Quotas fail to break caste ceiling in IITs

Akshaya Mukul, TNN | Sep 12, 2012, 03.43AM IST 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Quotas-fail-to-break-caste-ceiling-in-IITs/articleshow/16359564.cms

NEW DELHI: If SCs/STs are abysmally under-represented as faculty members in central universities despite the stated policy of reservation in promotion, their presence in premier IITs is equally marginal. That there is no quota in promotion in IITs makes it even worse, leaving little room for them to occupy senior positions. IITs have reservation only at the entry level of assistant professor. 

While many IITs replied to RTI activist Mahendra Pratap Singh, IIT-Delhi and Bombay are yet to give their response. Another query to the Prime Minister's Office about social profile of scientists in the laboratories of Central Scientific & Industrial Research has not evinced any reply. 

IIT-Kharagpur, among the oldest, has only three SC professors, two associate professors and two assistant professors. There are no ST faculty members at all three levels. There are two OBC professors and seven assistant professors, but no associate professor. However, in the general category, there are 227 professors, 105 associate and 165 assistant professors. 

IIT-Madras, among the best in its ilk, has three SC professors, three associate professors and four assistant professors. Again, STs are unrepresented in two categories. A lone ST is assistant professor. Even OBCs are not there at the level of professor and associate professor, but there are seven assistant professors. 

Considering that Tamil Nadu has been the hotbed of social movement, under-representation of marginal castes and STs is intriguing. From the general category there are 212 professors, 91 associate professors and 177 assistant professors. 

Moving to the north to IIT-Roorkee, and the situation still does not change. Among the best in the world as a civil engineering institute, Roorkee has only one SC professor and associate professor. There are six SC and one ST assistant professor. OBCs are better placed in Roorkee with 11 professors, 11 associate professors and seven assistant professors. Among general category, there are 120 professors, 57 associate professors and 133 assistant professors. 

With representation so skewed in well-established IITs, new ones can hardly be blamed for not getting enough eligible SC/ST teachers. IIT-Ropar has absolutely no representation from SCs/STs at any position. There are two OBC assistant professors. IIT-Hyderabad has 12 SC, six ST and 22 OBC assistant professors. In IIT-Gandhinagar, there are only two OBC assistant professors, while SCs/STs have no representation at the three levels.

Marginal representation of SC-STs in IITs

No SC/ST professors in JNU, DU despite promotion quota

Akshaya Mukul, TNN | Sep 10, 2012, 01.51AM IST

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=CAP/2012/09/10&PageLabel=8&EntityId=Ar00801&ViewMode=HTML

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Banaras Hindu University and Allahabad University, all of them directly under the HRD ministry, do not have a single SC/ST professor despite the policy of quota in promotions. 

Moreover, DU and JNU don’t have a single SC/ST associate professor (reader). 

BHU has three SC associate professors, not a single one from the ST category and 112 SC and 30 ST assistant professors (lecturers) which is the entry level post. In JNU, there are 25 SC and 10 ST assistant professors. However, it does not have a single SC/ST research scientist. Allahabad University has just one SC associate professor, STs again drawing a blank. At the lecturer level, Allahabad University has 15 SC and two STs. 

Absence of SCs/STs at the higher levels despite a policy of reservation in promotion is not confined to these four universities. An RTI query to University Grants Commission, JNU and BHU by Banaras-based Mahendra Pratap Singh revealed a similar situation in 31 central universities across India. 

In November 2011, O N Srivastava of BHU's department of physics wrote to vice-chancellor Lalji Singh arguing that reservation be given only at the entry level. This, he argued, would keep the “academic profile/glamour/ reputation of the university intact”. He also said reservation be given subject/department-wise. Srivastava’s contention was in direct contravention of UGC’s guidelines of 2006 that told all universities to resist from giving department-wise reservation which often resulted in creation of single posts to avoid quota. 

Immediately after Srivastava’s letter, BHU set up a committee under S C Lakhotia of the zoology department to review reservation criteria in recruitment. The committee said there should be no reservation at the level of associate professor and professor. The committee said since BHU was an institute of national importance, it was exempted from reservation for posts higher than the entry level. The panel cited Central Educational Institutions (Reservations in Admission) Act, 2007, to make this point. However,the Act gives exemption only to institutes of excellence and even lists them in the annexure. BHU, DU, JNU and Allahabad University are not part of them. 

