Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued guidelines for engaging “Professors of Practice” or distinguished experts from various fields at higher education institutions.
What is the initiative?
Objectives —
To develop courses and curriculum to meet the industry and societal needs and enable the HEIs to work with industry experts.
To bring in distinguished experts from various fields such as engineering, science, technology, entrepreneurship, management, commerce, media, literature, etc., into the academic institutions.
To enable the HEIs to formally associate with persons of eminence and encourage them to participate in experiential learning, research, training, skilling, etc., and to play mentoring roles.
Eligibility —
Distinguished experts who have made remarkable contributions in their professions from various fields.
However, this role is not open to those from the teaching profession, serving or retired.
Those who have proven expertise in their specific profession or role with at least 15 years of service/experience, preferably at a senior level.
A formal academic qualification is not considered essential for this position if they have exemplary professional practice.
These experts will also be exempted from the requirement of publications and other eligibility criteria stipulated for the recruitment of faculty members at the Professor level.
However, they should possess the skills to carry out the duties and responsibilities
Significance —
This will help to take real world practices and experiences into the class rooms and also augment the faculty resources in HEIs.
The engagement of such experts will not affect the number of sanctioned posts and the recruitment of regular faculty members.
In turn, the industry and society will benefit from trained graduates equipped with the relevant skills.
About the UGC –
The Sargent Report was the first attempt to formulate a national system of education in India in 1944.
It recommended the formation of a University Grants Committee, which was established in 1945 to oversee the work of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banaras, and Delhi.
Soon after independence, the University Education Commission was established (in 1948) under the chairmanship of Dr. S Radhakrishnan to report on Indian university education and suggest improvements and extensions.
It proposed reorganising the University Grants Committee along the lines of the University Grants Commission of the United Kingdom, with a full-time Chairman and other members.
As a result, the UGC was formally inaugurated in 1953 by Maulana Abul Kalam, the then Minister of Education, Natural Resources, and Scientific Research.
However, the UGC was established as a statutory body in November 1956 by the UGC Act 1956.
It is set up by the Ministry of Education’s Department of Higher Education.
A proposal to replace it with another new regulatory body called the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) is under consideration by the Government of India.
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