Patna: Governor-cum-chancellor Syed Ata Hasnain has directed the vice-chancellors (VCs) of different universities in the state to ensure teachers strictly adhere to their assigned workload, aiming to improve academic standards and maintain discipline on the campus. The directive highlights a focus on regular teaching, attendance and compliance with the academic calendar.In a letter addressed to the VCs, the chancellor’s secretariat has stated that the VCs must ensure that teachers adhere to their mandated workload so that the academic activities of colleges and departments are not neglected.Referring to the ‘statute for teaching days and assessment of workload’ promulgated by the chancellor on 29 June 2005, which lays down the minimum workload for the teachers of universities and colleges, the chancellor observed that a reasonable workload is sine qua non of academic excellence and in the larger public and academic interest.Hasnain reiterated that all teachers, in full-time employment of the universities, have to mandatorily attend classes for a minimum of five hours per day, subject to not less than 40 hours in a week. Further, these daily and weekly workload norms are subject to the condition that such minimum workload must be obtained for at least 30 weeks (180 working days) in an academic year, he said.The chancellor further stated that the applicable UGC regulations also stipulate the workload for teachers along almost identical lines. “The UGC regulations have the force of law and are binding in nature in keeping with the scheme of UGC Act, 1956 and a host of judgments of the Supreme Court,” he said, adding that these workload norms must be strictly enforced across the universities and colleges so as to ensure good academic output by the faculty members.
