New delhi, February 16: The recently revised grades by the University Grants Commission (UGC) have also made the teaching community accountable for works other than teaching. According to the UGC guidelines, “Teachers have to stay for 40 hours in the institution and effective teaching for 20 hours in a week.”
But it has been observed that the teaching community do not want to stay in colleges for longer hours or teach for more than 24 periods a week. One reason probably is that a majority of them are also running ‘coaching centres’ through which they earn hefty amounts. And also they are used to an easy lifestyle of teaching just 24 periods a week and running back home as soon as the bell goes.
Commenting about the accountability of teachers, Dr R K Aulakh, principal, Government College for Women, said, “Teachers do participate in college events other than academics. I agree to the fact that all teachers do not prefer library reading and write research papers but we cannot compel them. They are accountable for the same and should bring change in their attitude.”
While Dr Charanjeet Kaur Mahal, principal, Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Model Town, said, “I think teachers should teach for 20 hours and the remaining 20 hours should be spent on polishing their lecture with well furnished information.
I keep motivating my teachers to update their daily lectures with latest information. But when I ask them to widen their horizons, the simmering resentment is observed. A teacher should get involved in collecting information to the maximum either by surfing the internet or by consulting books in library.”
On the other hand, requesting anonymity a science lecturer said, “We keep helping the college in extra-curricular activities. As far as research work or reading work is concerned, we lack infrastructural facility as we do not have separate rooms or cabins for ourselves to study and carry out research work while staying back in the college. ”
—–Agencies