By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 21: The advisor of the Association of Niamtre Students of Shillong (ANSS), Omarlin Kyndiah on Friday urged Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to consider waiving the age limit for entry into the teaching profession in colleges.
Kyndiah wrote to the CM after the Meghalaya Education Recruitment Board invited applications for the post of assistant professor/lecturer for various subjects in government colleges on January 23.
While the University Grants Commission has not prescribed any upper age limit for assistant professors, he said the MERB limited the age of entry to 32 years on the first day of the year of advertisement with a five-year relaxation for SC/ST applicants.
Kyndiah said the age limit of 32 years with five years of relaxation for SC/ST candidates does not conform to the UGC requirements.
He said the MERB condition is discouraging for candidates who spent years studying for bachelor’s, master’s, MPhil/PhD, and undergoing postdoctoral training, including teaching in temporary posts in colleges to acquire experience.
Pointing out that many candidates are teaching temporarily in colleges or universities, he said they undergo years of academic struggle to earn their degrees.
“Hence, imposing any age limit will take away the opportunity and deny the right to apply for permanent faculty positions in state colleges or universities, as they will by then become older and ineligible,” the ANSS advisor said.
He further stated that the UGC is not naive in not imposing any age limit.
According to him, restrictions on age in academic positions should not be compared to non-academic jobs subjected to age limits and requiring lesser qualifications.
Referring to Para 2 of the advertisement, he pointed out that the MERB adopted the UGC Regulations of 2018 to maintain the standard of higher education in the state.
Kyndiah said the conditions of eligibility include a master’s degree with 55% marks, a cleared National Eligibility Test and a PhD degree by the UGC (Minimum Standard and Procedure for Awards of MPhil/PhD).
He said the requirements sought by the MERB regarding age and qualifications do not fare well or complement the minimum guidelines published in the UGC 2018 regulations concerning the recruitment of assistant professors in colleges and universities.
