The Hindu : JNU divided over Professor Emeritus issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

JNU divided over Professor Emeritus issue

By Lakshmi Balakrishnan

NEW DELHI, MARCH 27 .With questions being raised over the very "principle" behind awarding the title of Professor Emeritus and the process of selection, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is now taking a second look at what is counted as one of the highest honours to be bestowed on University teachers here.

A three-member committee set up by the University to collect the views of various JNU schools, centres and teachers will be submitting its report at the next Academic Council meeting scheduled for April 1. This will be taken as the basis for a discussion on the matter.

The need for a fresh look at awarding the title of Professor Emeritus was felt after a section of the University expressed its dissatisfaction over the concept. "Many believe that this is just another step towards creating a hierarchy in the system. The problem is actually not the process, but the fact that people have questioned the very need for it. One of the things that a lot of people have opposed is the 10 per cent quota. Whether a limit should be set on how many can be awarded is a question much asked,'' says Madhavan Palat, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and one of the committee members.

Awarded to professors after their retirement, the nomination is initiated by the Dean of every school with the final selection being done by a board.

As per the current reservation or quota, only ten per cent of a school's total faculty can be appointed professor emeritus at a given time, irrespective of how many people retire. This, according to JNU teachers, would mean that a lot of deserving teachers lose out on the opportunity."One view received by us is that anyone should be allowed to initiate the name for nomination.

Then there is the question of whether it should be for life, as with the quota it would be difficult to award all the deserving candidates,'' adds Prof. Palat.

Interestingly enough, the School of Social Sciences has not sent any nomination for the post since 1997.

That despite the fact that the school boasts one of the highest number of professors emeritus.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi