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UGC Sets Up Committee to Examine Whether NET Exam Serves Any Purpose - Views and Counter-views

The University Grants Commission has set up a new committee to examine whether the National Eligibility Test (NET) is actually effective in its role as a gatekeeper for all those who seek to teach in the Indian university system. Actually, the wonder is not so much that the authority of the NET has been supreme ever since it was instituted in the 1980s, but that this has been so despite the many second thoughts that the UGC itself has had about it in the interim.

In 1993, UGC decided to give PhD and MPhil degree-holders exemption from the NET, because these are the highest degrees in academics, and thereby denote lofty standards in and of themselves. In 2002, the blanket exemption was withdrawn. In 2006, a concerned committee recommended scrapping the NET, but all that was once again scrapped was the requirement for PhDs and MPhils to take the NET. In 2009, MPhils lost the exemption. In 2012, qualifying scores were changed across general, SC/ST and OBC categories after the NET results were published!

It's education that has been the casualty of UGC's whimsy. It has been pushing for inter-disciplinary courses for students even while promoting a multiple-choice exam for teachers. With critical thinking at one end and rote cramming on the other, UGC has basically set up an unworkable equation. Universities set up as centres of excellence need to be autonomous, and an essential component of that has to be autonomy in selecting their teachers. Using the NET as gatekeeper relies on a centralised, colonial model of university education that is obsolete. So let NET retreat into limbo. And shed no tears for the death of its 'common national yardstick', for higher education is actually about creating excellence, also known as distinction.

COUNTERVIEW

by Pyaralal Raghavan

A central eligibility test is essential

Appointing a committee to review the efficacy of the NET and quality of the candidates is welcome, as there is always scope for fine-tuning a three-decade-old test for teacher selection in higher education institutions. But any attempt to do away with this rigorous merit-based selection will be disastrous. In fact, NET was introduced in the 1980s when the UGC stipulation of MPhil/PhD degrees as the minimal criteria for entry-level appointments failed to raise teaching standards.

And earlier efforts to do away with NET were equally unsuccessful. In fact, the Bhalchandra Mungekar committee had recommended automatic eligibility of all MPhil and PhD holders for teaching posts and exempted them from taking NET in its interim report in 2006. The result was a sharp spurt in MPhil and PhD theses of poor quality. Distance education courses conferring MPhil degrees sprang up and third-rate universities spewed out ghostwritten theses and PhD degrees. Consequently the Mungekar committee was forced to recommend restoration of NET in its final report in 2008. This reaffirmed the need for a base criterion for appointment of entry-level teachers in a country where quality of research degrees is highly skewed.

Though critics might argue that NET leads to excessive centralisation and infringes on the autonomy of higher education institutions, the ground realities are very different. One reason for the poor state of higher education is that teaching appointments are made on the basis of recommendations of political leaders, powerful bureaucrats and nepotistic academics. In fact, except in a few top universities and colleges, such weighty 'recommendations' or money - neither of which have anything to do with scholastic or professorial aptitude - are used to secure teaching appointments. Doing away with the NET will only further reinforce these trends.

source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-07/edit-page/37...

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Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on April 7, 2013 at 6:54

Dear Sri Siddu:

Thanks for your post and making many of us aware of an important proposition. I personally believe that the NET as a centralized evaluation system has been a very wise decision. Since in our Country, degrees awarded by different universities are not qualitatively equal, a platform has become essential which can evaluate candidatures of various university products through a single common rating system.

Of course the UGC has several shortcomings and has taken several confusing decisions lately, still, admittedly, the NET should stay and at the same time, the UGC should be more proactive & thoughtful to introduce its norms properly.

In the NET system, I personally feel that (in the field of Library Science)  at least two papers should be there which are EXCLUSIVELY DESCRIPTIVE. If the papers are of 100 marks, each, they should have 5 questions each in these two papers each carrying 20 marks.

A person who will be opting a career to teach in Universities or to conduct research MUST BE HAVING THE ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN/ANALYZE/DISCUSS  any issue in a descriptive way

and never-the-less THEY MUST HAVE A FLAIR FOR WRITING SHORT ESSAY type discourses comprising at least 400 words!!

I am extremely confident, in case such papers are introduced by UGC, we shall find a completely different picture in NET results.

And the number of cases against the UGC will be much lesser provided the UGC does not deviate from their pre-examination announcement of norms under any circumstances!!

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

Permalink Reply by Digambar Bhaurao Waghmare on April 7, 2013 at 19:44

Dear Siddhartha Shankar Ray sir

I strongly agree with you 

I think NET Exam should be descriptive mode 

due to objective mode From June 2012 & Dec. 2012 NET Qualified candidates percentage

increased  very high I am also one of the NET June 2012 Qualified

but for  National Education System as well as our library profession's Quality & Standard  and future of our fresher professionals

NET Exam should be descriptive mode 

I think June 2012 & Dec 2012 Total NET Qualified Candidates are more than Approx. 2000

please tell me all friends, how many fresher professionals got regular job  on 6th pay scale up to  till date ? i think some of the in service professionals got benefit but what about Fresher NET Qualified? are they get  jobs in market now?  what about job competition? 

