Kannur University has officially refuted rumours suggesting that undergraduate teachers in aided colleges are being denied the opportunity to become research guides, dismissing claims of an anti-teacher stance by the varsity.
Responding to the allegations, the university clarified that it was actively offering opportunities to qualified teachers in postgraduate colleges to apply and become eligible for guideship positions at the varsity. The eligibility criteria for the positions are restricted to teachers from postgraduate colleges, as emphasised by the varsity in a press statement.
To address concerns related to undergraduate teachers in postgraduate colleges, the varsity has announced the constitution of a special committee. The committee will conduct a thorough study on the feasibility of granting guideship to teachers in undergraduate departments of postgraduate colleges. Additionally, the varsity plans to seek suggestions from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to ensure alignment with established guidelines.
The clarification comes in response to the Kerala Private College Teachers Association (KPCTA) writing to Kannur University Vice-Chancellor S. Bijoy Nandan raising the issue. KPCTA regional president Dr. Shino P. Jose had earlier accused the university research directorate of denying aided college teachers the opportunity to become research guides, labelling the varsity’s clarification as misleading.
Dr. Jose argued that a college could be considered a postgraduate college even if it offered Master’s degree programmes in one subject and Bachelor’s degree programmes in others. He claimed that the varsity’s current policy excludes all teachers working at the undergraduate level from guideship. He insisted that the UGC had not specified that guidance should be limited to teachers in postgraduate departments alone.
Meanwhile, KPCTA has hinted at approaching the court, expressing its commitment to resolving the matter and advocating for the rights of aided college teachers.
