Rider on BEd degree deprives PU lecturers of transfers

1,347 teachers can't apply as they haven't got probation declaration

As many as 1,347 government PU lecturers recruited in 2009 have not been able to apply for a transfer this year as they have not yet received their probation period declaration even after four years of service.

The process of applying for a transfer began on July 8 and ended on Wednesday. Counselling will start at the end of this month.

Service condition

Up to 2009, lecturers got their probationary period declarations after two years of service which is essential for regularisation of their service. However, in the year these lecturers were recruited, it became mandatory for all PU lecturers to acquire a BEd degree in addition to their two years service to get their probationary period declaration. Out of the total 2,298 lecturers recruited in 2009, only around 839 had completed their BEd degrees on joining.

The rest were given a probationary period of four years to complete their degrees through correspondence courses under the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the Karnataka State Open University (KSOU). Only 112 lecturers completed their BEd degrees during this four-year period. 
 
“The condition of probationary declaration for a transfer should be relaxed on humanitarian grounds. I stay in Jayanagar (Bangalore) and have to travel for three hours, nearly 50 km, to my workplace daily,” said Sabina, a lecturer at the government PU college in Malur taluk (Kolar district).   
  
A number of lecturers are in fact not averse to completing their BEd degrees. However, they believe that a transfer nearer to their workplace will greatly increase their chances of completing BEd.

Lecturers are worried that time will be a factor as well. Though the lecturers may eventually finish their BEd degrees, there will not be any vacancies left for transfers, said Lokesh G, a native of Shimoga who teaches at SJJM Government PU College at Byadagi in Haveri district.

“By the time we fulfill all the requirements for getting a transfer, we may end up staying in a particular place for a number of years due to the lack of vacancies,” he said.   
 
Extension

While the four years time given for lecturers to complete the BEd degrees will be over this September, an extension of one extra year has been given. Lecturers however believe that the extra time given is not enough. A number of other problems have been highlighted.

“Under IGNOU and KSOU, there are only 250 seats each for BEd. It is impossible for everyone to complete their degrees on time. There are a number of other specific requirements which many of the lecturers do not have. Moreover a number of us have PhDs and have passed the National Eligibility Test (NET) and State Level Eligibility Test (SLET) but it seems these are of no merit to the authorities,” said Dr A Nagaraju, president of the Association of Non-BEd Pre-University Lecturers, recruited in 2009. 
   
Even though the government has sent a request to the National Council of Teachers Education (NCTE) to change some rules to allow such lecturers to apply for correspondence BEd courses in IGNOU and KSOU, the body has however not replied so far.

The department on its part is firm on the mandatory condition of BEd degree for applying for a transfer.

“The lecturers have the option of applying to any other recognised institutions for their BEd degrees and not just rely on IGNOU or KSOU. Moreover they knew all the conditions before joining service” said an official from the department.
While the teachers also have the option of taking an unpaid leave for a year to complete, it is not so popular among them.