Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Friday, December 13, established a three-member committee aimed at reviewing and optimizing recruitment procedures for universities.
This initiative was announced during a meeting organized by the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) with vice-chancellors from various state universities.
N Sridhar, the principal secretary for education, proposed the formation of such committees to tackle pressing issues within the higher education sector.
The newly formed committee will focus on devising recruitment modalities for teaching staff in compliance with University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations and the government’s directive (GO Ms No 15).
G Chakrapani to chair committee
Ghanta Chakrapani, a former chairman of the Telangana Public Service Commission and vice-chancellor of Dr. BR Ambedkar Open University, has been appointed as the committee’s chair.
The committee will also include vice-chancellors from Osmania University and Mahatma Gandhi University, along with two additional experts selected based on their expertise. V Balakista Reddy, chairman of TGCHE, emphasized that one of the primary challenges to address is faculty recruitment.
The committee will explore various recruitment models utilized in other states, such as Bihar’s approach to hiring faculty through the Public Service Commission (PSC), and will provide recommendations.
Reddy suggested that a proposal for a common recruitment board might be set aside unless the committee advises otherwise.
In addition to recruitment processes, the committee will investigate issues related to superannuation policies and career advancement schemes (CAS) for faculty members.
The goal is to promote transparency, fairness, and efficiency in faculty recruitment and career progression.
TGCHE to review affiliation processes
Furthermore, the TGCHE plans to review current affiliation processes and develop strategies to enhance institutional rankings while ensuring quality education and aligning universities with national and international standards.
During the meeting, Sridhar advised vice-chancellors to diversify their funding sources beyond state government allocations.
He encouraged them to seek support from corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) funds to bolster university budgets. The TGCHE also announced plans to revamp outdated course syllabi to better prepare students for global job markets.
Vice-chancellors raised several concerns during discussions, including faculty recruitment challenges, infrastructure needs, budget constraints, scholarship provisions, and outstanding mess charges.
