Sri Vijaya Puram, July 3: Shri Bishnu Pada Ray, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Andaman & Nicobar Islands has expressed concern regarding the recent move by the A&N Administration to constitute a fresh panel for the appointment of Guest Faculty in Government Degree Colleges across the Islands, without giving due preference to the long-serving existing faculty members.
In his official communication to the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, MP Mr. Ray has urged the Administration to reconsider its decision in the interest of fairness, equity and continuity. He highlighted that several experienced local Guest Faculty members, who have been rendering commendable service across premier institutions such as JNRM, ANCOL, MGGC, TGCE and DBRAIT for over a decade, now face the threat of displacement due to a new selection process that disregards their years of service and commitment.
MP Ray stated that these faculty members have been working under challenging conditions on annual contracts, receiving minimal honorarium in the initial years, solely driven by their dedication to higher education in the Islands. Despite low salaries and limited facilities, they have continuously contributed to the academic development of thousands of students.
The MP emphasized that with the implementation of UGC-recommended remuneration norms from 2023 onwards most of these faculty members now fulfill the required qualifications, including NET and Ph.D. However, the new panel formation criteria proposed by the Administration do not accord any weightage to their teaching experience or prior service. Describing the move as “arbitrary and regressive,” MP Ray noted that the selection is now solely based on academic scores and demo performances (especially for B.Ed. colleges), which demoralizes the contribution of long-serving faculty and opens the door for outsiders from the mainland to displace them purely on marks.
In conclusion, MP Ray has made an appeals to the Administration (a) Re-examine the decision to invite fresh applications for Guest Faculty empanelment without preference to experienced serving faculty (b) Ensure that existing faculty who meet UGC norms and have served without adverse remarks are given first preference for reappointment, as per past practice, until regular recruitment is carried out.