Response from Bhubaneswar

Friends,

It's so heartwarming to hear voices from different parts of the country. Imagine the impact when the whole country speaks in one voice. 

Here is what Dr. S. Mohanty has to say from Bhubaneswar:

It is true that we are scattered, but certainly not spineless. Legal action is the last option. We can make our voice heard by responding and interacting in this platform. I am sure together we can make a difference by going step by step as suggested by Dr Ranjan Kumar. If the university boasts of having 2.1 million students on its roles it's because of the uified and relentless efforts of the Regional Centres. This shows our strength.

Dr. S. Mohanty 

Input from Jaipur

Quick response to Dr. Ranjan's question ! We look forward to more responses. We also plan to have a 'Poll' on certain vital issues. Please keep visiting the Blog daily.
Over to Jaipur >>>>>>>>>

1.Representation : We have already given representation to the authorities. Authorities of IGNOU did something and authorities at MHRD have turned it down .

2. Demonstration & 3.Agitation: Since we are scattered and also spineless these two points are ruled out from our end.

4. Legal Action: This is the only option available to us at this point of time, if we want to get CAS and other related issues. Let us start raising funds.

Academics at RC Jaipur

Life-end Examination

Friends,

Here is a very informative and analytical write up by Dr. Ranjan Kumar:

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CAS

ARD/AD/RD/DD/JD

Life-End Examination , 2009

Course: CAS: CAREER ADVANCEMENT SCHEME FOR ACADEMICS

Duration of Examination: Age upto 62

Maximum Marks: Life Or Death

Weightage: 100%

Note: There is only one question to be answered.

Question 1: Please read the following passage carefully and answer the question given in the end

TITLE : FACTS ABOUT TEACHERS /ACADEMICS IN IGNOU OPENING BLIND EYES AND CLOSED MINDS

BOTH THE POSITIONS ARE INSTITUTED UNDER THE SAME SECTIONS OF THE IGNOU ACT

The posts of Assistant Director (AD)/ Assistant Regional Director (ARD)/ Regional Director(RD) and equivalents have been created under Section 2(p) and Section 5(1)(vi) of IGNOU Act under which the posts of Lecturer, Reader and Professor have been created।

Section 2(p) reads:

“Teachers” means Professors, Readers, Lecturers and such other persons as may be designated as such by the Ordinance for imparting instruction in the University or for giving guidance or rendering assistance to students for pursuing any course of study of the University”

and Section 5 (1) (vi) empowers the University:

“to institute professorships, readerships, lectureships and other academic positions necessary for imparting instruction or for preparing educational material or for conducting other academic activities, including guidance, designing and delivery of course and evaluation of the work done by the students, and to appoint persons to such professorships, readerships, lectureship and other academic positions।”

BOTH ARE ASSIGNED THE SAME/SIMILAR RESPONSIBILITIES।

To substantiate it further, we may quote, for example, the responsibilities assigned to an academics, for an example to an ARD, through his /her Appointment Letter which are as follows:

“ i) Educational Administration, ii) Student Support Activities, iii) Supervision and Maintenance of study centres, iv) Monitoring activities, v) Staff development activities, vi) Tele-conferencing activities ( Management of virtual class-room at Regional Centre), vii) Survey and Research activities, viii) Course writing ix) Admission and related works and x) Any other responsibility assigned by Regional Director”

Are not they very much commensurate with the letter and spirit of Sections 2(p) and 5(1) (vi) of IGNOU Act and also the same to those assigned to a Lecturer? The answer is always affirmative.

BOTH ARE APPOINTED UNDER THE SAME/SIMILAR SELECTION PROCEDURES

The recruitment of Teachers and Other Academics of the Universityis governed by the same Statute which is/are Statute 12 (1) & (2) (i) of the University।

12 (1) says:

“There shall be Selection Committees for making recommendations to the Board of Management for appointments to the post of Professors, Readers, Lecturers and other academic staff and heads of institutions maintained by the University।”

And 12 (2) (i) says:

“Each of the Selection Committees for appointment to the post of Professors, Readers, Lecturers and the academic staff shall consist of the following members, namely:

a) the Vice-Chancellor; b) Pro-Vice Chancellor associated with the School/Division/Centre nominated by the Vice- Chancellor; c) a person nominated by the Visitor; d) three experts not in the service of the University to be nominated by the Vice-chancellor in such manner as may be specified in the Ordinances; and e) Director of the School/Division/Centre concerned/Professor of the Discipline nominated by the Vice-Chancellor”

