Strict conditions for recruiting teachers

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The N Vijayakumar-led inspection committee which was appointed to inspect infrastructure and academic status in 105 self-financing engineering colleges in the state has recommended that only postgraduates with valid GATE score should be recruited to teaching posts in engineering colleges. It recommended that the government should take it up with the Kerala Public Service Commission to ensure this. The two-day hearing of the 23 colleges which were found lacking in infrastructure and academic necessities was completed before the Principal Secretary for Higher Education here on Friday. The colleges, 13 under the MG University, four under the Kerala University, four under the CUSAT and two under Calicut University, submitted their stand in the inspection committee’s report. The colleges under the Kannur University were found to be meeting the minimum requirements.The committee would now re-examine the upgraded facilities and academic status in the colleges and would submit its report before the High Court. It was under the directive of the High Court to carry out surprise inspections in self financing engineering colleges and to verify the physical availability of faculty in the  colleges with regard to the declared strength for university affiliation that the State Government appointed the inspection committee. The committee had carried out its inspection in three phases. The report of the committee had pointed out that the teaching faculty had deteriorated in many institutions due to shortage of well qualified persons. It pointed out that some of the faculty members with postgraduate degree had  obtained their degree through part-time coaching held in weekends by certain universities outside the state. The report says that the salary, allowances and other welfare schemes available for the faculty members in majority of the colleges were pathetic. In many colleges, the pay was meagre. The report recommends that B Tech should be declared as the minimum eligibility for teaching posts in engineering colleges.