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| EDUCATION TRIBUNE |
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Evaluating teachers
Candidate writes her own letter of rejection |
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Evaluating teachers
TILL recently, we have all known that teachers evaluate and students get marks or credits for what they have learnt, that students are rated on the basis of their performance in examination and it is the teachers who assess. However, this notion has been turned on its head with the new University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation on “minimum qualification for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance of standards of higher education, 2010”. This regulation has proposed that teachers need to earn credits indicating their academic performance. Now, the recruitment and career advancement scheme of university and college teachers will be based upon these indicators called Academic Performance Indicators (APIs). There are elaborate tables in the regulation which describe how many credits each Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Professor will have to collect to move up to the ladder—from stage 1 to stage 5—to reach the Senior Professor’s cadre. There are three categories on which academic performance will be rated: first is teaching, learning and evaluation-related activities, second is co-curricular, extension and professional development related activities and third is research and academic contribution. Under each category there are certain pre-decided activities which have been assigned certain points. Teachers will have to perform these activities to earn marks or credits. For example, in the third category, one has to get 300 points to become Associate Professor, 400 to become a Professor and 500 to become a Senior Professor. One is reminded of the cards kids collect with numbers written on the back which one get when one buys a packet of chips or other goodies. Once you have collected a certain number of cards, you get a small gift and an opportunity to collect still more numbers to earn bigger gifts. All of us remember the mad scramble to collect the cards and the gifts. It is the same race again, where the teachers are finding themselves today. Though there have been debates and discussions on the introduction of API scores, most of the universities have adopted them as prescribed by the UGC because the condition of implementation of APIs is packaged along with the revised salaries, and selective picking cannot be done. Still some of the universities, like, Kurukshetra University, have deferred the decision indefinitely and others are finding ways to workout the complicated grading system, which raises more questions than can be handled. The teacher’s assessment is done in several education systems all over the world and is used to guide the progress of the faculty member’s career, to promote faculty development and to reach the institutional goals. However, nowhere is it so bureaucratic, rigidly defined, narrowly visualised and unimaginative, and nowhere it is linked with earning marks or points. The API scorecard cocks a snook at academic freedom, penalises any teacher with a vibrant definition of teaching and awards blind following of authoritative directions. The clubbing together of the enhanced pay package and gradation of teachers lead us to interpret that this is to be seen as a stick to make teachers deliver goods in the clerical sense of the term. There was a need to set a benchmark for teachers who, everybody assumed, had it quite easy going for them. Most of the authorities at decision-making positions felt that the hefty pay packets that higher education teachers were pocketing must be accompanied by an assurance that public money was justifyingly spent, that every Tom, Dick and Harry would not be allowed to move on to the higher rungs of the ladder without getting some real work out of them and, therefore, the assessment. Whatever be the objective of APIs, one thing remains clear that these scores are not going to improve the quality of teaching learning in higher education, because it is not designed to achieve that objective. Every teacher, irrespective of whether he indulges in high quality teaching, updates his teaching inputs with recent advances, motivates his students to learn, stimulates them to think or otherwise meets his class with a routine, clichéd lecture devoid of any substance, will get a certain score for teaching because the rule is to count the teaching load. No emphasis is on how teaching is done. Similarly, a teacher can collect several points by doing research, but there are hardly any points for training students in research or for developing research orientation in them or inculcating love for research in them. There is incentive for individual research work but disincentive for joint research work with students. Therefore, it is simple! Teachers may get high scoring APIs which will ensure their promotions, but that is not going to assure quality education. Teachers are smart enough to figure out this lopsided designing of the API scorecard and they are no longer interested in teaching. Good quality teaching which demands a lot of hard work will not fetch them more marks. Therefore, routine lectures and yellowing notes are fine. Why waste time preparing for lectures. Rather spend the time in pursuing the editor of a research journal to get a hastily done, half-cooked research work published. The API scorecard is not highlighting and incentivising the indicators of quality teaching but individual career achievements. Hence, we get what the awards are for. It is sad and highly unfortunate state of affairs, the negative impacts of which the higher education system will be reaping in near future. We have seen several caricatures of teachers in Indian movies. But turning the teachers into credit-crazy, marks-grabbing fellows is the hallmark of the API scorecard. Get ready for this new image of Indian higher education teachers but, sorry, APIs are not going to help enhance the quality of teaching and learning! The writer is Deputy Director, Academic Staff College, Panjab University, Chandigarh |
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Candidate writes her own letter of rejection A state-school pupil from Hampshire who was invited to Oxford University for an interview turned the tables on the institution by writing her own letter of rejection because it “did not quite meet the standard” of other universities. In a parody of the thousands of consolatory letters fired off by the elite institution each December, Elly Nowell, 19, wrote: “I have now considered your establishment as a place to read Law (Jurisprudence). “I very much regret to inform you that I will be withdrawing my application. “I realise you may be disappointed by this decision, but you were in competition with many fantastic universities and following your interview I am afraid you do not quite meet the standard of the universities I will be considering.” The Brockenhurst College student, whose first-choice preference is University College London, wrote to Magdalen College after being put off by her interview experience. She warned the university to hold off on any attempts to “reapply”. “While you may believe your decision to hold interviews in grand formal settings is inspiring, it allows public-school applicants to flourish... and intimidates state-school applicants, distorting the academic potential of both,” she said, criticising the College’s “traditions and rituals” and a perceived gulf between “minorities and white middle-class students”. Oxford University dismissed the claims. “Despite what the candidate said, we would point out that the actual admissions figures speak for themselves,” it said, stating that of the seven UK students who received offers for the law and joint school course at Magdalen, only one was privately educated. Law students at Magdalen College, who are subjected to two interviews and a test before being offered a place, also condemned the letter. “There are lots of state-school students here, especially on the law course. The implication that there’s some kind of discrimination is ridiculous,” said 20-year-old Christy Rush from Bristol. Nowell later said the country’s two best universities were often treated with hallowed awe and reverence, making her letter a rare exception. Last year, it was revealed that just five schools, including Eton and Westminster, have sent more pupils to Oxbridge than 2,000 lower-performing schools combined.