BOTH ARE REQUIRED TO FULLFILL THE SAME & SIMILAR QUALIFICATIONS AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT

The qualifications prescribed for appointment of Academics(Assistant Director / Assistant Regional Directors / Deputy Directors/ Regional Directors / Joint Directors / Regional Directors (Sr।Scale)) are the same as that of the Teachers (Lecturers / Readers /Professors). The details of the Qualification for recruitment ofTeachers and Academics are given as below:

1। Lecturer / Assistant Director / Assistant Regional Director (Rs.8000 – 275 – 13500)

Good academic record with at least 55% marks or an equalant grade of B in the 7 point scale with letter grades O, A, B, C, D, E and F at the Master degree level in the relevant subject from an Indian University, or an equalant degree from a foreign University।

Besides fulfilling the above qualifications, candidates should have cleared the National Eligibility Test (NET) for Lecturers conducted by the UGC / CSIR, however, the candidates having the Ph D Degree in the concerned subject are exempted from NET।

2। Reader / Regional Director / Deputy Director (Rs.12000 – 420 – 18300)

Good academic record with doctoral degree or equivalent published work (in the relevant field)। In addition to this, candidates who join from the outside the University system, shall also posses 55% of marks or an equivalent grade of B in the 7 point scale with letter grades O, A, B, C, D, E, and F at the Master’s Degree level in the relevant subject. Five years of teaching and / or research excluding the period spent for obtaining the research degree and has made some mark in the areas of scholarship as evidenced by quality of publications, contribution to educational innovation, design of courses and curricula.

3। Joint Director (Rs.16400 – 450 – 20900)

A। Good academic record with a doctoral degree or equalant published work.

B। At least 10 years experience in teaching and / or educational administration at a senior supervisory level, educational planning and management or formulation and implementation of educational development programmes, including at least 05 years experience in the distance education system in management, monitoring and evaluation of student support services and conduct of staff development programmes.

4। Professor / Regional Director (Sr. Scale) (Rs.16400 – 450 – 20900 – 500 – 22400)

Professor

An eminent scholar with published work of high quality actively engaged in research with 10 years of experience in post graduate teaching and / or experience in research in at the University / National Level Institutions, including experience of guiding research at doctoral level in the relevant field। OR

An outstanding scholar with established reputation who has made the significant contribution to knowledge (in the relevant subject)

Regional Director (Senior Scale)

* A। Good academic record with a doctoral degree or equalant published work.

B। At least 10 years experience in teaching and / or educational administration at a senior supervisory level, educational planning and management or formulation and implementation of educational development programmes, including at least 05 years experience in the distance education system in management, monitoring and evaluation of student support services and conduct of staff development programmes.

BOTH ARE GUIDED BY THE SAME STATUTE FOR SERVICE CONDITIONS AND CODE OF CONDUCTS।

Even the caption of Statute 17 reads; “Terms and conditions of service and code of conduct of the teachers and other academic staff of the University”। If we read this Statute in the light of Section 2(p) and 5(1)(vi) of IGNOU Act, the use of the word “teacher” under this Statute should be treated synonymous to “other academic staff” for all the contents under this Statute. Please note that under the IGNOU Act, this is the only Statute which provides for the service conditions of the academics including Lecturer, Reader and Professors in the University.

BOTH SHARES THE SAME HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Historically speaking , the posts of the Lecturers/Readers and those of many Academics including Assistant Directors/Assistant Regional Directors and Regional Directors were same, similar and inter-changeable। Even at some point of time, an advertisement used to be issued for appointment of Lecturer, a selection committee used to be constituted for Lecturer , the said selection committee used to interview candidates for Lecturer but appointment letters were used to be issued both for Lecturer and ARD. Even at the time of redesignating the Lecturers as ARDS, it was not made known to the concerned Lecturers that their service conditions were to be governed by another set of R & P Rules. Seeking options from the Lecturer to opt to be designated as ARD or Lecturer was in itself a proof of their being equal in all terms. Please note that cutting an apple does not change the physical properties and chemistry of its pieces.

THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL, BEING AN APEX BODY IN THIS REGARD, CONSIDERS BOTH AS ‘TEACHERS’.

Keeping the recommendations of the various committees appointed by the University in the past, a proposal to consider an Ordinance on designating certain positions in the University as teachers was placed before the Academic Council at its 40th Meeting held on 17-5-2007. The Council after a detailed discussions AGREED AND RECOMMENDED that certain positions other than professors, readers, lecturers and those engaged in guidance or rendering assistance to students for pursuing a course of study in the University including designing, delivery of courses, evaluation of the students performances should be designated as teachers as the activities of such academics falls in the preview of the term ‘teachers’ as defined under Sections 2 and 5 of IGNOU Act. The Academic Council therefore, recommended that the Ordinance on designating a person holding certain positions as teachers under Section 2(p) of IGNOU Act be approved by the BOM. The Academic Council has further suggested that in future, positions with nature of duties, such as, giving guidance or rendering assistance to students in pursuit of their study in the University including the activities related to designing, delivery of programmes, evaluation of the student performance, etc. may also be considered for inclusion in the category of teachers.

