Lok Sabha Question No. 4183 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-12-12
Subject: Objections to UGC Regulations
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: M. UDHAYAKUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4183 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2016

## Objections to UGC Regulations

4183. ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note that teachers in Universities have protested against some of the latest University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether many universities have also come out against the notification on workload issued by the UGC;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (Dr. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a) to  (e):  The  University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  had  earlier  notified  the  2010 Regulations on Minimum  Qualifications for Appointment  of Teachers  and  other Academic  Staff  in  Universities  and  Colleges  and  Measures  for  the  Maintenance  of Standards in Higher Education.  On receipt of request for re-consideration of scoring pattern of API in the 2010 Regulations from various quarters, MHRD had constituted a Committee  under  the  Chairmanship  of  Prof.  Arun  Nigavekar  on  24 th July,  2015  to examine issues related to attracting  and retaining talented and quality manpower in the teaching profession. The committee submitted its report on 4 th April, 2016. On the basis of  Prof.  Arun  Nigavekar  committee  recommendations,  the  UGC  notified  the  3 rd Amendment  to  the  Minimum  Qualifications  for  Appointment  of  Teachers  and  other Academic  Staff  in  Universities  and  Colleges  and  Measures  for  the  Maintenance  of Standards  in  Higher  Education  Regulations,  2016.  The  3 rd Amendment  regulations prescribed  that  teachers  could  be  required  to  allocate  additional  six  hours  per  week, beyond the prescribed hours of direct teaching, on tutorials, remedial classes, seminars, administrative  responsibilities,  innovation  and  updating  of  course  contents.  However, due to several representations on the 3 rd Amendment, a further review of APIs by the Central Government was done which led to the notification of the 4 th Amendment to the UGC Regulations,  2016  on  11 th July,  2016.  As  per  the  4 th Amendment  Regulations, 2016, direct teaching hours per week for Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor  are  now  16,  14,  14  hours,  respectively,  which  include  lectures,  tutorials, practical works, project supervision, field work etc. The 4 th

Amendment has not prescribed any quantum of hours to be measured either in weeks or months for the teachers to work with students beyond the structure of class room teaching. However, teachers are encouraged to mentor, guide and counsel the students beyond the direct teaching hours with a view to reinforce a student-centric and caring approach in higher education. The hours spent on such purposes are not included  in  the  calculation  of  API  scores  though  these  activities,  nevertheless,  are important and significant which could be carried out by teachers.

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