UGC stalls faculty recruitment in Universities, colleges; SC to hear SLP on August 13

NEW DELHI, JULY 20: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all the universities to put on hold the recruitment process until the Supreme Court delivers its verdict on the reservation policy to be implemented for recruitment. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has filed a Special Leave Petition(SLP) against SC’s previous order asking UGC to implement department wise reservation.

Two SLPs have been filed in the Supreme Court; one by the UGC and the other by MHRD against its order. The Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar speaking in the Parliament said, “The Government is committed to 50% reservation in faculty positions. We have already put on hold all interviews for recruitment for teaching positions in universities and colleges.”

The apex court will hear the case on August 13, till then all faculty post appointments have been put on hold by the UGC.

Earlier, on March 5, the UGC had issued circular asking universities and colleges to make department-wise roster instead of University/college being considered as a unit. The Circular angered academicians all over the country as it was seen as a move to cut down opportunities for reserved category candidates.

Javadekar said, “Reservation is a constitutional right, the UGC has issued the circular after it was asked by the Supreme Court. We are of the view that University should be considered as a unit because if reservation is implemented department wise the SC, ST candidates are at a disadvantage.”

The March Circular of UGC was a fallout of SC order which upheld the Allahabad High Court order. The Allahabad High Court in April last year struck down a UGC circular prescribing institution-wise reservation to fill vacant faculty positions.