Promotion quota from ’95 if law passed T he Centre proposes to implement reservation in promotion for SCs and STs in government jobs with retrospective effect from June 1995, according to the Bill introduced in the Rajya Sabha during the monsoon session. “It is also necessary to give retrospective effect to the proposed clause (4A) of Article 16 with effect from the date of coming into force of that clause as originally introduced, that is, from the 17th day of June, 1995,” the Bill states. This means that the measure will come into effect from 1995 when the Constitution was amended for the purpose of providing reservation in promotions for SCs/STs. AGENCIES 

SC/ST teaching posts are lying vacant in Central Universities

HT Correspondent
Lucknow, August 28, 2012

Most of the posts reserved for teachers from the scheduled caste(SC) and scheduled tribe(ST) categories are lying vacant in the central universities not only in the state alone but in other places also. A case in point is the Banaras Hindu University(BHU). A reply by the University Grants 

 

Commission(UGC) to a Right to Information Act(RTI) plea reveals that out of the 169 sanctioned posts reserved for teachers from the ST category 139 are lying vacant. As for the SC category, the university has 362 sanctioned posts out of which 247 are vacant. Lucknow based activist Mahendra Pratap Singh had filed the RTI plea in this regard.

The situation is even worse in the Aligarh Muslim University(AMU). Here 97 posts have been sanctioned for the STs and 208 for the SCs. The university however hasn't hired even one teacher from the ST category and only two teachers from the SC categories.

In the Allahabad University, only two of the sanctioned 57 posts for STs have been filled. For SCs, the university has 123 sanctioned posts of which only 16 have been filled.

The situation is comparatively better at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University(BBAU) in Lucknow. Here four out of nine sanctioned ST posts are filled. In the SC category, 16 out of 20 posts are filled. In fact, the figures show that nearly one third of the total sanctioned posts for STs have been filled in 31 central universities across the country. As for SC posts, the data auggests that only 30% are filled.

Of the total 998 sanctioned ST posts only 359 have been filled. For the SCs, out of 2139 sanctioned posts only 643(30%) have been filled. As per the norms, the SCs should constitute 15% and STs 7% of the teachers in the central universities. The central universities in Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu stand at a better position with the institutions filling up more than 90% of the vacancies for the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes.

5362 Teaching posts are vacant in Central Univerities

1580 Crore expenditure incurred in GANGA, last 27 years

UP lags behind in Ganga conservation programme: TOI

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/UP-lags-behind-in-Ganga-conservation-programme/articleshow/14918729.cms

UP lags behind in Ganga conservation programme

LUCKNOW: UP is the biggest beneficiary of the Central funds for conservation of the Ganga, but the state is a slow performer when compared to the works undertaken by other states for saving the national river.
The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has sanctioned projects worth Rs 2,598.47 crore under the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) to UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar and West Bengal.
Though UP has got maximum funds - Rs 1,341.60 crore -- from the Centre's kitty for pollution abatement works on the Ganga, the state's progress is slow on the sanctioned projects. Sewage Treatment Plants of 313 mld capacity have to be set up in UP, which is the maximum capacity among all the beneficiary states.
Contrarily, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttrakhand, which have bagged lesser funds, are making better progress.
The National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) under MoEF revealed the facts and figures on NGRBA in response to a query by an RTI seeker Mahendra Pratap Singh.
NGRBA has been in existence for the past three years. The Centre had set up the authority in September 2009 to give Ganga-conservation the needed impetus. The Centre government released funds to UP, Uttrakhand, Bihar and WB between 2009 and 2011 for the development of sewer networks, sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, electric creamtoria, community toilets and river fronts.
In UP, projects have been sanctioned for Allahabad, Varanasi, Garmukteshwar, Kannauj and Moradabad (Ramganga) stretch of the river. The projects include installing sewerage systems and STPs, development of ghats and making community toilet complexes.
The present status of most of the works, however, is 'under implementation'. The state got seven projects sanctioned for Ganga conservation. The state has started work on five projects, but is yet to begin work on two projects. For the development of area under Assi ghat in Varanasi, state twice invited tenders but no response was received.
The other states, however, have made noticeable progress. West Bengal, which got funds released around the same time and for similar projects, has made 75-100% progress on most of the projects. The state was sanctioned 27 projects in 23 towns and has started work on 21 projects while Bihar has started work on all the four sanctioned projects.
These projects are funded on 70:30 cost sharing basis between the Centre and states. The projects, once functional, will have a sewage treatment facility of 465 million litres per day (mld). UP Jal Nigam is an implementing agency in UP.
The industrial pockets in the catchments of Ramganga and Kali rivers and in Kanpur city are significant sources of industrial pollution. The tanneries in Kanpur, distilleries, paper mills and sugar mills in the Kosi, Ramganga and Kali river catchments are also major contributors.
In the Ganga basin, about 12,000 mld sewage is generated, for which presently there is a treatment capacity of only 4,000 mld. A project with World Bank assistance for abatement of pollution in the river at an estimated cost of Rs 7,000 crore was approved in April 2011. The World Bank approved the project proposal in May 2011. The Centre's share will be Rs 5,100 crore while that of Uttarakhand, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and WB will be Rs 1,900 crore.

