Teachers & Students : General Issues 13.13.0 Teachers have to play a crucial role in the process of social transformation. They have to shoulder complex tasks as active participants in national development. It is in this context that the social status of teachers, the material conditions of their life, and the environment of their work have significance.
An indicator of the status that a professional enjoys is the influence that members of his profession are perceived to exert on the people and the society in general. A large proportion of teachers today do not feel that they exert any significant influence, on the community and still less in the society generally. Indeed, many members of the teaching profession feel that the image of their profession is either unfavorable or indifferent. Nevertheless, most of the teachers feel that they wield considerable influence over students and that they shape the values and characters of the students.
Economic benefits, job security and freedom of work are
316
generally perceived as necessary conditions for improvement in the social status of teachers. However, increase in material benefits id not sufficient. Cultivation of professional competence, capacity to inspire and motivate students, devotion to, duty, good scholarship and academic record, and quest for knowledge and excellence are all equally significant. Unless the level of professional competence does not rise alongwith betterment of material conditions, the status of teachers will not improve. Pursuit of excellence and establishment of reputation as a teacher go a long way in giving high status to teachers even if material benefits are not at par with other professions.
Teachers' Welfare 13.14.0 Conducive working conditions and environment are necessary for improving teacher effectiveness; however, provision of various welfare facilities for them are just as necessary. These should include
- Office-room for individual teachers with adequate provisions for interaction with students, staff lounges, departmental libraries etc.
- Residential quarters at reasonable rent
- Facilities for community/corporate life including cultural and recreational facilities
- Medical facilities
-Travel facilities for visiting libraries and other advanced academic centres, industrial establishments, etc. including participation in conferences, seminars, etc.
Teachers' Participation in Management 13.15.0 Teachers should be provided with opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities that are crucial to the growth and development of the institutions they serve. Participation in such activities as preparation of the institutional plans, strategic; planning, curriculum design and development, preparation of academic regulations, etc. should be activities in which teachers play significant role. The involvement of teachers in these functional areas should be fostered through conducive structures and work environment. Such involvement then will lead to a meaningful participation of teachers in decision making and implementation of the programmes. From this point of view, a more comprehensive role- assignment of teachers is necessary
In specific terms, participation of teachers should be encouraged in :
317
- Planning and resource mobilisation, curriculum design and development, formulation of institutional strategies for development, etc. They should be represented on Committees, Boards, etc. involved in the consideration of these issues.
- Teachers representation on Executive Council, Senate (Court) and other principal decision-making bodies should be considered as essential to provide the necessary academic input in the deliberations of these bodies.
- Teachers should be represented on bodies which consider matters like teachers' welfare, their, conditions of service, and their grievance redressal mechanisms.
- It should be advisable if appointments at the level of Pro-Vice-Chancellors, functional Deans/Directors, Registrars, etc. are made from amongst teachers to ensure functional linkages between the academics and the administration.
Questions concerning teacher participation in management and their representation on decision-making bodies have generally centred around such issues as democratic representation like elections. Views have been expressed against elected representation as it has introduced on the campuses an element of political activism and of ten situations of conflict and confrontations. While elected representation might be welcomed where healthy competition can be ensured, other modes of representation, namely, seniority by rotation or nomination etc. might also be considered.
Teacher Mobility 13.16.0 Mobility of teachers should be encouraged both within the education system as well as between the education system and other related sectors. To ensure this mobility, the conditions of service of teachers should provide for protection of their past services and provision for transfer of the benefits of such services while moving from one institution to another and from the education sector to other sectors.,
Students 13.17.0 Education, particularly higher education, seeks, to develop among students qualities of initiative, leadership and a spirit of service to the community. With the 18 year old becoming voters, they have become active participants in our political life. It is necessary that this participation is conditioned by maturity of outlook, capacity for-good judgement, and the sensibility that discerns values. While' students have the right of dissent, they should exercise the same in democratic ways.
318
Higher education should provide opportunities to students to cultivate these concerns. Students should Play a leading role in the Organisation of corporate life, cultural activities, games and sports, academic societies, hostel committees. etc.
In order to provide a direction and sense of purpose to student participation in the corporate life of institutions, State level Committees could be set up to consider the following issues:
- The approach to higher education in the universities and colleges
- The academic programmes of general significance
- The Organisation and programming of teaching work and examinations
- Extra curricular and co-curricular activities in universities and colleges including Organisation of inter-university competitions and tournaments, youth festivals, etc.
- Work experience programmes for students
- Organisation of social service of students
- Residence and discipline of students
The State level committees could be constituted with student representatives elected/nominated from universities/colleges within each State.
At the university level, Students' Councils should be set up with the Vice-Chancellor as its President. These Students' Councils should be assigned the responsibilities for:
- Orientation of new students
- Organisation of students health services
- Organisation of residential facilities
- Vocational guidance, counselling and placement
- Students activities, financial assistance to students
- Co-curricular activities
- Student discipline
- Supervision and coordination of the activities of different student associations and societies
319
- To Allocate funds for different activities of student associations
- To recommend financial allocation for various activities.
There could also be Students' Advisory Committees at the department of faculty levels. These committees could provide a forum where students 'could express their views on important academic question like the structure of the courses, the content of the syllabi, the pattern of instruction and examinations, research, etc. besides issues relevant to better working of the universities. The suggestions made by the students at these forums should be given due consideration by the appropriate authorities/bodies.
Institutions of higher education should organise satisfactory student welfare services. These services should comprise those which directly relate to the classroom, the laboratory and library activities as well as those which supplement educational programmes though they are not an integral part of them. These latter categories of services would include health, social well-being, morale, residence, food, entertainment, medical care and extra curricular programmes.
It would be advisable to set up in the universities and colleges Student Employment Committees. These committees should have close liaison with employers and employment agencies. The major functions of these committees should be:
- To ascertain the requirement of trained personnel in various fields.
- To advise the respective Boards of Studies to courses (full-time, part-time, etc.) to meet those requirements.
- To assist students in obtaining full-time or part time jobs while studying. For this purpose, these committees should work in coopration with-
* State planning agencies, to plan new openings for students
* Local Government administration
* Government departments and employing agencies
* Industry and industrial organisations
* Social institutions and organisations
These committees should also effectively interact with the Board of Studies to bring to bear on their deliberations the changing employment profiles, emerging occupational needs,
320
potential employment opportunities, etc.
Representation of students on these bodies should preferably be by nomination. They should be nominated on the basis of merit and distinction obtained in the relevant areas of activities, etc. A method of indirect election for deciding the representation on State level committees or university level committees might be considered in which the representatives of students who constitute various activity groups or societies should participate in the elections rather than the General Body of students.
321