Patna: Governor-cum-chancellor Syed Ata Hasnain on Saturday constituted a high-level committee to review and recommend reforms in the recruitment process for assistant professors in Bihar’s universities, a move that could affect thousands of aspiring teachers.The panel has been formed following an agreement reached on Aug 24 between the governor and students staging a hunger strike under the banner of the All PhD Holders and Research Association. It has been tasked with examining the existing recruitment system and suggesting specific measures to make it more transparent, fair and effective.The committee’s formation assumes significance as nearly 10,000 assistant professor posts are expected to be filled across higher education institutions in the state.The panel comprises retired IAS officers Amarjeet Sinha and Sanjay Kumar, Padma Shri awardee H C Verma, and P K Roy. Sanjay Kumar, additional secretary (universities) in the governor’s secretariat, will serve as member secretary.The committee will review key aspects of faculty recruitment, including the upper age limit, academic qualifications and eligibility criteria, the examination and interview process, and the weightage assigned to various assessment parameters.It will also examine issues concerning guest faculty members and other matters relating to the fairness and effectiveness of the recruitment system.The panel has been directed to submit its report to Lok Bhavan within 90 days of the notification. The report is expected to contain clear findings and actionable recommendations.With thousands of teaching posts likely to be filled in the coming months, the committee’s recommendations could play a crucial role in shaping university recruitment in Bihar and ensuring greater transparency, fairness and academic merit in future appointments.