UGC witheld the GRANT of BHU: Document sought under RTI Act 2005

Tortoise walk in filling up the Backlogs: A Report by PROJECT VIJAY

Project Vijay is a youth cantered social organisation registered under the Society Act. Project Vijay officials deeply studied about the present status of the teaching staff (Professor, Associate Professor, Reader, Lecturer & others) in the Central Universities of India. They even talked with the teaching staff of the different central universities, thereafter got the factual data under RTI Act 2005 regarding the same from different universities and UGC. The position /condition of SCs, STs or OBCs Professors, Associate Professors, Readers and Assistant Professors that was received in replies to these queries are quite surprising and deplorable. As per the data received therefrom is that even 1.26% (Approx) post of Professor under SC/ST category is not filled in these Central Universities so far.

Information provided by UGC under RTI Act 2005, Reference No. F.25-23/2009(CU) dated 01.07.2010  total existing teaching strength of 24 Universities as on 31.03.2009 indicating the no. of positions filled up against SC,ST, OBC and PH quota

Name of The Post	Sanctioned Post	Existing Strength	No. of Positions
TEACHING			SC	ST	OBC	PWD
Professor	1864	1977	14	11	6	4
Reader	3533	2568	38	23	12	5
SL/SG		647	34	24	4	0
Lecturer	6688	2642	372	223	81	32
Other	649	567	12	8	1	0
Total	12734	8401	470	289	104	41

Next the information Provided by UGC under RTI Act 2005, Reference No. F. No. 8-27/2011 (SCT)  dated 01.12.2011  Category-wise positions of total no. of Teaching Posts of 24 Universities: 2010-2011

Name of The Post	Number Sanctioned	Number Filled	Out of total filled					Number Required as per central Reservation Policy 15% SC, 7.5%ST of Posts Sanct.		Backlog		Vacant Post
TEACHING			Gen	SC	ST	OBC	PWD	SC	ST	SC	ST
Professor	1688	928	759	24	5	2	6	253	130	229	125	760
Reader	3298	2050	1601	90	26	23	8	494	248	404	222	1248
Lecturer	4921	3382	2605	399	172	170	43	740	369	341	197	1539

It appears as if the central universities are reluctant to fill up these vacant posts as is very much evident from the above data of 24 Universities that  in the year 2009 there were 14 Professors (Vide letter no. F.25-23/2009 (CU) dated 01.07.2010) which increased to only 24 Professors in 2011 (Vide letter no. F.No. 8-27/2011 (SCT) dated 01.12.2011) as provided by UGC.

The Indian Constitution was adopted in Jan 1950. From that very time participation of SC/ST was ensured according to the various Constitutional provisions as is evident in the Constitution of India page 50 Article 16(4)(b), according to which there are provisions of reservation in promotion also. The UPA Govt. formed in 2004 also promised in its Common Minimum Programme that special recruitment drive shall be done to fill up the vacant posts of SCs/STs/OBCs,  in the compliance of which Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pension, Govt. of India has issued these no. of notifications:

·         F. No. 36038/1/2008-Estt (Res) Date: 19.11.2008

§  Subject: Special Recruitment Drive for filling up the backlog reserved vacancies of SCs, STs and OBCs.

·         OM No. 36011/6/2010-Estt (Res) Dated 25.06.2010

§  Subject: Issue of instructions on Reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in services under the Government of India

·         OM No. 36038/1/2008-Estt-Estt (Res) Dated 30.12.2010

§  Subject: Special Recruitment Drive for filling up backlog reserved vacancies for SCs, STs and OBCs

·         DO No. 36038/1/2008-Estt (Res) Dated 10.06.2011

·         OM No. 36038/1/2008 Estt (Res) Dated 26.07.2011

§  Subject: Re-launch of Special Recruitment Drive for filling up backlog reserved vacancies for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.

·         OM No. 36027/1/2012 Estt. (Res) Dated 03.02.2012

§  Annual  Report regarding Representation of SCs, STs, OBCs and Person with Disability in the central Government Services as on 1.1.2012

·         OM No. 36038/1/2008-Estt (Res) Dated 09.04.2012

§  Special Recruitment Drive for filling up backlog reserved vacancies for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes - reg.

