Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 2 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh University Teachers Welfare Association (HPUTWA) on Wednesday staged a protest against the proposed changes in the recruitment process in six state universities, under which the appointment of teachers is proposed to be conducted through the Public Service Commission.
Several senior professors and teachers participated in the protest and expressed their opposition to the proposed legislation, which was introduced in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
Addressing the protest, HPUTWA president Nitin Vyas expressed strong concern over the proposed Bill, saying it could weaken the autonomy, institutional identity and academic freedom of universities.
He said recruitment was an important component of university autonomy and transferring the process to an external authority would raise serious concerns about the future functioning of universities.
Vyas said that if universities were increasingly required to obtain external approvals not only for strategic decisions but also for routine administrative and academic matters, it could lead to unnecessary delays, reduce academic flexibility and affect the participation of teachers in institutional decision-making.
Such a situation could have an adverse impact on teaching, research and innovation, he claimed.
The HPUTWA said autonomy and accountability were not contradictory and that allegations of irregularities should be addressed through impartial investigations, audits, evidence-based assessments and due legal processes.
However, it said limiting the powers and autonomy of all autonomous universities based on alleged irregularities in some institutions would not be appropriate.
The association also linked the current issue with its long-standing demand concerning the implementation of the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS), saying that both CAS and university autonomy were not merely service-related matters but were connected with academic dignity, professional respect, institutional independence and the future of universities.
The protest also raised questions over the recognition of academic qualifications and achievements, including PhD degrees, research publications, research experience and academic contributions.
The association questioned the relevance of advanced academic qualifications if such credentials and achievements were not given due weightage in career progression and recruitment.
"Knowledge, research, merit, innovation and academic excellence are the foundation of higher education, and policies should strengthen these values," the association said.
HPUTWA secretary Ankush Bhardwaj said, “The proposed legislation was not merely an issue concerning a particular university or organisation.”
He said, “Any move to weaken university autonomy and recruitment powers could have implications for the entire higher education system.”
Bhardwaj appealed to teachers and employees to remain united and protect their rights through democratic and constitutional means. (ANI)
Teachers Association protests against proposed changes to recruitment at Himachal University
