Guest lecturers run the show as GU faces staff shortage
Persian and Urdu department needs four teachers but have just a Reader who retires today. At least six other departments are in a similar situation
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 02:49:28 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009101420091014024928938aba8376)
The Gujarat University has declared several new courses this year, but who will teach students? The quality of education at GU is being questioned as the campus is hit by severe staff shortage. The ones to suffer are post-graduate students, some of whom are being forced to study a combination of part I and part II subjects to deal with the crisis.
The University has failed to appoint regular teachers for almost a decade now, forcing guest lecturers to run the show. Departments teaching journalism, geography, Urdu, physical education and library science have just one teacher when the requirement is 4 to 7 teachers as per University Grant Commission (UGC) norms.
The geography department needs one professor, two readers and four lecturers. However, the students —who number over 80 — have only Dr M Kulkarni, professor and head of the department, to lean on. What is worse, he will retire next year.
These students still have a year’s time. But consider the plight of students in the Persian and Urdu department that should be taught by one professor, two readers and a lecturer. However, all the 70 students — 60 females and 10 males — have is reader Chand Bibi Shaikh who will retire on Wednesday. And, it has been a while the department had a teacher for Persian.
“The lack of staff is hurting our studies. Research work brings honour and recognition to the university. But there is no one to guide us. The varsity even depends on non-teaching staff to supervise students during examinations,” said Amit Shah, an MA student. He added, “Students of geography part I and II are forced to attend classes together. In fact, 13 students of part I have not got their results as they appeared for exams meant for part II. They will appear for their part I exams this year and then get both the results together. How weird is that?”
However, Kulkarni explained: “We are doing nothing wrong here. The University’s Executive Council had decided that in geography and law, subjects in part I and II need not be taught in a set pattern.”
Another MA student Kinjal Parekh said, “The varsity admits students who score well. What sort of education are they ensuring the bright students? Many of the guest lecturers are pathetic. But we have to make do with them. Exam papers are corrected by teachers who are not qualified for the task. Is it any wonder that people look down on students who pass out of Gujarat University?”
Her classmate Megha Raval said, “The state wants all universities in the state to introduce a choice-based credit system and semester system at post-graduate level. Students will be allowed to take electives. The committee included over 250 subjects in its list. Semester system means more subjects, more exams. When the varsity cannot cope with the existing system, how does it plan to switch over to the more complicated version? It should first try to improve the existing courses than spread itself thin by introducing newer courses.”
The departments of Sanskrit, philosophy, psychology and the School of Science are facing staff shortage, too. The University Grants Commission (UGC) norms make it mandatory for universities to maintain the student-teacher ratio at 60:1 at PG level. However, the university cannot fill up the posts without government clearance. The state government had last approved fresh appointments in 1999. However, many teachers have retired since then.Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi could not be contacted despite several attempts.
By Yogesh Avasthi
Posted On Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 02:49:28 AM (Ahmedabad Mirror : http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?Page=article§name=News%20-%20City§id=3&contentid=2009101420091014024928938aba8376)
The Gujarat University has declared several new courses this year, but who will teach students? The quality of education at GU is being questioned as the campus is hit by severe staff shortage. The ones to suffer are post-graduate students, some of whom are being forced to study a combination of part I and part II subjects to deal with the crisis.
The University has failed to appoint regular teachers for almost a decade now, forcing guest lecturers to run the show. Departments teaching journalism, geography, Urdu, physical education and library science have just one teacher when the requirement is 4 to 7 teachers as per University Grant Commission (UGC) norms.
The geography department needs one professor, two readers and four lecturers. However, the students —who number over 80 — have only Dr M Kulkarni, professor and head of the department, to lean on. What is worse, he will retire next year.
These students still have a year’s time. But consider the plight of students in the Persian and Urdu department that should be taught by one professor, two readers and a lecturer. However, all the 70 students — 60 females and 10 males — have is reader Chand Bibi Shaikh who will retire on Wednesday. And, it has been a while the department had a teacher for Persian.
“The lack of staff is hurting our studies. Research work brings honour and recognition to the university. But there is no one to guide us. The varsity even depends on non-teaching staff to supervise students during examinations,” said Amit Shah, an MA student. He added, “Students of geography part I and II are forced to attend classes together. In fact, 13 students of part I have not got their results as they appeared for exams meant for part II. They will appear for their part I exams this year and then get both the results together. How weird is that?”
However, Kulkarni explained: “We are doing nothing wrong here. The University’s Executive Council had decided that in geography and law, subjects in part I and II need not be taught in a set pattern.”
Another MA student Kinjal Parekh said, “The varsity admits students who score well. What sort of education are they ensuring the bright students? Many of the guest lecturers are pathetic. But we have to make do with them. Exam papers are corrected by teachers who are not qualified for the task. Is it any wonder that people look down on students who pass out of Gujarat University?”
Her classmate Megha Raval said, “The state wants all universities in the state to introduce a choice-based credit system and semester system at post-graduate level. Students will be allowed to take electives. The committee included over 250 subjects in its list. Semester system means more subjects, more exams. When the varsity cannot cope with the existing system, how does it plan to switch over to the more complicated version? It should first try to improve the existing courses than spread itself thin by introducing newer courses.”
The departments of Sanskrit, philosophy, psychology and the School of Science are facing staff shortage, too. The University Grants Commission (UGC) norms make it mandatory for universities to maintain the student-teacher ratio at 60:1 at PG level. However, the university cannot fill up the posts without government clearance. The state government had last approved fresh appointments in 1999. However, many teachers have retired since then.Vice Chancellor Parimal Trivedi could not be contacted despite several attempts.
