JAMMU: Demanding amendments in SRO -124 issued by Higher Education Department, former Minister and MLA Darhal Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali suggested State Government to follow Haryana State and provide justice to thousands of Ph.D scholars by incorporating clause of exemption in the SRO for students registered prior to enforcement of UGC Regulations 2009. He has sought Governor’s intervention to resolve the matter of these candidates.
It is pertinent to mention here that University Grants Commission made an amendment in the rule and gave new Regulations 2009 on Minimum Standards and Procedure for Awards of M.Phil and Ph.D degrees following which J and K State issued SRO 124 in 2014 and made NET / Ph.D compulsory for the post of Assistant Professor or Lecturer.
Following discussions with deputation of Association of PhD Scholars of J and K here, Zulfkar said that UGC regulations came into force in July 2009 and the same was prospective and not retrospective in nature.
He said ”it was understood that all candidates who have either obtained Ph.D degree on or before 31stDecember, 2009 and such candidates who had registered themselves for PhD degree on or before 31st December 2009 and are subsequently awarded degree will remain exempted from the requirement of NET for the purpose of appointment as Lecturer and Assistant Professors”. He, however, expressed surprise over demand of MSP Certificate (Minimum Standards and Procedure) from the candidates who obtained degrees prior to the enforcement of this regulation.
He termed this certificate and irrelevant and demanded exemption for these candidates to become eligible for the post of lectureship. Assuring full support to these candidates, Zulfkar said that Higher Education Department needed to amend the SRO because the same is discriminatory as many candidates are deprived to become eligible for the post of Assistant Professor or Lecturer.
“There is need to amend it and communicate the same to Public Service Commission so that justice is delivered to thousands of applicants who have applied for these posts,” he added.
Suggesting J and K Government to follow Haryana, Zulfkar said that Haryana State has already made amendments while applying UGC regulations 2009. He said that Higher Education Department of Haryana Government had notified the amendments which read “Those candidates who have been enrolled in PhD upto 31st May 2009 shall become eligible for the exemption from requirement of Minimum Eligibility condition of NET /SLET for recruitment and appointment for the post of Lecturers or Assistant Professors.”
He said that if Haryana can do this for saving the future of scholars, why J and K cannot do so. He demanded Governor N.N Vohra to intervene and provide justice to these candidates.
He said that there is no logic in restricting these candidates to become eligible for the post. He added that when Higher Education Department is facing acute shortage of staff, there is need to relax rules and recruit qualified candidates.
Ph. D Scholars have appreciated Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali for listening to their problems patiently and supporting their cause.