THE BOM HAS PASSED THE RESOLUTION LIKE SO.

The BOM at its 90th Meeting held on 22nd May 2007 noted the provisions under the IGNOU Act under Section 2(p) and Section 5(1) and the recommendations of the Academic Council, and approved the draft Ordinance on designating certain positions in the University as teachers under the provisions of Statute 26.

Here we would like to submit that as per Statute 26 (3) “Every Ordinance made by the Board of Management shall come into effect immediately. Further as per Statute 26 (4) “All Ordinances made by the Board of Management shall be submitted to the Visitor within three weeks from the date of its adoption. The Visitor may, within four weeks of the receipt of any Ordinance, inform the University about his objection, if any, to that Ordinance, and direct that its operation shall remain suspended until he has had an opportunity of exercising his power of disallowance. The Visitor may, after receiving the comments of the University, either withdraw his order of suspension or disallow the Ordinance, and his decision shall be final.”

If we read Statute 26(4) with 26(3), Ordinances passed in this regard should have come in to effect immediately and it is only after adoption by the University that the same should have been sent by the University within three weeks from the date of adoption to the Visitor who should exercise of his/her ultimate power within mandated time frame of four weeks. Even after the lapse of the mandated time frame of four weeks as provided by the Statute 26(4), it is not being invoked. How long can we wait for the same? A number of our colleagues have retired without their promotion from due date and a number are on the verge of retirement. Young academics like us are reeling under shadow of their dark future.

PEDAGOGY IN ODL IS DIFFERENT

It my be summed up that the provisions under the Act assume that teaching in an open university is different from that of a conventional university, that the pedagogy in a ODL institution encompasses all activities ranging from delivery of content and services to the evaluation of the students performances, development of the systems and programme planning, preparation and production of study material both in print and audio video forms. Keeping this in view and provisions under Sections 2 and 5 of the IGNOU Act, the University has made no distinction in the selection procedures for the teacher and academics. The above view has been further corroborated by several committees appointed by the University in the past. The Takwale Committee, appointed in 1992 has given a very clear and categorical opinion that IGNOU Act permits inclusion of all categories of persons participating in the process of guiding and assisting the students within the meaning of the term ‘teachers’. In the opinion of the Takwale Committee the role of an academic in the context of distance education system cannot be conceived only in the teaching associated with a class-room but s/he has to be a distance educator in the first place while also being a subject specialist or an experienced professional. The Takwale Committee, therefore, recommended that this change in the role should be reflected progressively in the qualification, methods of selection and the professional development of the academics in the distance education system.

Please honour the Fundamental Right of Equality guaranteed under Articles 14 and 16(1) of the Constitution of India.

The deadlocks in the way of parity between teachers and academics from the point of view of service conditions can be broken only through four democratic means: a) Representation, b) Demonstration, c) Agitation, and d) Legal Action.

Question (i) Please select one of the following;

(a) Representation

(b) Demonstration

(c) Agitation

(d) Legal Action.

Dr. Ranjan Kumar

Points to consider

Nearly two weeks have passed since the letter from MHRD (advising the Univesity not to implement the Ordinance on parity of service conditions) was received. 

This was a shocking development, affecting a large section of the academic community of the University. You will agree that the silence of IGNOUTA, our representative body, on this issue is a cause of worry. In the past, we have been informed about important developments  by the office bearers of IGNOUTA. Very recently an office bearer of IGNOUTA had expressed his personal views on a certain issue publicly[there were divergent views on the desirability of doing so, but we are not going into that].  The point I am trying to make is, IGNOUTA has kept us posted with  the latest developments. We believe that they fully support parity, but we would like them to tell us about what is being done to ensure the implementation of the Ordinance. 

It is important to remember that we do not have much time. If the Ordinance is not implemented in the next 2-3 months, some of our colleagues will reach the age of superannuation. In view of this, we need to evolve a time-bound strategy.

Please suggest strategies that you think would be most effective.

We are inviting the President and Secretary, IGNOUTA to express their views on this blog.

