the industry/employer providing internship and job opportunities.
The guidelines allow flexibility to universities which are not only facing faculty crunch but also accused of imparting poor quality education with little focus on making their students job-ready.
"These guidelines enable higher educational institutions to access the eminent teachers and researchers, who have completed their formal association with university/college, to participate in teaching, to collaborate and to stimulate research activities and to play a mentoring and inspirational role," said a UGC official.
Almost all public and private universities and colleges in India have been hiring adjunct or guest faculty due to shortage of teachers. But there are no fixed guidelines for such hiring, forcing universities and departments to frame their own rules.
Who can become adjunct faculty?
Professionals with experience in teaching.
Those who have worked in research organisations supported by ICAR, ICSSR, CSIR, ICMR, DRDO, central and state universities, central and state public sector undertakings (PSUs), business corporations, NGOs and professional associations.
Civil servants and professionals and officials from professional councils and statutory bodies like UGC and AICTE, serving as well as retired.
Skill training providers recognised by the National Skills Development Corporation and/or Sector Skill Councils in their respective area for skills education and training.
NRIs and PlOs working with overseas academic, research and business organisations or having a demonstrated interest in Indian issues.
Skilled professionals working in organised and unorganised sectors.
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