The aspirants for various academic posts in the Higher Education Department (HED) Wednesday complained about what they termed as “flawed rules” notified by the J&K Public Service Commission (PSC) for the recruitment in the department.
The PSC has not given separate weightage to M Phil degree of the candidates possessing PhD degree as well.
The PSC recently notified the rules (Business and Procedure Rules 2021) for the appointment of Assistant Professors in HED.
However, the aspirants said that most of the rules were “discriminatory” and had created anxiety among the aspirants who possess M Phil and PhD degree as well.
“Under rule 44 of the newly notified rules, PSC has kept 15 points jointly for M Phil and PhD while no separate points are given for M Phil degree,” an aggrieved aspirant said.
Greater Kashmir received scores of distressed calls and emails from aggrieved aspirants who complained about the discriminatory approach of the PSC towards M Phil degree holders.
“A candidate with NET or SET and M Phil is entitled to get six points for M Phil while a candidate with M Phil and PhD is not entitled to get any points for M Phil degree,” the aspirant said.
“We do not understand by which logic a candidate with NET and M Phil will be awarded six points for M Phil but a candidate with M Phil and PhD is deprived of the same,” he said.
The differential treatment given to NET and SET and NET and JRF should be withdrawn as both are eligibility tests and deserve equal weightage, the aspirants said.
They said that the graduation was treated at par with PhD under the new rules as both degrees are given weightage of 15 points each.
“This is not in conformity with the UGC regulations under which PhD has been awarded 30 points,” the aspirants said.
“Post graduation is given weightage of 25 points while only 15 points are given to a candidate for his PhD degree,” he said.
The aspirants demanded that the weightage of graduation should be reduced along with post graduation wherein graduation should be given maximum of 10 points and post graduation maximum of 15 points.
“The weightage of PhD degree should be increased to maximum of 30 points,” the aspirants demanded.
Also, the PSC has kept differential weightage for the candidates having done NET and SET while different points are awarded to candidates possessing NET and JRF.
“We fail to understand under which rule the PSC has given additional points to JRF as the JRF candidate is only entitled to receive a fellowship for the research only,” the aspirants said.
The PSC has also awarded a maximum of three points at 0.25 for three months for teaching experience of the candidates which the candidates said was in disagreement with UGC regulations under which 10 points have been earmarked for teaching experience.
“Ironically, the three points earmarked for teaching experience will not be considered for short listing but only during interview which means that the department cannot utilise the services of experienced candidates with years of teaching experience if they are not shortlisted,” the aspirants said.
The aspirants urged the J&K administration and officials at the PSC to consider M Phil as a separate degree and accordingly candidates with M Phil and PhD degrees should be separately given their due share for M Phil and PhD separately.
“Usually a candidate pursuing M Phil and Ph D has to spend four to six years of academic life to attain these degrees whereas a candidate pursuing direct PhD gets the degree within three to four years,” the aspirant said.
Chairman PSC B R Sharma told Greater Kashmir that the rules were already notified on the official website and candidates could thoroughly go through all the rules.