Inspite of all these OMs the participation of SC/ST Professors is about 1.26% (Approx) i.e. equal to nil. Neither by fresh recruitment nor by promotion, these vacant posts are being filled despite various orders of GOI.

Department of Personnel & Training, Ministry of Personnel, P.G. & Pension, Govt. of India orders are mere a showoff in these universities as these orders are never implemented.  Project Vijay tried to seek the information of daily progress report of one of the above mentioned OM dated 30.12.2010 & special recruitment drive for filling up the backlog reserved vacancies from Asia’s no. 1 University  Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi under RTI Act 2005 on 29.11.2011, it was replied from BHU vide letter no. AA/VI-RAC/219 dated 29.12.2011 that “no such office memorandum no. 36038/1/2008-Estt-Estt dated December, 2010 has been received by this office, further no  Special Recruitment Drive for filling up the backlog reserved vacancies for SCs/STs and OBCs teaching post has been advertised”,  and that “no Special Recruitment Drive has been advertised to fill up SC/ST or OBC teaching positions” was also verified by the Deputy Registrar, Recruitment & Assessment Cell, Office of the Registrar (Administration), BHU vide letter ref. no. AA/VI-RAC/265 dated 11/22.02.2012.  And if anytime the posts are advertised then also these are not filled, for which various pleas are adopted to keep away the deprived class from occupying the deserving posts and promotional posts as under:

·   No eligible candidate possessing minimum essential qualification, as advertised, was available.

·   The Selection Committee found no candidate suitable for selection

·   No applications were received.       

which is evident vide letter of Deputy Registrar, Recruitment & Assessment Cell, Office of the Registrar (Administration), BHU addressed to Research Officer National Commission for Scheduled Castes, vide letter ref. no. AA/VI-RAC/819 dated 17.012012.

The most pitiable condition in the same University is in the post of Professor (SC/ST)where they figure nil in the open category. Such discriminating attitude crosses limit where actual sanctioned posts of Professor reserved for SC vide letter Ref. No. AA/VI-RAC/304 dated 17.09.2010 was 52, which was reduced to 51 vide letter no. no. AA/VI-RAC/819 dated 17.01.2012, where this one post has been accumulated/omitted/lost/dereserved ?  better be asked from the university authorities. Whereas as per the data provided by UGC under RTI Act 2005, Reference No. F. No. 8-27/2011 (SCT) dated 01.12.2011 the total sanctioned post of Professor is 345 and the no. of total filled is 171 and that too all goes to the General category only, moreover the present status of General Professor is 594 (including CAS) provided by BHU vide ref no. AB/Teaching/RTI-MPS/3650 dated 25/26.02.2011.

BHU is seeking permission from the Chief Election Commission, New Delhi for advertisement of the vacant post whereas many Central govt. institutions and others have already advertised the backlog positions. It makes clear their intention and unwillingness to fill the backlog.

Above all, a committee has been constituted in BHU, Varanasi to review the reservation criteria applicable in recruitment's for various posts of the University, in the light of  Supreme Court order SC 1095(1997) and GOI/UGC norms. If such is the condition of Asia’s no. 1 university i.e. Banaras Hindu University, then the condition of the other universities is easily understood.

In the light of the above facts it is very clear that the various reserved posts of Assistant Professors, Reader, Associate Professors and Professors are lying vacant & unfilled so far whereas the General category posts are filled in excess to that of posts sanctioned which is totally unjustified & illegal too. The matter be thoroughly investigated and the Backlog posts be filled up. To curv such anomalities following are suggestive:

·         To give a fillip to the matter, the reservation policy be given a shape of Law whose enforcement would be binding by all Govt. departments and non-compliance of which would be punishable.

·         The organisations or the social units engaged to work for the cause of appointment and promotion in central and state level must be given recognition and the recommendations and suggestions of these welfare units should be well considered.

·         The participation of SC/ST/OBC in Executive Council in various universities should also be made at par with General Category by following reservation policy.

·         A body at national level should be constituted to watch and guard against the non- implementation of reservation policy and the universities should be forced to submit its annual report with regards to the advertisement of various vacant posts, their fulfillment and the standing status every year without fail in the super vision of National Commission for Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes.

·         The universities defying the various orders of Central Govt. and UGC for the safeguard of the weaker section of the society should be denied any grant or monitory sanction at all level

Keeping all these facts in view the authorities concerned are requested to take necessary and prompt action in this matter so that participation of deprived section be ensured to a satisfactory level in all the Central Universities of India.

PROJECT VIJAY is making an effort to lessen the discrepancy by requesting the Government get the backlog filled at the earliest.