THanks & Regards,

Digambar B Waghmare (Librarian)

SInhgad College of Engineering, MS

Permalink Reply by Md. Zubair Ahmad on April 7, 2013 at 20:21

Yahi baten NET Qualified karne se pahle kiyon nahi samajh me aaye. Aab jab aap NET qualify kar chuke hain to samajh mein aaie hai.

Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on April 7, 2013 at 21:00

Dear Waghmare Saab,

Thanks for your post and for your straight forward comments about RE-introduction of descriptive type questions in UGC NET exams.

It seems quite funny to me as I come across some of the LIS Teachers and majority of the professionals of present generation.

They are excellent in IT related activities but pathetically poor academically. I sincerely believe that those who can perform complex IT related jobs, are intellectually quite competent. But the trend of devoiding from academia may turn to be suicidal for them. The profession of ours is by and large, sort of academic in nature but the academic flavour in the profession is fast eroding!! this is a matter of serious concern especially for those who are just entering into the profession.

Your concern about the befitting employment of freshers is indeed heart-touching. However, with so many pass outs and comparatively so limited market, the financial value of Library service is fast diminishing. But one can not help as supply outnumbers demand to a big extent. I believe that it is high time to take serious decision about such professional courses otherwise we shall see even Ph.D holders to work as junior Library Staff in not too distant future!!

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

Permalink Reply by Digambar Bhaurao Waghmare on April 7, 2013 at 22:23

Dear Siddhartha Shankar Ray Sir,

Thanks for replay

Sir I think you are a great visionary 

your vision, thinking, opinion about our Library profession is absolutely 100% right, 

really sir, some of the Ph.D holders is working as a Library assistant and some of searching for Jobs, & same situation will happen with NET Qualified 

as per my experience in our State (Maharashtra) 

Colleges/Institute's Chairman/Secretary/President demanding 

10 to 15 lacs for Librarian post in Grantable colleges/Institutes

Thanks & Regards,

Digambar B Waghmare  

Permalink Reply by Dr.P. Damodhar on April 7, 2013 at 18:11

NET should be made compulsory, irrespective of one possess M.Phil/Ph.d. degrees. It should serve as bench mark for entry level as Asst.Prof./Asst. Librarian. Recently A.P. HIGH COURT single bench upheld that NET is compulsory for asst. prof. but full bench dismissed.the same. and given the judgement in favour of  Ph.D. holder who register prior to 2009 and awarded Ph.D. in 2010. Whereas all state high courts are in favour of NET as mandatory but AP High was not in favour of NET qualification.. Now its UGC and supreme court has to take a decision to make NET compulsory to maintain standard of teaching in higher education.

Permalink Reply by GIRISH B.S. on April 8, 2013 at 19:55

Dear sir,

I am strongly agree with you for descriptive question in ugc net.

and this will make to ensure and quality education in India.

but before taking this decision (descriptive method for upcoming ugc exam) UGC should ban those who are all qualified ugc held on 2012 June and December exam.

otherwise this injustice of unqualified candidates and i am also not agree for descriptive method because we want same rule same criteria for all candidates in all time.

Permalink Reply by Hitendrasinh Trikamsinh Desai on April 9, 2013 at 1:58

New ugc committee to examine whether the National Eligibility Test (NET) is actually effective in its role as a gatekeeper for all those who seek to teach in the Indian university system

In my opinion the committee have to consider this things also Passing marks must be same for all , no body is entering into constitutional right of SC/ST as roster is there for  50% reservation in employment.   But  All the exam have same passing level

UGC must not play with future of student whom this teachers will teach ...Instead UGC Must take care to  make them skilled and eligible to get same passing marks. just  imagine if there is same provision in  medical college  than what ? at entry level  SC ST and OBC  student have less % but at the passing level all are same. Than why Ugc play with teacher's future

Hitendrasinh Desai

Permalink Reply by Digambar Bhaurao Waghmare on April 11, 2013 at 22:29

Dear Mr. Hitendrasinh Trikamsinh Desai

I always observed that you are interested /participated only such type of discussion better than posting some  intellectual knowledge  

but always your opinion are very baseless

in your opinion the committee have to consider this things also Passing marks must be same for all , no body is entering into constitutional right of SC/ST as roster is there for  50% reservation in employment.   But  All the exam have same passing level

Friend I agree with your opinion 

but  first always should try to understand topic 

Your raised points may to be including within committee's jurisdiction 

I think Committee has no right to do same

friends, I always giving you same advice 

you should read carefully our constitution of India as well as reservation policy of India

please friend try to broad think

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