Who will teach the UGC?

A recent news article in the Times of India revealed that almost 50% academic positions in India's higher learning institutes are lying vacant!! Imagine what it means to the quality of education and research? No wonder we are happy churning out routine mediocre workers, not thought leaders and innovators. Despite such a wide gap in the availability and demand of qualified teaching professionals, the governing authority - University Grants Commission still imposes outdated restrictions on who can be appointed as teaching faculty in its affiliated colleges and institutes. I had successfully cleared the UGC-NET examination way back in 2014, but have been denied NET certificate till date.

Why? Simply because I chose as my subject Labour Laws and Personnel Management, and not English (my graduation subject). With experience in HR and training and requisite diplomas, I love to teach these subjects, and hence wanted to clear my NET for further opportunities. However, no amount of reasoning worked with UGC clerks who simply "advised" me to stick to English!

Why, may I ask? If I have the required aptitude (I passed the NET exam with first division) to teach a particular subject, why are you disqualifying me? Simply because I don't have an MBA? This after I have spent years teaching HR, OB, IR, Business Communication, in private management institutes that weren't bound by UGC or AICTE! Because as per these hallowed institutions you can't become a professor unless you are either NET certified or a PhD. Welcome to the land of unequal opportunities.

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