Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, August 5
The Executive Council of Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) has no representative of college teachers for the past 15 years though there is a provision for their representation.
There was one representative of teachers in the Executive Council, the highest decision making body of the university, in 1970-71 when the number of government and private colleges was 15 and 10, respectively. However, today it has no teachers' representative when the number of government and private colleges has swelled to 138 and over 100, respectively.
"In view of the phenomenal expansion of institutions of higher education in the state, there should be at least one representative each of government and private colleges for their better coordination and smooth functioning," says RL Sharma, general secretary, Himachal Pradesh Government College Teachers' Association (HGCTA).
He says, "Due to the lack of coordination between the colleges and the university, there is a huge communication gap and the issues of the teachers are either not addressed or the university takes unilateral decisions, which are not in the interest of teachers".
He adds, "The HPU is demanding the restoration of financial autonomy but it is indifferent towards the genuine demand of the college teachers for representation in the Executive Council. The colleges affiliated to the HPU and the teachers are the main stakeholders in higher education but they have no say in decision making".
He says that the university is discriminating between university and college teachers and its alleged biased attitude is harming the academic growth of teachers, thus affecting the overall educational scenario.
The association has made a number of representations to the Governor, Vice-Chancellor and the state government for the inclusion of one representative each of the teachers of government and private colleges, but to no avail.
"It is in the interest of the university and the colleges to have representatives of the latter in the Executive Council for better coordination and expeditious resolution of their problems," says Sharma.
The HGTA says, "The university is apprehensive that teachers' representation will check and expose the unilateral decisions taken by the Executive Council regarding the colleges without taking them into confidence".
HPU Vice-Chancellor Sikendar Kumar says that the university has not received the seniority list of the college teachers since 2006 and even the list of the principals of private universities is not available. "We have sent several reminders to the state government for providing the list and it is still awaited," he adds.
Courtesy: Tribune News Service
