An array of educational institutions the government has handpicked to achieve global excellence have now been told they need to give regular appointments to only 60 per cent of their teachers, a move academics said would lower standards at these elite campuses.
Till now, all higher-education institutions were expected to appoint only regular teachers, though there was no hard and fast rule. Despite a recent trend of recruiting ad-hoc teachers, regular teachers now make up 80 to 95 per cent of the faculty strength at the best colleges and universities.
However, the University Grants Commission (UGC) last week notified the 60 per cent rule in an amendment to its regulations for deemed-to-be universities that have been granted Institute of Eminence status.