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UCG guidelines bar Amartya Sen
from lecturing in India

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen does not qualify to become a lecturer in any Indian university.

Even though he teaches in Trinity College in England, he cannot be a lecturer in India as University Grants Commission guidelines made it compulsory that to become a lecturer one must clear the national eligibility test.

"Sen's PhD is not a criterion for appointment of a lecturer in this part of the world," said B Vijaykumar, general secretary of the All-India Federation of University and College Teachers Organisation.

Kumar criticised the UGC's criterion, saying, "If Sen is not eligible for a lecturer's post in the country, it is not a matter for review," he asked.

He said that though on several occasions the federation has requested the Centre to direct the UGC to recognise PhD as a qualification for appointment of a lecturer in addition to NET, it was never considered seriously.

"It is unfortunate that the UGC does not consider a PhD on par with the NET," he said.

Kumar said that the Centre always spoke of bringing top brains from developed countries, who would teach our students, but under the current UGC guidelines, it was just impossible.

Kumar said that higher education was not doing well in the country due to lack of funds but the UGC's guidelines would further discourage students to go in for higher education.

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