Existing System of Appointment of College Principals

A Committee, appointed by the University Grants Commission to revisit the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualification for Appointments of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2010 has recommended a period of ten years as the terms of appointment of a college principal, with the eligibility for reappointment for another five years, instead of the present term of five years with the eligibility for reappointment for one more term. The total experience of teaching/research/ administration for the post of Principal, is recommended to be reduced from fifteen years to ten years.

The Revisit Committee has clarified that the teaching/ research/ industry experience for the post of Principal has been reduced from fifteen to ten years to bring the requirement for the post of Principal at par with the requirement for the post of Professor, which as per the extant Regulations is ten years. The post of Principal is at the same grade pay and scale as that of a Professor. The Committee has stated that it is important to recruit dynamic and promising people for the pivotal post of Principal in colleges and reasonably young people who are deserving should not be unduly excluded on account of their age and experience.

These Regulations were issued under clauses (e) & (g) of Section 26 of the UGC Act, 1956. The UGC has power under the Act to issue fresh Regulations or amend the existing ones under clauses (e) & (g) of Section 26 and the approval of the Government is not required.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor in Lok Sabha on Wednesday13-December-2012