DIMAPUR, MAY 22 (MExN): The students’ unions of 11 Government Colleges from Nagaland have appealed for retention of Assistant Professors from government colleges, who vide a government notification dated May 9, are transferred as attachments to New Model Colleges at Mangkolemba and Wakching on a short-term basis (6 months).
The students’ unions were from Fazl Ali College, Kohima Science College, Dimapur Govt. College, Yingli Govt. College, Kohima College, Zunheboto Govt. College, Phek Govt. College, Pfutsero Govt. College, Wangkhao Govt. College, Mount Tiyi College and Peren Govt. College.
A joint statement from the unions said that implementation of four-year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP) under New Education Policy (NEP) from the new academic session 2023, concurrent with the Old Nagaland University Syllabus (2012) and the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), will put additional strain on the already understaffed colleges.
It noted that according to the University Order dated March 24, 2023, the FYUGP NEP “needs to be implemented from the coming academic session of 2023” requiring additional teaching staff in all departments immediately. However it said that the May 9 notification is in stark opposition to the increasing demands in workload, weakening the already battered structure.
“Any displacement of teachers, irrespective of duration, is an impediment to the learning process of the students.
Sending away twelve permanent faculties from existing colleges for duration of 6 months will have irreparable repercussions on learning. On the part of the concerned department, it is a blatant display of incompetence at best and indifference at worst,” it said.
While applauding the establishment of new colleges, the unions said that the haste at which the teachers are roped in leaves little to be desired. “The current arrangement of transferring teachers from colleges through attachment is detrimental for all the participating colleges,” they said. As per the notification, the faculties sent on attachment will be required to single handedly manage an entire department. One is left questioning as to whether there was any prior consultation with educational experts and stakeholders, they said.
Further, the unions stated that Assistant Professors at MCTE and SCTE do not possess NET qualification in their own subject and fail to fulfill the minimum UGC norms to teach in colleges. As such, transferring this group of faculties on attachment basis violates this norm, they added. The unions expressed dissent against the “haphazard transfer of our teachers without any consideration of the students’ interests at large.”
They demanded the immediate revocation of the notification; recruitment and sanctioning of posts via proper channel (NPSC CESE); and prior consultation with all stakeholders involved.
