Promotion: excellence is the hall mark, what about NIPER ?

19 failed PGI faculty get another chance for growth

Shimona Kanwar, TNN Dec 27, 2012, 06.39AM IST There is still a ray of hope for 19 faculty members at the PGI who were not selected following a new criteria for promotion implemented last year. During a meeting convened under the chairmanship of Dr V M Katoch, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research, Delhi, it was agreed to reconsider their case. Confirming this, he said, "We will certainly give them a chance as they had represented their matter. But their case has to be passed by the governing body which is the approving authority."

An expert committee headed by Katoch, who is also the secretary of the department of health research, Government of India, had amended the norms for promotions for the faculty. These 'failed' members were considered unfit for promotion by the selection committee headed by Katoch. It was revised to give more emphasis on publications in renowned journals and the number of grants. Following the new scheme for promotion, the grants increased from Rs 14 to Rs 25 crore in a year.

Earlier, after four years, an assistant professor was promoted to associate professor. It took another four years to become additional professor and another seven years to be a full-time professor. This was the 4, 4, 7 scheme of promotion. To encourage early promotions on basis of research work, the government of India initiated 3, 3, 4 instead. Also, the salary according to the sixth pay commission has been increased three times. But the central government wanted quality work. "There was a meeting with the ICMR head during the alumni meet. We are not sure of the results, but these faculty have challenged the selection scheme. They have contested that there are few who have been promoted not following the revised norms," said Dr Ritesh Agarwal, general secretary, faculty association, PGI.


On the contrary most of the NIPER promotion is doled out to undeserving faculty and staff members. A case is pending in Punjab and Haryana High-Court challenging promotion of NIPER faculty members