Contradictory govt rules keep senior EWS faculty positions vacant in central universities
Despite being introduced nearly four years ago, the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota for faculty positions at associate professor and professor levels in Central universities remains largely unfilled due to a contradiction between two eligibility criteria set by the Union government.
As of July 1, 2023, out of the 35 Central universities with sanctioned EWS faculty posts, 31, including premier institutions like Delhi University, Hyderabad Central University (HCU), University of Allahabad, and Pondicherry University, have failed to fill even a single position at the associate professor and professor level. This has resulted in about 380 faculty positions being left unfilled, exacerbating the issue of faculty shortage.
The root of the problem lies in a contradiction between the University Grants Commission’s (UGC) eligibility criteria for teacher recruitment and the conditions for EWS quota eligibility in Central government jobs laid down by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (DoPT).
According to DoPT guidelines, an applicant for a post under Government of India in the EWS category must have a total annual family income of less than or equal to Rs 8 lakhs. According to the UGC, to be eligible for direct recruitment at the associate professor and professor levels, a candidate should have worked as an assistant professor for at least eight years. However, the pay of an assistant professor with eight years of experience exceeds Rs 8 lakh annually. This contradiction renders almost everyone ineligible for recruitment as associate professor or professor.
Despite facing this hurdle, four Central universities – Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (GGV) in Chattisgarh, Central University of Sanskrit, Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya HIndi Vishwavidyalaya and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) – have managed to fill some EWS faculty positions at the level of associate professor and professor.
GGV has recruited three associate professors under the quota, Central University of Sanskrit and Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya have found one each at the same level and BHU has employed two.
BHU’s success in filling EWS faculty positions can be attributed to the university’s decision to consider candidates who were previously employed on ad hoc or contractual basis.
These candidates, who typically receive lower salaries, met the EWS income criterion and were therefore eligible for appointment under the quota.
The remaining 31 Central universities are still struggling to fill their EWS faculty positions and are calling on the government to address the contradiction between the UGC and DoPT guidelines.
