Parliamentary Panel raises questions about quality of Ph.D holders in India

NEW DELHI: Raising serious questions about the quality of Ph.D holders in the country, a parliamentary panel has sought an evaluation report to understand why suitable candidates were hard to find for vacant teaching posts.

With over 7,000 research scholars being awarded Ph.D every year, the panel has suggested "reorienting" the entire system of evaluation of Ph.D and other research scholars.

In its report tabled in Parliament last week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on HRD stressed on increasing the number of research fellowships and new schemes for teaching assistantship, taking into account the shortage of teaching faculty in higher educational institutes.

Drawing attention to the quality aspect of Ph.D holders, the committee said they were rolling out of Indian universities like dime a dozen.

"The Committee would like to have an evaluation report, if any, about the quality and standard of Ph.D holders across the country to understand why suitable candidates are difficult to find for the vacant positions. Maybe we need to reorient the entire system of evaluation of Ph.D and other research scholars," it said in its report.

Shortage of faculties in premier institutes such as IITs, IIMs and NITs continues to be grim with no improvement foreseen in the near future, it said.

To address the issue, it suggested that if stricter norms for the appointment of faculty is coming in the way, then UGC and other regulatory bodies should review them on regular basis and bring in necessary changes so as to fill up the vacant posts at the earliest.

" HRD Ministry should take steps to enhance the prestige of the teaching profession," it said.