— The Independent |
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CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar HARYANA Agricultural University has inked a pact with the National Seeds Corporation (NSC), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, for the production and marketing of bajra, maize hybrids and varieties developed by the university. Dr K.S. Khokhar, Vice-Chancellor, signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on behalf of the university, while S.K. Roongta, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, signed the MoU on behalf of NSC. Khokhar said the university had granted NSC the non-exclusive license for strengthening of the seed production and marketing of bajra, maize and other crops. This would enhance the availability of good quality seed to the farmers at affordable prices at the national level. The Vice-Chancellor also told NSC officials that the university had around 4,000 acres of land that could be utilised for producing good quality seed. Roongta appreciated the policy of HAU to strengthen seed production programme. He suggested that a brainstorming session should be organised to harness the capacities of the two institutions, as it would help prepare long-term programmes for good quality seed production. Water reservoir
inaugurated
The Vice-Chancellor, Dr K.S. Khokhar, inaugurated an over head service reservoir on the new campus of the university. Built at a cost of Rs 30 lakh, the reservoir has a capacity of 2.27 lakh litres of water and is equipped with the latest technology. The Vice-Chancellor said it would solve the problem of drinking water shortage being faced by the residents living in upper storeys of multi-storeyed buildings in the new campus area of the university during summer. Executive Engineer A.R. Saini said the height of the reservoir was 25 metres to ensure drinking water supply in top storeys. He said the project had been completed in just one year. Guru Jambheshwar
University of Science and Technology,
Hisar A refresher course on "Emerging Issues in Education Technology" concluded at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology here. Addressing the participants, Dr Bharat Bhushan, Director, Distance Education, Indira Gandhi Open National University, said raising the quality of education was the need of the hour. He said teachers must use the latest educational technology available to them. He said it was the responsibility of institutions to make the teachers aware of the latest techniques employed all over the world. Dr B. K. Poonia, Director, Academic Staff College, said the three-week-long course helped teachers dwell on various aspects of education. The ASC also organised a similar refresher course on science education.
