New Delhi, September 28: The IIT faculties and the Human Resources Ministry seem to be at loggerheads with each other. Just how serious is the standoff, or has the situation been misunderstood? That was the key issue that Karan Thapar explored on Devil’s Advocate in an interview with the Union Minister for Human Resources Development, Kapil Sibal.
Karan Thapar: Mr Sibal, there is a widespread belief because of your interviews, that you are invariably opposed to the demands made by the IIT faculty. Is that really the case? Or are you in fact, much more flexible than people have understood to be the case?
Kapil Sibal: I have always been flexible and the system itself has been flexible. I think they have entirely misunderstood the position of the ministry.
Karan Thapar: So in other words, the impression that you are entirely opposed to the IIT demands is actually based on a misunderstanding?
Kapil Sibal:A misunderstanding of the system, of how it works and how the IIT system itself works; and our own position on it.
Karan Thapar: Is it also possible that it is a misunderstanding of things that you said?
Kapil Sibal: Oh, absolutely.
Karan Thapar: Let’s then, to clarify the situation, go through the principal demands of the IIT faculty one by one so that you can explain what is your actual response to it.
To begin with, the IITs are a little perplexed, or perhaps I should put it a little strongly, concerned with your recent stipulation that at least 10 per cent of the entries into faculty should be by way of contracts. Let me begin by asking you, what’s the purpose of this?
Kapil Sibal: The purpose is that normally, or rather that is a norm that when it is a person with a PhD without industrial, teaching or research experience (joins the IIT as faculty), he/she should be on a contract. But on a regular position, not ad-hoc.
On contract, if at the end of three years, the IIT people and the board feel that he should be absorbed, then he should be absorbed. However, this is the norm. If however in the course of these three years, the IIT Board or the Director recommends to the board that look, this man is outstanding; let’s even waive the three year period, we would not interfere in that.
Karan Thapar: You said something really important. You are saying that although the 10 per cent requirement to the new entrants to the faculty that are to be taken on contract is the norm; and that the norm is designed to make sure that you get the best of people and not left out strata of people you do not want. Nonetheless, you have said to me that exceptional people at the discretion of IIT directors can be taken, on tenure from the outside.
Kapil Sibal: Absolutely, yes. Not only exceptional people, but people who have been taken on three-year-contract and who expect to be absorbed after three years; even their term can be reduced when the IIT Board says that look, here’s a man who is exceptional, so let us waive the three-years (norm).
Karan Thapar: So, two things are possible. Firstly, people can be taken on tenure if they are very exception right from the outset. Second is that even those who are taken on a contract for three years, their term can be reduced and they can be put on tenure say after one year.
Kapil Sibal: Absolutely. Let me tell you another thing. In the previous IIT system, every person absorbed in a regular position had to be on probation for one year before he could be absorbed.
Karan Thapar: So, now you are saying something else as well. You are actually saying to me that the residual powers of the Clause 61 H of IIT which apply to all IIT allowing the directors under certain exceptions to set special terms and conditions for the intake of faculty, remain intact.
Kapil Sibal: Absolutely. Let me tell you another thing. What I am really concerned about is uniformity. The IIT system must be uniform in its application. All of them should get together and say that in these circumstances, we can absorb a fellow even before.
-Agencies