Amended university faculty hiring GR sent to governor’s office for approval
The revised GR seeks to address widespread criticism from universities and the academic community which argued that the earlier criteria unfairly disqualified a large number of NET/SET-qualified candidates and disrupted the ongoing recruitment process across the state.
PUNE: The state higher education department Friday officially forwarded the amended government resolution (GR) on faculty recruitment to the governor’s office for approval, marking a significant step toward reversing the controversial eligibility norms that were introduced on October 6 this year.
The revised GR seeks to address widespread criticism from universities and the academic community which argued that the earlier criteria unfairly disqualified a large number of NET/SET-qualified candidates and disrupted the ongoing recruitment process across the state. The original GR sought to introduce major changes in the criteria for appointing professors in non-agricultural universities. However, the rules triggered strong opposition from teachers’ organisations, education experts, and vice-chancellors, who warned that the new 75:25 scoring formula would drastically shrink the pool of eligible candidates. Many argued that the policy would inadvertently favour applicants from outside Maharashtra while excluding meritorious candidates from state universities. Several media reports too pointed at the potential academic and administrative challenges arising from the revised criteria.
Taking note of the mounting criticism, higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil held extensive discussions with vice-chancellors from all non-agricultural universities to understand the ground-level implications. During these meetings, the university heads stressed that the new rules were impractical and could result in certain subjects garnering no qualified applicants at all. They also warned that the restrictive norms would discourage candidates from applying, forcing some universities to extend their deadlines for accepting applications.
A senior education officer on condition of anonymity said, “Universities were reporting a sharp fall in applications, especially from NET/SET-qualified candidates who have traditionally constituted the core of teaching recruitment. Many departments were unable to meet even the minimum shortlist requirements. The criteria were simply too restrictive and risked paralysing recruitment of nearly 600 faculty posts statewide.”
Following detailed feedback from vice-chancellors and department officials, Patil instructed that the October 6 GR be amended and that the earlier 50:50 scoring model be reconsidered instead of the 75:25 formula. The revised GR reinstates eligibility for NET/SET-qualified applicants, an issue that was at the heart of the controversy. With the amended proposal now awaiting approval from the governor’s office, university officials expect clarity soon, enabling them to proceed with the recruitment process without further disruption.