NSS camp organised
The National Service Scheme unit of Guru jambheshwar University of Science and Technology organised a week-long camp at Kaimri village near here. During the camp, the volunteers helped by experts trained the villagers in providing first aid to accident victims and heart patients. An exhibition on HIV AIDS was also organised as part of the annual camp. — Contributed by Raman Mohan |
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Art & Design
Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI), A 10/ A, Sector
24, Noida 201301 (UP) 1) Master Degree
Programmes (Footwear Technology / Fashion Merchandising &
Retail Management / Creative Design and CAD/CAM / Leather Goods &
Accessories Design / Visual Merchandising & Communication Design /
Productivity & Quality Management (2 years - FT) Eligibility:
For 1: Bachelors (any) Selection: Entrance Test: 1-3 June 2012; Group Discussion, Design Aptitude Test, Personal Interview Application Form: Send Rs 500/- by DD favouring ""FDDI" payable at New Delhi to the above address / Apply online Details: Website Application Deadline: 17 May 2012 Engineering
Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani 333031 (Raj) BITSAT-2012 Eligibility: 10+2 (PCM; 75% agg and 60% individually in each subject) Test Date: 10 May – 09 June 2012 Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 15 February 2012 IT
Directorate of Technical Education - Maharashtra State, 3, Mahapalika
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Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Devghat, Jhalwa,
Allahabad 211012 (UP) (Deemed Univ) Master’s Programme in Cyber Law & Information Security Eligibility:
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Kendriya Hindi Shikshan Mandal, Hindi Sansthan Marg, Agra 282005 (UP) 1) Hindi Shikshan
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1: BA with Hindi as main subject and Bed LT with Hindi method or
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/ Finance / Operations / Retail / Hospitality / Organizational
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Entrance Test – 2012 Eligibility: Bachelors degree (min 50%) Test: MAH-MBA/MMS-CET 2012: 11 March 2012 Application Form & Details: Website. Application Deadline: 18 February 2012 University Institute of Applied Management Sciences (UIAMS), South Campus (Behind Alumni House), Sector-25, Chandigarh-160014, Management Entrance Test
2012 (MET 2012) Eligibility: For 1&2: Bachelors degree (any, min 50%) / CA/ ICWA / CS / passed AMIE exam (50%) after diploma and min 5 years research / teaching or professional experience For 3&4: BE / BTech (any stream, min 50%) / BSc (any, min 50%), with Physics / Maths) / BCA / passed AMIE exam (50%) after diploma and min 5 years research / teaching or professional experience For 5: BPharm / MBBS / BSc (any) with DPharm (50%) For 6: MBBS / BAMS / BHMS / BDS / BPharm / BSc (Nursing) / Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT), (min 50%) Test Date: 18 March 2012 Application Form: Send request to the Manager, Publication Bureau, PU, Sector-14, Chandigarh along with Bank Draft for Rs.1830/- in favour of "Registrar Panjab University, Chandigarh" payable at Chandigarh (In Case of SC/ST candidates, Rs.955/-) / By hand from Panjab University, Ludhiana GPO and Delhi GPO / Download from website Details: Website Application Deadline: 21 February 2012
Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, B 21, Qutab Institutional Area, New
Delhi 110016 (D/o Commerce, GoI) 1) Certificate Programme
in Export Management (Online) Eligibility: For 1 & 2: Bachelors degree (any) / Diploma holders with min two years of post-diploma work experience. Application Form & Details: Website Application Deadline: 28 February 2012
Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Devghat, Jhalwa,
Allahabad 211012 (UP) (Deemed Univ) MBA-IT (2-year) Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree (any) Selection: valid CMAT / XAT / MAT / ATMA / GMAT scores Selection: Entrance Exam: 07 – 8 April 2012 Application Form: Send request letter along with DD for Rs 1200/- drawn on any Nationalized Bank favouring "IIIT-Allahabad" payable at Allahabad to the above address, superscribe "Request for MBA (IT) on the envelope / download from the website Details: Website Application Deadline: 06 March 2012
BSE Institute Limited, 18th Floor, PJ Towers, Dalal Street,
Mumbai – 400001 (MAH) MBA in Finanicial
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Adani Institute of Infrastructure Management, Village: Khodiyar, Near
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Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi (DL) 1) MEd Special
Education (Hearing Impairment / Mental Retardation / Visual Impairment
/ Learning Disability) (2 years) Eligibility: For
1: BEd Special Education (in related area, min 50%) and 2
years work exp as a teacher / headmaster / principal / special
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City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, United
Kingdom Trinity College
Scholarships 2012 Eligibility: Indian Nationals residing in India; Bachelors degree (in related area) with strong academic performance Selection: Merit Award: 3000 Euros for duration of one year for courses in arts / humanities / social sciences / health sciences / engineering / maths / science; 6000 Euros per year for 3 three years for full time PhD. Application Details: Website Application Deadline: 01 February 2012
ESIGELEC, Technopôle du Madrillet, Avenue Galilée - BP 10024, 76801
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Indian School of Mines University, Dhanbad 826004 (Jhar) 1) MSc (Applied
Physics) (2 years) Eligibility: For
1: BSc (Physics) with Maths and Chemistry / Geology / Stats /
Electronics / Comp Sc / Eco / Geography as subsidiary subjects Age: min
22 years (DoB after 01 October 1988) Application Form: Download from website. Details: Website. Application Deadline: 09 March 2012 Travel & Transport
Institute of Rail Transport, Room No 17, Rail Bhavan, Raisina Road,
New Delhi 110001 Diploma Course in Transport Economics and Management (1 Year, Part Time) Eligibility: Bachelors degree / Diploma Fees: Rs. 4000/- Application Form: Send Rs 100/- by DD favouring "Institute of Rail Transport", payable at New Delhi with stamped (Rs 15/-), self-addressed envelope (11" x 5") to the above address. Write your name and address on reverse of DD. Details: Employment News (14 – 20 January 2012) / Website Application Deadline: 28 February 2012 Vocational
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area, Bhubaneswar-751024 (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium
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