Tripura Assembly Session Marred by Faculty Strength Questions and Conflict over Minister's Replies

Strategic Insights -

The 13th Tripura Assembly session began with Opposition MLAs questioning the government's decision to reduce the session duration to accommodate Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit. The Treasury and Opposition benches clashed over the perceived lack of regular professors in the state's higher educational institutions. CPI(M) MLA Nayan Sarkar and Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman raised questions about the required faculty strength in colleges and universities, prompting Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman to clarify the situation.

Key Takeaways:

  • The University Grants Commission (UGC) regulation requires a 60:1 student-teacher ratio for general degree colleges, and Tripura needs 1,208 faculty members to meet this criterion.
  • According to the minister, Tripura has 1,279 faculty members, including 461 regular faculty members, 160 Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs), and 654 guest faculty members, exceeding the required strength.
  • For professional degree colleges, the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) guidelines mandate a 30:1 student-teacher ratio, and Tripura has 53 regular faculty members, 15 PGTs, and 39 guest faculty members.
  • The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) guidelines stipulate a 25:1 student-teacher ratio in technical and polytechnic colleges, and Tripura needs 120 regular faculty members.
  • The Northeastern state currently has 143 regular faculty members for institutions in this category.
  • Opposition MLAs questioned the minister's reliance on a 60:1 student-teacher ratio, citing UGC-approved guidelines of a 30:1 ratio.
  • MLA Sarkar expressed concern that the norms are not observed in many places, and the higher education department and Tripura Public Service Commission (TPSC) have different hiring criteria.

Statistics:

  • UKG regulation requires a 60:1 student-teacher ratio for general degree colleges, and Tripura needs 1,208 faculty members to meet this criterion.
  • Tripura has 1,279 faculty members, including 461 regular faculty members, 160 Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs), and 654 guest faculty members.
  • For professional degree colleges, Tripura has 53 regular faculty members, 15 PGTs, and 39 guest faculty members, meeting the required NCTE guidelines.
  • In technical and polytechnic colleges, AICTE guidelines stipulate a 25:1 student-teacher ratio, and Tripura needs 120 regular faculty members.
  • Tripura currently has 143 regular faculty members for technical and polytechnic colleges.

Sources:

  • "CPI(M) MLA Nayan Sarkar and Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman moved questions on the required faculty strength in colleges and universities across the state." (Source: IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd.)
  • "Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman said the University Grants Commission's (UGC) regulation for the minimum student-teacher ratio is 60:1 for general degree colleges, and as per the required criterion, Tripura needs 1,208 faculty members in government colleges." (Source: IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd.)
  • "Minister Kishor Barman also informed that the guidelines of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) stipulate a 25:1 student-teacher ratio in technical and polytechnic colleges." (Source: IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd.)
  • "The Minister then stated that his department was following UGC rules, and if there were some aberrations, the government would address them as well." (Source: IE Online Media Services Pvt. Ltd.)