9. The name of the post 'assistant librarian'/'deputy librarian'/'librarian' has already created huge dissatisfaction and already proposed that the name of the post for librarian should be 'assistant professor in library and information services/associate profession in LIS/and professor in LIS. If this could be implemented all confusion may be avoided.
10. Hence, it is requested that please look into the case for the betterment of the Librarianship in the Country. While the whole world is appreciating the librarianship and their libraries, not only academic but also public, are moving ahead in comparison of our country. However, the library professionals of our country are consistently proving themselves and good teachers in libraries. This step to exclude the library professionals from the eligibility to apply for major and minor research project is demotivating a number of professionals like me in the country. Please do the needful in this respect to remove this disparity between teachers and library professionals. At the same time I, on the behalf of thousands of library professionals propose to rename the posts of librarian/assistant librarian/deputy librarian to Professor in Library and Information Services/ Associate Professor in Library and Information Services/Assistant Professor in Library and Information Services.
With expectation of positive reply and action.
To,
Prof. Ved Prakash
Chairman
University Grants Commission
New Delhi
Subject: Inclusion of Librarians in the UGC Major and Minor Research Projects
Reference
1. University Grants Commission Research Project for Teachers XII Plan Guidelines (2012-2017). Website: http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/7716504_12th-plan-guidelines.pdf (Page 3). Quote “Only the teaching faculty of Library Science, Physical Education, Principals and Vice-Chancellors will also be eligible to participate in the scheme.”
2. University Grants Commission Minor Research Project for Teachers XII Plan Guidelines (2012-2017). Website: http://www.ugc.ac.in/pdfnews/6733319_12th-plan-Minor.pdf (Page 2). Quote “Only the teaching faculty of Library Science, Physical Education will also be eligible to participate in the scheme”.
Dear Sir,
With reference to the subject cited above, we want to bring the following points to your kind attention.
Assistant Librarian, Deputy Librarian, Librarian in University level organizations and Librarian in College level organizations are at par with the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor in Universities and Colleges in regards to entry qualification (NET/SLET/SET, Ph.D., API Score) and pay and cadre in the sixth pay commission.
Librarians are treated as Academic/Teaching Staff by UGC / AICTE and also have the provision of API score, where there is a scope for Major and Minor research projects.
Libraries are very important part of an educational institute and the people working in it are the backbone of an educational institute. Various committees have also cited the importance of libraries and library professionals but in recently published instruction on major and minor research projects (reference 1 and 2 above); the two words "only" and "also" are creating confusion among the Assistant Librarians / Deputy Librarians / Librarians across India. It is very disgraceful to see that in the XII Plan, librarians are excluded from the eligibility to get the research projects; otherwise even they were eligible in the XI Plan. This exclusion is highly demotivating the library and information science professionals and will influence the whole education system in the country. If the Librarians are debarred from taking the Major and Minor research project, we strongly believed that the growth and development of the Libraries will be influenced.
It is the era of inter-disciplinary studies, information explosion and digital deluge. Now students learn more from various kinds of resources. The Librarians deals with entire universe of knowledge and professional librarians are often acknowledged as "instructor of instructors". Only the librarians are looking after the acquisition, classification and supply of written information to the students, faculty and others in any kind of educational institution. If the librarians fail due to wrong policies it will retard the growth of culture and economy and quality education in any type of educational institute.
Hence, it is requested to you to kindly look into the case for the betterment of the Librarianship in the Country and removes the disparity between teachers and library professionals. While the whole world is appreciating the librarianship and the libraries in furthering the education it will not be appropriate to take such a move that would degrade the quality in the whole education system.
With expectation of positive reply and action as soon as possible.
Copy to,
1. Dr. Mangapati Pallan Raju, Minister of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India.
2. Department of Higher Education, Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001.
Signatories
Keeping the Track of This Burning Issue
Post 1: Librarians are Not Eligible to Apply for UGC Major and Minor Research Project: http://lislinks.com/forum/topics/librarians-are-not-eligible-to-app...
Post 2: Draft Letter to UGC to Include Librarian in Eligibility to Apply for Major/Minor Research Project. http://lislinks.com/forum/topics/letter-to-ugc-to-include-librarian...
Post 3: Sign the Petition: Inclusion of Librarians in the UGC Major and Minor Research Projects. http://lislinks.com/forum/topics/sign-the-petition-inclusion-of-lib...
Post 4: LIS Links Press Release: UGC Major and Minor Research Project. http://lislinks.com/forum/topics/lis-links-press-release-ugc-major-...
Post 5: MHRD and UGC Reply: Librarians are not Eligible for UGC Major and Minor Research Projects. http://lislinks.com/forum/topics/mhrd-and-ugc-reply-librarians-are-...