“The uniform guidelines will create a basic foundation in the process of recruitment and promotion for all teachers of the public universities,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop on ‘Uniform Guidelines for Recruitment and Promotion/Upgradation of Public University Teachers’.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) organised the programme at its auditorium in the city to discuss the proposed uniform guidelines.
At the workshop, Vice-chancellors of 42 public universities discussed the proposed guidelines formulated by the UGC.
As per the proposed guidelines, candidates must have GPA 4.50 in a scale of 5.00 in SSC, HSC and equivalent examinations for being recruited as lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors and professors at the public universities.
To promote a teacher as a professor from associate professor, a total of 22 years of working experience is needed, including at least 10 years as associate professor.
For MPhil degree holders, the minimum requirement is 17 years, including seven years as associate professor, while for the PhD holders, it is 12 years, including at least five years as associate professor.
The candidates must have at least 12 publications in recognised journals, say the draft guidelines.
To get promotion as an associate professor, a teacher must have experience of 14 years of active teaching, including at least seven years’ experience as assistant professor.
The requirement is nine years and seven years respectively for MPhil and PhD degree holders.
The minimum experience required for being promoted as an assistant professor is three years which is two years for MPhil degree holders and one year for PhD degree holders.
The Education Minister said the proposed guidelines will be finalised after proper discussions.
He also urged the teachers to produce more original research works and publications to enhance the standard of country’s education.
Taking part in the discussion on the proposed guidelines, some of the VCs suggested dropping the matter of taking the results of SSC and HSC examinations into consideration, and making written test mandatory while recruiting lecturers.
Rajshahi University VC Prof Abdus Sobhan said good results do not always ensure quality teachers. “A student who might not have done well in the SSC and HSC exams can be a good student in university and do well as a teacher,” he said.
National University VC Prof Harunur Rashid said a written test should be made mandatory for recruiting lecturers judging their qualification.
Jahangirnagar University VC Prof Farzana Islam urged all public universities to open their doors for other public university students while recruiting teachers.
Demo classes or seminars can be arranged as part of the recruitment process to judge a candidate’s qualification as a teacher, she added.
UGC members Prof Aktar Hossain and Prof M Shah Newaz Ali also spoke at the programme presided over by Md Abdullah Al Hasan Chowdury, Additional Secretary to the Secondary & Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry.