Delhi University, country’s one of the most prestigious university, is short of as many as 4,000 faculty members across its departments and colleges. But before allowing colleges and departments to start selection process, DU is likely to revamp the entire selection process. The university has set up a special committee to study current selection process of faculties at the entry-level and suggest changes to make sure that only high-quality faculties join DU colleges from now on.

“We have constituted a high-powered committee of acclaimed academicians. It is going to re-examine the process of hiring faculties at the entry-level. It will suggest means and ways by which we can empower the process and ensure fairness, transparency and an all-India character in it,” said DU vice-chancellor, Professor Dinesh Singh. The four-member committee that was constituted on Thursday is likely to submit their recommendations as soon as possible so that the recruitment process can get underway. The committee will be chaired by former vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, Syed Shahid Mehdi, former vice-chancellor of North-East Hill University, Mrinal Miri, Shirin Rathode, who was the former dean of colleges in DU and Sudheesh Pachauri, the current dean.

“The committee has been asked to submit an early report as we have 4,000 fresh positions to be filled up across all colleges,” Singh said.

As per the UGC guidelines now entry-level faculties are appointed as assistant professors in colleges. At present, colleges are managing the vacant posts by appointing faculties on an ad hoc basis. Since OBC quota was implemented in the admission process, undergraduate students intake has gone up by 54% in the university over the last three years which has also pushed up demand for faculties. As several colleges are facing acute faculty shortage, they had even written to the university earlier in the year to allow them to start faculty recruitment process.

While the UGC guidelines has made it compulsory for aspiring faculties to clear the National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) to be eligible for a job, DU’s high-powered committee is likely to work on devising a process to further ensure high academic standards. According to DU, the committee’s recommendations will broaden prospects for hiring faculties from other parts of the country and eliminate scope for favoritism.

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Tags: Central Universites, Delhi University, Faculty Recruitment, Faculty Shortage, Jamia Millia Islamia, Mrinal Miri, North-East Hill University, Phd, Prof. Dinesh Singh, Shirin Rathode, Sudheesh Pachauri, Syed Shahid Mehdi, UGC NET, Vice chancellor