During a session of the Tripura Assembly, Higher Education Minister Kishor Barman provided details concerning faculty strength across the state’s government colleges, referencing guidelines from various national bodies.
For general degree colleges, the University Grants Commission (UGC) mandates a 60:1 student-teacher ratio, indicating a requirement for 1,208 faculty members. The minister reported that the state currently employs 1,279 faculty, which includes 461 regular faculty, 160 Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs), and 654 guest faculty members, exceeding the total required figure.
In professional degree colleges, National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) guidelines stipulate a 30:1 student-teacher ratio. Based on this, 46 regular faculty members are needed. Tripura’s professional colleges have 53 regular faculty, 15 PGTs, and 39 guest faculty members.
For institutions under the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), 120 regular faculty members are required. The state currently has 143 regular faculty in this category.
Minister Barman also stated that while the overall faculty count surpasses requirements, UGC guidelines specifically call for 1,208 regular faculty members. He added that operating colleges with a significant reliance on guest faculty members is considered tantamount to not fully adhering to these UGC guidelines.
Source: indianexpress.com