Rightfully Teachers

There are two points we need to consider. one is that whatever information we have about the letter MHRD has sent to the University (and which apparently does not have the approval of the visitor) does in no way indicates that the ordinance passed by the BOM (After taking into account the approvals of academic council, finance committee) has any defeciencies is its premise that we are teachers. There is no argument to refute this fact. The letter only states that ordinance may not be implemented because if its financial and other implications. (By the way, the financial implication have already been cosidered and accepted by finance committee). Other implications have not been spelled out. Even so, if it is accepted that we are teachers as per our recruitment process, we should not be denied our rights because of some implications. Implications of any should be dealt with in a manner so that a whole community of teachers does not suffer.The second point is that the MHRD has apparently not found any thing in the concered ordinance which is in any way in contravention of IGNOU act or its statues. If so there should be no reason not to implement it and deny basic and well deserved rights to a major section of employeees who have been suffering for almost two decades. A demoralised and frustrated work force can not be very productive for any organisation.

It is commendable that you have initiated dialogue and discussion on the crucial issue of parity, particularly at this juncture when the latest developments have left our lot quite disillusioned. Exchange of views through the public domain will facilitate focussed deliberations on the matter and let us hope that a consensus on this emerges soon. Best regards

Hema Pant

मेरा नाम

Blogging..a new experience

Friends,
The blog titled 'rightfullyteachers' has been created for all the academics at RCs, RSD and other Units to have a meaningful dialogue on the issue of parity. The University has done its bit, but it seems the wait is longer....

In the last few days we have not received many comments. One of the reasons could be that blogging is a new experience for most of us. In case you have any difficulty in posting your comments, please let me know at vprupam@gmail.com. You may also send your comments
to me by email, which shall be posted. If you want to post your views, please let me know.

Regards

A request

Friends,

We request you to please make your identity known to us while posting your comments. We are debating on a public platform and therefore it important for everyone to know who we are.

Regards

Developments after BOM

Some of our colleagues in Delhi got together and submitted a representation to the VC. The text of the representation is reproduced below:

To

The Hon'ble Vice Chancellor

Sub: Implementation of Ordinance on parity of service conditions

Respected Sir,

The Board of Management at it meeting held on 14/1/2009 had accepted the recommendations of the Central 6th Pay Commission notified by MHRD vide its letter dated _____. Furher, the Board had also taken a decision that ARDs, RDs and RDs (Sr Scale) in the regions and the RSD and the corresponding levels of Academics/Other Academics in other Divisions of the Universty will be governed by the same recruitment rules, CAS and service conditions as those of Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors.

It is understood that the MHRD vide its letter dated 01/02 April 2009 has advised the University for not implementing the provisions of the ordinance on designating the Academics as Teachers because of wider financial and other policy implications, knowing well that the matter as already examined by the University and appropriately approved at the Finance Committee and the BOM. 

As you are aware sir, due to partial implementation of the Central 5th Pay Commission for the Academics, many of us who were recruited in the reader's Scale as Regional/Deputy Directors are still continuing in the same scale for close to 20 years without any single promotion and have been stagnated for more than 6 years in the same scale. This has caused huge financial loss, mental agony and continued embarrassment. 

In view of above, it is once again requested that the Ordinance on re-designating the academics as teachers which has already been approved by the Academic Council at its 40th meeting held on 17.05.07 and the BOM at its 90th meeting held on 22.05.09 may please be implemented as per the provisions of Statute 26 of the university immediately as this long pending matter is not only demoralising the above-mentioned category of the academics but also would start affecting the performance.

It is pertinent to mention here that some of us are even due for retirement in near future owing to inordinately delayed implementation of the Ordinance.

Thanking you and with regards,

Yours sincerely,

Signatories

Dear Friends,

 

We have created this Forum “RightFullyTeachers” for all of us to express and share our views on the crucial issue of parity and to keep everyone posted with the latest developments. We look forward to your active participation.

 

You are aware of the recent developments and the divided opinion on this issue. We have not spoken in one voice all these years. It’s time we did. For if we don’t, chances are that we shall not have a voice tomorrow

 

You might have come to know that the MHRD, in its recent communication, has asked the University not to implement the Ordinance on parity of service conditions, due to ‘larger financial and policy implications’. The implications have not been elaborated. The matter was taken up in the BOM meeting held a few days back. The Board has authorized the Vice Chancellor to take up the matter with MHRD.

 

Even if we agree that the University is making efforts (something we have been hearing for a long time), we can not forget that ultimately we are the sufferers. Should we sit and wait (as we have been doing all these years), hoping and praying that something positive will come out? What if nothing comes out? 

 

Friends, it’s time to rise, speak and act. Parity is our natural right. Let’s move forward and claim it. Let us not wait and hope that someday someone will gift it to us.