Bureaucracy in education: Centralized recruitment for TS universities raises concerns

Hyderabad: Is centralized recruitment for 15 state universities solve the problem of shortage of faculty? Experts opine that the Common Board for Centralized Recruitment constituted by the Higher Education Department of Telangana on Thursday will only delay the process.

TS Government on Thursday issued an order regarding the constitution of a committee for teaching and non-teaching posts in state universities except the medical university.

The government decision is after the Telangana State Council for Higher Education (TSCHE) recommended assigning the process of recruitment either to the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) or to a separate board to be established for the purpose.

The Common Board for Recruitment will consist of the Chairman of TSCHE as the Chairman, Special Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary or Secretary to the government Higher Education Department or Administrative Department as a member, Special Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary or Secretary to the government Finance Department as another member, and the Commission of Collegiate Education as the member convenor.

The recruitment process until now was carried out by universities on prior approval of the government. With the Common Board set up, the universities will no longer recruit but send recommendations to the committee which will take it up.

R N Shanker of All India Students Federation (AISF) said, "Instead of simplifying the process, there is a bureaucratic hurdle created and this will only lead to further delays in the recruitment process. The formation of a committee is welcomed but there are no vice-chancellors or Registrars from state universities. The only academician is the TSCHE Chairman Professor R Limbadri. Others are bureaucrats who will not know how an education institution works."

Kota Rajesh, Guest Faculty at the Osmania University also condemned the government's decision. He said the government had no trust in the universities and they are curtailing the autonomy of the state universities by establishing a common recruitment board. "The government is scared of the intellectual strength of universities like the Osmania University and hence is curtailing their freedom. Education is completely neglected by this government," he said.

"Osmania University has played a very important role in the Telangana Formation movement. We have sacrificed our lives and career for the state. And it will be unfair if the youth of Telangana are not given their due jobs. This decision of the government does not indicate that jobs are meant for Telangana youth," said Rajesh, who also played a key role in the Telangana movement as the President of the Progressive Democratic Students Union.