Contractualism and Age Enhancement in Universities: Boon or Bane?

A recent disclosure under the Right to Information Act has thrown some startling revelations up about faculty shortage in Kashmir’s highest chair of learning, the University of Kashmir.

In response to a query, the University officials have revealed that at least 20 percent of faculty positions are vacant in the University over the years, thus impeding students’ academic progression and research prospects.

Consequently, it is implied that most of the faculty today in the University is contractual in nature, which means their contracts could be terminated any time at the end of an academic session.

It also indicates multiple problems that this ‘contractualism’ brings with it.

Contractual lecturers or contractual assistant professors no doubt perform their duties as equally as their permanent counterparts in Universities and colleges. However, they cannot supervise research scholars and/or undertake any part in policy decisions related to their departments. This creates multiple problems for students and researchers alike.

Added to this is one big problem which has emerged in the last two years, which is the enhancement of retirement age of University professors from 62 to 65 years based on 'recommendations' of a committee headed by chief secretary of J&K. This move has created lots of problems, both internal as well as external.

The decision to increase retirement age is selective and is applicable only to ‘eligible and meritorious’ professors. However, the broad criteria determined for the purpose has come into question many a time. There are also allegations of bias in the final selections, as some believe that that meritorious professors have been left out. There are issues concerning the right to equal treatment as enshrined in the Constitution in this age enhancement issue. It had to be a policy decision applicable to all, or applicable to none.

It would have been far better to do away with this decision, so that new blood was infused into the system. But with whatever the wisdom this decision was taken, it should have been applicable to all. Because the University Grants Commission nowhere mentions that age enhancement issue would be selective, or it has to be based on some criteria.

Internally, the age enhancement has set a very dangerous precedent in the Universities where teachers are now out to outdo each other with false accusations to scuttle their prospect of age enhancement. Many teachers who spoke to this newspaper say this issue is like a “dangerous alarm” for professors who apply for age enhancement in view of fears of frivolous complaints being sent to different quarters, sometimes based on personal liking and disliking as well as internal wrangling within the departments. Add to it that there is no mechanism in place to ascertain and identify people making such frivolous and anonymous complaints so that they are booked under relevant sections of law. Universities are temples of learning and should not become a battleground for such petty hits, where people’s livelihoods are snatched by a disgruntled few for their vested interests.

In the recent Assembly session of the J&K Assembly, some worthy members of Legislative Assembly raised this issue of retirement age enhancement in Universities and problems associated with it.

MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also raised this issue and highlighted how only a few have benefitted from this move, while others have been left out.

Let us note here that age enhancement is not a ‘scheme’ as it appears today for eligible few.

It ought to be a policy decision with short and long term objectives to be fulfilled for the interest of the student community at large.

Sadly, it is not the case. Since it has become more of an issue where teachers are out to outdo each other in some kind of a race, it requires a serious rethink at the Government level.

In light of the observations above, it is imperative for the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, which includes both the elected government as well as the LG administration, to immediately revisit the policy of contractualism and age enhancement in universities so that students and research scholars do not suffer on any count. Some of the following measures can be taken with a sense of urgency and seriousness so that student-centric objectives are achieved.

 1. The Age Enhancement Policy should immediately be revisited and its short and long term objectives clearly outlined. In the wake of unemployment scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, which is among top UTs/States in the unemployment scenario, it would be advisable to stop this age enhancement practice forthwith.

 2. The resultant vacancies of teachers must be filled up with a sense of urgency so that age enhancement is not even considered at any level. This would also address the issue of contractualism prevalent in J&K Universities and help students and research scholars to benefit maximum since ( as mentioned above) contractual teachers cannot guide research scholars or join policy decisions.

 3. Since RTI application has thrown up some startling revelations of 20 percent vacancies in KU, the authorities may well expedite the recruitment process so that neither contractualism nor age enhancement is encouraged at any level.

 4. Since th age enhancement issue has become detrimental for meritorious teachers, it would be prudent to scrap it so that mischievous elements do not get a chance to hit their colleagues with frivolous allegations and representations which go as far as snatching their livelihoods.

 5. The Government should order academic audit of all universities in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to ascertain faculty shortages and plug the gaps so that true academic excellence is achieved. Today, Universities are focusing more on petty events which do not add any value to teaching-learning of students in any manner. Rather more of such events seem to be a waste of time only to help people at the helm to secure their extension prospects in future. Such events must be discouraged and money spent thereon utilized for better purposes of infra augmentation.

 6. Alongside this, the offices of Chancellor and pro-Chancellor need to conduct academic audit so that new courses are introduced with clear market-driven objectives. Many courses in Universities are running without faculty. Such courses must be discarded without any delay so that students do not suffer tomorrow for want of jobs.

To conclude, it is imperative that Universities operate in the spirit of being temples of learning, where students coming out emerge as true enablers of social change. There are multiple issues plaguing our society which can be addressed by way of research in universities. But if universities continue to remain breeding grounds for petty academic politics within departments, it is the student community which is eventually going to suffer.

Therefore the Government of the day would do well to immediately address these concerns in the larger interest of the society, as well as in the larger interest of the student community.

Universities can only realise their vision with clear focus on goals and objectives. Otherwise they are bound to fail in discharging their duty.