Good move, for the wrong reasons

Bangalore University (BU)’s proposal to utilise PhD scholars to engage postgraduate classes is welcome as it will help them develop both research and teaching skills. However, it is a matter of concern that the University wishes to do so not with a view to better equipping scholars for their future, as is the practice in Western universities where teaching and research assistantships are offered to both train scholars as well as to provide them financial assistance, but to merely tide over a shortage of faculty and to save money spent on guest lecturers. This is a wrong attitude to take, and not a sound basis for such a decision. Senior professors have expressed apprehension about the move as they feel many of the PhD scholars cannot be relied on to teach at an acceptable level of quality. The apprehension is valid, but this, too, is a wrong attitude to take. Many PhD scholars aspire for a teaching career and must be helped to gain experience and skill as well as given the opportunity to know whether they are suited for it. They must also be paid for the effort separately from the PhD stipend they receive, which by itself is a measly amount. Similarly, those taken on as guest lecturers too must be evaluated and their services regularised if they are found good and wish to be full-time teachers.

The university would do well to study a similar scheme launched by Banaras Hindu University—Teach for BHU—to prepare PhD scholars for an academic career. The programme is for those who have already submitted their thesis or are on the verge of completing it, for a fixed period of 12 months and those selected are given a teaching fellowship amount of Rs 40,000 per month and Rs 6,000 as HRA. Bangalore University should set up a panel of senior professors to work out the details of such a scheme so that the university, the scholars, and PG students benefit.

However, BU, as also other universities, must separately address the issue of teaching vacancies. A parliamentary committee has noted that on average some 35% of teaching positions remain unfilled in universities in the country. This is mainly due to two reasons. One, young talented scholars are not attracted to the teaching profession. Two, governments cite paucity of funds to fill up vacancies. These issues need to be fixed if the quality of higher education is to improve.