A set of draft rules, prepared by the University Grants Commission (UGC), has proposed to prohibit the university teachers to take part in or subscribe to any activities in the campus that tend to promote feelings of hatred or enmity “among different communities, religions or linguistic groups.”
They also seek the faculty members to “actively” work for national integration.
The UGC has come up with the draft regulations to amend the existing rules that prescribe minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in the universities and colleges and measures for maintenance of the standards in higher education.
“Teachers should refrain from taking part in or subscribing to or assisting in any way activities, which tend to promote feeling of hatred or enmity among different communities, religions or linguistic groups but actively work for national integration,” the draft rules prescribe.
They also prescribe that teachers should aid students to develop an understanding of “our national heritage and national goals.”
“Teachers should refrain from inciting students against other students, colleagues or administration,” they also stipulate.
The draft rules of the Commission has described a university and a college teacher as “the guardian” of the students in their respective campus.
“The teachers should try to see through teachers’ bodies and organizations, that institutions maintain contact with the guardians, their students, send reports of their performance to the guardians whenever necessary and meet the guardians in meetings convened for the purpose for mutual exchange of ideas and for the benefit of the institution,” the rules stipulate .
The proposed rules also seek to outline a university teacher’s responsibility towards the society.
“A teacher should recognize that education is a public service and strive to keep the public informed of the educational programmes which are being provided and work to improve education in the community and strengthen the community’s moral and intellectual life,”
The proposed UGC rules demand a teacher to remain aware of the social problems and take part in “such activities as would be conducive” to the progress of society “and hence the country as a whole.”
“Perform the duties of citizenship, participate in community activities and shoulder responsibilities of public offices,” draft rules also prescribe.
The UGC’s move to make a list of codes of conduct for the university and college teachers as part of its regulations for their appointment and promotion comes at a time when various sections of the faculty members of some of the central universities including Jawaharlal Nehru University have been on the loggerhead with their respective university administrations.
JNU teachers association, joined by the JNU students union members and office bearers, have often been accusing the university vice-chancellor of thrusting right-wing ideologies upon them while the JNU administration counter-charge these faculty members and students of putting hurdles in the normal functioning of the university by holding protests and demonstrations in the campus. (With DH)
