UGC for ‘separate recruitment commission’ for university
There are innumerable allegations of irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of teachers and officials at every level in the country's public universities. Allegations were even raised against several vice chancellors, the top administrative post, for recruiting their relatives violating rules at different times. The allegations are on the rise.
Many of the allegations of corruption and irregularities that were raised are proving to be true in investigations run by the University Grants Commission (UGC), the body in charge of overseeing higher education in the country. However, no redressal steps are being taken to curb the corruption and irregularities. No action is even being taken against the concerned people except in one or two cases.
In this context, the UGC has proposed to form a “separate appointment commission” for the universities changing the current recruitment system, where the authorities of concerned university recruit the teachers and officials and employees at all levels.
A total of 17 proposals, including constitution of separate appointment commission, were put forth in the annual report the UGC presented to President M Abdul Hamid, the chancellor of all public universities, on 12 January.
The UGC report said national newspapers often carry reports of recruitment of teachers and officials and other employees at universities through nepotism, corruption and irregularities. This damages the image of universities and the government. A separate recruitment commission could be formed with competent people to ensure transparency and accountability.in
The report also proposed that universities come up with policies in keeping with the UGC’s minimum prescribed qualification (MPQ) guidelines for appointing the teachers and officials and employees.
Professor Md. Sazzad Hossain, the editor-in-chief of the annual report and a member of UGC, told Prothom Alo that the separate recruitment commission they recommended could be formed like the existing Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC).
Currently, there are 53 public and 108 private universities in the country, said the UGC report. Over 4.44 million students have been studying in the universities. The number students studying at public universities are over 4.13 million, including the students of he National University. The number of teachers and employees and officials at the public universities is over 52,000, including nearly 15,000 teachers.
UGC said though it sends reports investigating into the allegations of corruptions in recruitments to the education ministry, in most of the cases their proposals are not implemented. That’s why it is important the UGC be empowered to take legal action after its investigations into the allegations of corruption the in recruitment of teachers, officials, employees at universities, admitting additional students, certificate-business, financial irregularities and in the implementation of development projects.
The government has taken steps to establish universities at every district. But crises are emerging even in acquiring land as the country has a high population nd there are no specific guidelines to set up campuses of public universities. That is why the UGC has proposed to compose guidelines to fix the area of land required for the campus of a new university.
The UGC report also put emphasis on preparing an “academic master plan” for each university to ensure international standard education and workforce, with emphasis on ethics.
The University Grants Commission has also recommended introducing a national ranking system as well to ensure international standard education. It said the ranking system could be made taking into consideration the country’s socio-economic condition.
The UGC has also proposed “block chain technology” to stop issuing fake certificates.
Introducing a education loan programme like developed countries for students from poor families, stopping the ongoing evening, weekend, executive and other courses, are some of the other proposals made by the commission.
The UGC made these recommendations though there are allegations that the government does not implement most of the recommendations the commission puts forth in its reports every year.
* The report has been rewritten in English Shameem Reza