Wait for botany, zoology teachers

Gaya: Magadh University has not made any appointments in botany, zoology, political science and history departments even four years after advertising that there were vacancies in colleges and post-graduate departments under it.

Bihar Public Service Commission sources said eligibility disputes have delayed the recruitment process. BPSC, in 2014, advertised 47 posts of assistant professor in political science, 37 in botany, 46 in zoology and 33 in history.
Vacancies were also advertised in physics, chemistry, mathematics, English, philosophy and economics. Whereas appointments have been made in physics, chemistry and English, no appointments have so far been made in botany, zoology, political science and history. BPSC advertised the post of assistant professor in botany and zoology separately as these don’t figure in the list of NET (National Eligibility Test) subjects. UGC documents say botany and zoology are part of the broader Life Sciences that includes microbiology, biotechnology, molecular biology and genetics.

Sources say that some candidates who qualified NET in Life Sciences but did not study either botany or zoology at the PG level, were not short-listed. Such candidates filed a writ petition in court and obtained an order directing the recruitment agency not to recommend names till the eligibility issue was resolved.

Similarly, candidates who have cleared NET in public administration have staked claim to political science, history and Ancient History, though these different subjects do not figure separately in the list of subjects for which national level eligibility tests are held.

Magadh University vice-chancellor Prof Qamar Ahsan said the university had no role to play in the recruitments. “Appointments will be made as and when recommendations are received from the BPSC, the agency that advertised the post,” Ahsan said.

According to Prof Ranjit Verma, former professor of chemistry at MU and the present vice-chancellor of Munger University, several states have adopted a flexible recruitment criteria to promote inter-disciplinary mobility and an integrated approach to higher education. He was not aware of the details associated with the ongoing recruitment process in the state, said Verma, an expert on UGC rules

Courtesy: The Telegraph