Editor,
The request by the advisor of the Association of Niamtre Students of Shillong, Dr Omarlin Kyndiah to scrap the age limit while recruiting college teachers in his letter to the Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma is highly justified. Unlike some professions requiring early start, teaching is accessible at various life stages, since it is more about qualifications and experience. Considering that there is no prescribed age limit for applying to become Assistant Professor in India as laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC), there is also no restriction on the upper age limit to apply for UGC NET Lectureship, a mandatory criterion for entry to Assistant Professor position in colleges and universities. Further, the age limit for the UGC NET Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) is 30 years with 5 years relaxation for candidates from reserved categories like OBC, ST, SC, and PwDs. The objective of the JRF scheme is to provide opportunities to NET-qualified candidates to undertake advanced studies and research leading to M. Phil/Ph. D, which is a mandatory qualification for promotion to Associate Professor.
The right to work goes beyond mere employment; it’s about earning a dignified livelihood. As parents we request the Chief Minister to relook at the criteria with respect to age of eligibility to give an opportunity to our youth so that their years spent on academic training and research are not wasted.
Yours etc.,
Marbiang Rymbai
Via email
There should be no age bar for recruiting college teachers
Editor
Apropos of the news item, “Call to scrap age limit to recruit college teachers (ST March 22, 2025) as rightly pointed out the University Grants Commission (UGC) has not set an upper age limit on the recruitment of Assistant Professors in colleges and universities. On the eligibility criteria UGC is focusing more on qualification and experience, like a good academic record, PhD in accordance with UGC guidelines, publications and clearing National Eligibility Test (NET). The sole objective in focusing on qualification and experience is to ensure good quality education in colleges and universities.
If we look at the progression of students in Meghalaya after their graduation the number of students joining post graduate courses has risen significantly compared to ten years ago. Also the number of students opting for PhD has increased. For our society to reach a state were we can compete with others we need more good and academically inclined students to join PhD so that in the colleges and universities in the state we have teachers who can mentor and guide our students to be at par with the rest of the country. Though the numbers of students opting for higher studies is encouraging but the opportunities for them after completion is not so encouraging. Now since we have an age limit on the recruitment of Assistant Professors in colleges this will further shrink the opportunities for those who have completed their PhD. This scenario will have a cascading effect whereby it will deter good students from pursuing higher studies which in turn will have an impact on the quality of teaching.
Now, all colleges in Meghalaya whether government or aided have implemented NEP-2020. The Four Year Undergraduate Program (FYUP) introduced in the colleges do have a research component. To guide students in their research a teacher has to have a PhD degree and should be active in research. To successfully implement it, most of the teachers in the department should have a PhD. For a department with just one or two teachers having PhD it would be a herculean task to manage if the students opt for a four year undergraduate program with research. I fear that with setting of the age limit on the recruitment the colleges will be missing out on the qualified and experience teachers.
I personally feel that to improve the quality of education in colleges and to successfully implement NEP-2020 relaxation should be granted to those with PhD who are either teaching in non- sanctioned posts or are active in research. We all know that a college or an institution is not merely known by its building or infrastructure but by its teachers and staff.
Yours etc.,
Dr Lobi Kurbah,
Via email
Dominance in the skies: Is Indian Air Force ready?
Editor,
The new world order ushered in by the Trump and Elon Musk duo has also brought in a lot of uncertainty. Authoritarian regimes are rising, profound changes are noticeable in economies slowly becoming cashless and technology reliant on machine learning. The United States under President Trump recently unveiled the 6th generation fighter plane dubbed the F-47, estimated at 20 billion dollars. The program was grabbed by Boeing which could surpass any fighter aircraft in its fleet raising eyebrows at Beijing. Fast forward to the Indian subcontinent, the French relationship has always been cozy with the Mirage and Rafale warplanes leading but what about the indigenous Tejas when just last month, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh went on to say that he was not confident with HAL on the delay.
The geopolitical ground in Northeast India is rapidly shifting. Bangladesh is in a state of flux and in Myanmar the military is having a vice like grip. It is time for the big bosses at South Block to revisit the drawing board and analyse the tectonic balancing needed along sensitive border areas. There is no shadow of doubt about the prowess within the men and women of the IAF as they dominate every military exercise with their foreign counterparts using their wise and quick decision-making prowess. Apart from the elemental psychology which is at play, the need to operationalise certain strategic areas and reinventing the force is the need of the hour. Finding the IAF squadron strength depleting, even the Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, urged immediate modernisation.
I am reminded of a book ‘Indian Army Vision 2020’ by Late Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal, a once towering figure in the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, New Delhi and Observer Research Foundation, outlining the different facets from air power, management along border areas, internal security and command-and-control systems giving a vantage point towards a 21st century changing environment.
Yours etc.,
Christopher Gatphoh,
Via email