[LIS-Forum] Casting away the NET

Dear Friends the arguments of the academician friends does not have any logic and they are not confident of their product at research degrees like M.Phil or Ph.D.,

NET is a benefit of chance in answering one exam If Universities are not sure of the generating good quality M.Phil and quality Ph.D., then let them work out achieving good quality at that level not to leave it to the benefit of chance in one exam . the argument to hang on to NET is a stupidity and doubt on their own M.phil and Ph.D., there argument is like they are through and they don't want others to be through

May be I am little harsh, conducting too many exam is not a solution and can not create a research culture or academic bent, making the students to work better in research degrees can create better culture With regards Dr.H.S.Siddamalliah

----- Original Message ----- From: "raja ram" To: "nmlis" ; "lis" ; "corporatelibrns Moderator" Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 4:40 PM Subject: [nmlis] Casting away the NET

Casting away the NET

The NET seems to be on its way out. But academics have their

reservations about this development. It is now official. The University Grants Commission (UGC) has declared

that the National Eligibility Test (NET) it conducts for identifying

potential teachers in colleges and universities will no longer be an

eligibility criterion for those with an M.Phil. and/or a doctoral degree.

On May 16, the Commission chairman announced that the interim report of

the Balchandra Mungekar Committee, which was set up by the Ministry of

Human Resource Development in November 2005 to suggest ways to revamp

the NET and to find out whether the NET was needed at all as an

eligibility criterion to teach in institutions of higher learning, has been accepted in principle.

Report recommendation

The interim report recommends that those with an M.Phil. may be

exempted from having to clear the NET for teaching in undergraduate courses and that those with a Ph.D. need not have a NET for teaching postgraduate courses.

This announcement has caused dismay among many academicians in Kerala.

Many teachers who spoke to The Hindu-Educationplus said they saw this

announcement as the beginning of the end of the NET. While these

academics are firm in their view that the NET as it exists today is pretty much useless, they are also equally firm in the belief that a

national-level test of some sort in unavoidable if quality teachers are to be appointed in the nation's universities and colleges.

Dissenting voices

"This is wrong step," says K. Sasikumar, professor, Department of

Commerce, University of Kerala. "It will open the floodgates of mediocrity as far as selecting good teachers is concerned. Now, in this university anyone with 55 per cent marks for the postgraduate examination can sign up for M.Phil. and everyone who registers for Ph.D. gets a doctoral degree. There is no such thing as turning down a thesis. There is no evaluation by a foreign expert."

"Now, after this announcement, there is going to be a huge rush for

M.Phil. courses," points out R. Mohankumar, general secretary of the All Kerala Private College Teachers' Association. He says the UGC has always been inconsistent in taking a stand, vis-à-vis exemptions from the NET.

"In 1993, 1998, 2000 and in 2002, the UGC's position regarding who can

be exempted from the NET kept on shifting. Is there a hidden agenda in

this? There must be. Otherwise why these constant changes? If for some

subjects, due to shortage of NET-qualified hands, some exemption needs

to be given, fine. But a blanket exemption for all M.Phil. holders and

Ph.D. holders? No that cannot be accepted. That is bad news for quality

teaching," he says.

Mr. Mohankumar adds that he is with those who argue that this move of

the UGC is aimed at regularising the services of hundreds, if not

thousands, of part-time/contract lecturers in colleges across the country who have not cleared the NET but have M.Phil. and are seeking to get a Ph.D.

Flawed decision

There are also those who feel that the Mungekar committee could have

better employed its time and energy by trying to reform and broad-base

the NET. Head of the Department of Law University of Kerala N. K.

Jayakumar is among those who firmly believe that the very concept of

M.Phil. and Ph.D. to the career of a teacher is flawed.

"A good teacher need not be a good researcher and a good researcher

need not know how to teach. We see that happening all the time. Sure you should have a test to see gauge the teaching skills of a person. The method adopted by the National Law School Bangalore is very good in this respect. Now, with this announcement by the UGC, there is going to be a spurt in

In continuation to the debate on NET/SET/MPhil/Ph.D. If, Librarians (not in teaching profession) are categorised under NON TEACHING faculty by many colleges, why they should clear NET / SET exam that is basically designed for teaching faculty ? Librarians attached to academic institute libraries are not teaching in their practice. Is it only to ensure UGC scale ? If it is so, how many fellow colleagues who cleared NET exam are really getting UGC scale in private colleges ? And also I believe for teaching professionals in library science (in Universities) they should have one more Master's degree apart from MLISc and NET clearance. Is it the same case with other disciplines also ? Why there is a double standard for Library Science professionals ? Satish S Munnolli Librarian Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC) Tata Memorial Centre Sector 22, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai 410 208 India Ph : +91 22 2740 5026 Fax : +91 22 2740 5085 Email : smunnolli@actrec.res.in ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dr.H.S.Siddmallaiah" To: "nmlis" ; "lis" ; "corporatelibrns Moderator" ; "raja ram" Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 10:01 PM Subject: [LIS-Forum] Re: [nmlis] Casting away the NET linking the

number of M.Phils. being offered by colleges. In no time there will also be M.Phil. in the distance education mode. Then all those people are going to try and become teachers. What will happen to these people if in the future the NET - in another form - becomes

compulsory," Dr. Jayakumar asks.

Broad-basing NET

Former Vice-Chairman of the UGC V. N. Rajasekharan Pillai too says the

need of the hour is to try and revamp the NET instead of seeking to do

away with it. As a teacher he says he is strongly in favour of having a

nation-wide eligibility test in some form. " The NET can be broad-based

so as to assess teaching capability and aptitude," he told The

Hindu-Education plus over phone from Kottayam.Right from the time the Mungekar Committee was set up, Dr. Pillai had

argued that the best way ahead would be to have a NET that allows for

trans-disciplinary eligibility; so that a candidate who clear the NET for English can also teach such subjects as communicative English,

linguistics or journalism.

Many in the academic community say they would not be surprised if the

Mungekar Committee in its final report recommends that the NET be done

away with. "All these things should be done after a nation-wide debate

among academics and by a five-member committee," points out Mr.

Mohankumar, "such decisions can affect the lives and future of thousands of students."

G. MAHADEVAN Source: The Hindu, Education plus , kerala.

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