It is disconcerting to note that illegal recruitment of teachers and staffs at different public universities continues, depriving meritorious citizen of the country. Reportedly, the appointment of teachers and staffs are done based on nepotism, political identity, and illegal exchange of money.
We have come to know that local political leaders and influential teachers mount pressure on vice-chancellors, pro-vice chancellors, deans and heads of departments of universities, selection committees and syndicates to appoint their applicants. Also, vice-chancellors, pro-vice-chancellors, deans and heads of departments are engaged in recruiting their near and dear ones.
The government should take immediate steps
to free country’s all public universities
from the vested quarters’ influence
It is worth mentioning that on his last day in office on May 6, former Rajshahi University vice-chancellor recruited at least 137 staffers, including nine teachers. Even the vice-chancellor had relaxed the university recruitment rules for appointing his daughter and son-in-law as teachers. But in the face of massive protest and widespread criticism, the education ministry took step on the same day later the RU administration suspended the recruitment process.
On the other hand, within a span of 19 days, Chittagong University authorities allegedly recruited six teachers and seven employees without following the instructions of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Last year in a notice the UGC stated that public universities in the country would not be able to hire ad hoc, daily-based manpower, master rolls without the approval of the UGC. But the fact is that most of public universities do not follow the UGC’s instructions. And this illegal process is diminishing equal scopes for qualified and meritorious applicants to get appointment as teachers or staffs at public universities.
Universities should foster innovation and take advantage of their autonomy to benefit the country and society instead of “recruitment trade”. In this regard, the government will have to take an immediate step to free country’s all public universities from the vested quarters’ influence in order to create a congenial atmosphere at the higher educational institutions.
