Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

No injustice in the selection process: Ponnavaikko

TIRUCHI: Responding to allegations levelled earlier this week by the Joint Coordination Committee of two teachers’ organisations (Association of University Teachers and Tamil Nadu Government College Teachers’ Association) on appointments made to the three constituent colleges of Bharathidasan University, Vice-Chancellor M. Ponnavaikko asserted on Thursday that established norms were not violated.

The norms of University Grants Commission (UGC) along with provisions of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) were followed for selecting lecturers for the Department of Computer Science. “As per the UGC norms, degree holders in Computer Science with NET/SLET or Ph.D. degree holders in Computer Science or M.E. / M.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering are eligible for appointment as Lecturers.”

Eleven out of 17 eligible candidates attended the interview, and of them six were selected – three with MCA/M.Sc. in addition to M.E./M.Tech qualification, and three others with M.E./M.Tech. qualification – and two candidates holding the qualification of MCA/M.Sc. along with M.E./M.Tech were wait-listed. “No candidate with qualification as per the UGC norms were ignored in the selection process,” Prof. Ponnavaikko explained.

For appointment of two lecturers for Biotechnology, candidates with qualification in Bio-Chemistry and Microbiology were considered since all these disciplines belong to Life Science.

As per the UGC norms, PG qualification with NET/SLET or Ph.D., degree qualification is required for appointment as Lecturers.

All the four candidates – two selected lecturers and two wait-listed applicants – conformed to the norms. Not all Ph.D., degree holders are good teachers.

And postgraduates with NET/SLET qualification have proved to be better teachers, he said.

The respective heads of departments in the constituent colleges were not included in the selection committees since they were also candidates.

Instead, expert members from the university qualified to examine both Biotechnology and Biochemistry were included in the selection committee.

As regards selection of principals for the three constituent colleges, the advertised eligibility norms were as per the requirement of the Higher Education Department.

The scrutinizing committee headed by R.T. Panneerselvam, Syndicate Member, while short-listing the candidates for interview, adopted the latest UGC guidelines.

Hence, the matter will be taken to the Syndicate for a final decision.

The subject experts in the selection committee had earlier served in the selection committees of the university, and were also members of the Board of Studies approved by the Standing Committee on Academic Affairs.

To the charge of the university that the score sheet was designed to award marks for the candidates in a manipulative way, the Vice-Chancellor pointed out that the marks were awarded scientifically in accordance with the Academic Performance Indicator System advocated by the UGC. Since the lecturer position is an entry level appointment in the teaching profession, 10 marks were assigned for subject knowledge, ability to plan, analyse and discuss curriculum development; 10 marks for aptitude for teaching, research and administration, ability to communicate clearly and effectively; and 15 marks were assigned for general performance, General Knowledge and Personality.

Prof. Ponnavaikko denied that 161 candidates were interviewed on June 4, 2009. Seventeen candidates of Computer Science and English, and 106 candidates of Tamil were interviewed over a duration of 14 hours from 10.00 a.m. onwards. An average of seven minutes was spent for interviewing each candidate, and more time was spent on good candidates. “There was no injustice in the selection process,” he said.

The Joint Director of Collegiate Education could not be present for some time due to some urgent official work, and the Governor nominee arrived an hour later on the first day.

Otherwise, all the selection committee members were present all through, the Vice-Chancellor said.

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