This is an archive article published on January 6, 2023
With nod to five institutes, state govt initiates implementation of UGC’s Professor of Practice policy
According to the UGC guidelines, professionals from various fields having considerable years of experience can be appointed as professors in higher education institutions even without formal academic qualifications.
Written by Pallavi Smart
Mumbai | January 6, 2023 10:37 PM IST
3 min read
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The Government Resolution (GR) released earlier this week by the Higher and Technical Education department of Maharashtra has approved five such appointments in government institutions on 10 per cent of the total sanctioned posts. (Express Photo)
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With nod to five institutes, state govt initiates implementation of UGC’s Professor of Practice policy
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Maharashtra government has initiated implementation of the Professor of Practice policy as directed by the University Grants Commission (UGC) with an objective to provide industry perspective to students in the classroom.
According to the UGC guidelines, professionals from various fields having considerable years of experience can be appointed as professors in higher education institutions even without formal academic qualifications.
The Government Resolution (GR) released earlier this week by the Higher and Technical Education department of Maharashtra has approved five such appointments in government institutions on 10 per cent of the total sanctioned posts.
As part of this, five institutions, namely Institute of Science and Sydenham Institute of Management Studies, Research and Entrepreneurship Education in Mumbai, Institute of Science, Aurangabad, Institute of Science, Nagpur, and Vidarbha Institute of Knowledge Science in Amravati, have been allowed to appoint one Professor of Practice each on their rolls.
The GR stated that candidates must have experience of at least 15 years in various industries such as engineering, science, literature, technology, farming, law and media. The appointment will be made by the institutions following the regular recruitment process, starting with advertisement. The institutions will have to use their own funds for these appointment; the government will not provide any financial assistance in this regard.
The GR stated that the appointment will be for a year, adding a maximum of three years of extension can be allowed based on evaluation every year. These professor would be expected to bring industry linkage and provide industry oriented inputs in the curriculum.
The move has irked the existing professors, though. “It is not like there is a dearth of qualified individuals to be appointed as professors. The government has shown complete apathy in filling up the vacant posts and now senior positions are going to be offered to industry professionals who may not be adequately qualified, not just academically but also in their experience of teaching,” said Dr Tapati Mukhopadhyay, former president of the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers Organisations (MFUCTO).
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As per the regular practice, to be appointed as professor, a candidate must have at least 15 years of experience in teaching, apart from academic qualifications of PhD, research work and clearing NET or SET.
A number of members of the academia have criticised the GR for not specifying any other parameter apart from 15 years of experience in the respective industry for appointment of Professor of Practice. This ambiguity, according to them, will lead to appointment of subpar talent in teaching.
Pallavi Smart is a Principal Correspondent with The Indian Express, Mumbai Bureau. Her reporting is singularly focused on the education sector, demonstrating exceptional Expertise and Authority across the entire spectrum of learning, from foundational schooling to advanced higher education. She is a highly Trustworthy source for policy, institutional developments, and systemic issues affecting students, teachers, and parents in Maharashtra.
Expertise
Senior Role: As a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express, her designation reflects her seniority, specialized knowledge, and the editorial rigor applied to her reporting.
Core Authority & Specialization: Pallavi Smart is the definitive voice for Education news in the region. Her coverage scope is comprehensive:
Policy and Regulatory Changes: Reports on major shifts in educational policy, including the restructuring of entrance exams (e.g., MHT-CET adopting the JEE Main model), the draft regulatory framework for coaching classes, and revised teacher recruitment processes.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs): Provides in-depth reporting on prestigious institutes like IIT Bombay and TISS (Tata Institute of Social Sciences), covering institutional initiatives, administrative debates (e.g., renaming IIT Bombay), and student welfare programs (e.g., mandatory mental health courses).
Teachers and Eligibility: Covers crucial issues affecting the teaching fraternity, such as the mandatory Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) for in-service teachers and related controversies and application numbers.
Student Welfare & Rights: Focuses on issues concerning students, including the rollout of government scholarships, the financial strain on schools due to midday meal reimbursement delays, and instances of child rights violations (e.g., the Powai studio hostage crisis).
Admissions and Vacancy: Tracks the outcome of centralized admission processes (e.g., MBBS, BPharm) and analyzes vacancy concerns, providing essential data-driven insights for parents and students.
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Dedicated Beat: Her consistent focus on the "KG to PG" education beat allows her to develop unparalleled subject matter knowledge, ensuring her reports are accurate, detailed, and contextualized.
Proactive Reporting: Her articles frequently break news on policy and institutional planning, providing the public with timely, essential information about a sector that directly impacts millions of families.
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