WORK ENVIRONMENT
 

5.01 Work Environment and Efficiency of Teachers

The status of the teacher, his professional competence and his welfare are all bound to his environment of work. If it is congenial, he would know that society values his activities and he could be proud of his role and, therefore, lie would strive to be worthy of it. In a changing society such as ours, the teacher is the key to social and economic transformation. As it takes longer to produce good men than it does to produce Other economic inputs, and as people are not mere means to development, but also an end in themselves, we must look upon the teachers' work as the most crucial investment in the development processes. An environment which will maximise the efficiency and well-being of teachers should, therefore, be looked upon as a sine qua non of a healthy and developing society.

5.02 Specifies of Work Environment

The roles, responsibilities and functions of the teachers in higher education have been discussed in detail in the chapter on 'Education and National Development'. Here we shall pay attention to the kind of environment which facilitates and promote$ what the teachers are expected to do.

5.03 Working Conditions

5.03.01 Provision for Rooms/Cubicles

To reach the optimum level of desired efficiency, the teacher at work must function in a particular kind of environment. He should be able to look- 'up to his place of work which should be as attractive as his home, a place where he is intellectually challenged and his total personality development can take place. With no exception, teachers, organisations and individual teachers have stressed the absolute necessity. of having a place of their own even if it is a small cubicle in the college or the university department. They have Pointed out that if they are expected to stay in the institutions for 5 to 6 hours, this time can be effectively used only if they are able to do their academic work and meet individual students to help solve their problems.

(a) With the notable exception of a few unitary universities, the actual position today is quite appalling. This is confirmed by the results of our survey. When asked to list grievances, teachers have ranked 'poor working conditions'. as first in order of serious- ness. While universities, on the whole, have arrangements for individual rooms for 2/3rd of teachers, most colleges do not have these facilities. The better colleges provide a staff common room with separate offices for heads of Departments but for the vast majority (about 75 per cent). of teachers even a desk is not set aside.

As they have no place either at home or in the colleges, it is not clear where can they actually prepare their lectures, and meet students to help them? A cubicle for a teacher at the place of work should therefore not he looked upon as a luxury for him but as something essential for the performance of his duties. Similarly, teachers have practically no telephone, typing or stenographic facilities.

5.03.02 Library Facilities

(a) Library facilities in most of the institutions are extremely poor. In the colleges it is more so than in the universities. The conditions of affiliation in many universities, which prescribe only rupees 5 to 6 thousand for starting postgraduate classes in a subject and just Rs. 750 per subject on an annual recurring basis, are appallingly low. At the undergraduate level, colleges are expected to spend only upto Rs. 300 to 500 per subject, an amount which can hardly buy 10 good books, It is no wonder that many teachers and most of the students have recourse to such cheap books as are available in the market.

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5.03.03 Laboratory Facilities

Laboratory facilities are as important as libraries in institutions of higher education, yet their condition, however, in 'the colleges in particular, is equally bad. Over a long period, the cost of equipment and experimental materials has also gone up, but the funds allocated for this purpose have not increased commensurately. This has led to inadequacies in equipment, obsolescence of a good part of it, and when combined with the poor state of laboratory buildings, it has a deleterious effect on all experimental work done by students. It frustrates teachers, who eventually settle down to consider laboratory work as a mechanical exercise devoid of any challenge or -creative purpose.

5.03.04 Research Facilities

(a) One of the most important functions of a teacher in higher education is research. As present, such facilities as are available to the teachers for research, are mainly located in university depart- ments, although about 11 per cent research degree enrolment is in the colleges. Even among universities there is a wide difference between the quality of equipment available to the premier institutions compared to that ill the newer and smaller State universities. In fact, the majority of university teachers said that their libraries and laboratories were inadequate for research. There are possibilities of research support for specific projects, but here too some basic infrastructure is necessary to implement the projects. Since the teachers of university departments are, for the Most part, highly trained specialists, the fact that they have comparatively limited scope for research is extremely unfortunate and is a waste of valuable national resources.

(b) At present, teachers in undergraduate colleges hardly have any scope for research activities whether in the sciences or in the humanities and social sciences. Where the teacher is attached to a unitary university or to post-graduate colleges, the situation is somewhat better. Since most young, teachers are inducted at the undergraduate level, we are losing their creative potential at an early age. The faculty improvement programmes of the UGC, and the research seminars touch only a small fraction of the teachers.

5.04 Work Environment

The work environment of teachers includes the extent to which a teacher is in control of his actions, and the state of liveliness and dynamism which prevails in the institution. In fact, these two aspects of environment are inter-related. if the academic staff of the institution is able to run its teaching and research programmes with a measure of freedom, if members are generally inclined to give their best to the students and realise the value of intellectual stimulation by arranging discussions, seminars, field activities etc., then there will be a desire to pursue excellence in every sphere. Possibly, the institution will earn a name and may be called upon to Play a greater role in local and regional development, and in social and Natural activities of the town in which it is situated. Obviously, this is a complex question and it has been difficult to obtain concrete data on the various factors involved.

5.04.01 Academic Freedom

(a) It is an accepted fact, that academic freedom is one of the most precious rights of the teaching community. In the universities, the academic programme is determined by the teachers themselves and Boards of Studies, Faculties, and Academic Councils are almost exclusively made up of teachers from various disciplines. In many cases, one may want a greater participation of exports from research institutions, professional bodies and those who would be employing the output. This would lend greater relevance to the courses and may engender greater credibility to the courage, or confidence of the employers. Research activities would also incline towards the real needs of society, and may even attract support from those who have stood so far aloof from the university system. But this is another matter ; we are here concerned with the role of the teachers.

(b) In the affiliating, universities which form the vast majority of our system, the number of affiliated colleges of each university may run into scores. Hence only a very small fraction of teachers actually participates in the design of the courses. Others have to just mechanically teach what is proscribed. Academic freedom is further curtailed, because teachers don't examine their own students, the examination being centrally managed by the university. In such a situation practically nobody enjoys freedom because the university teachers complain that the Boards of Study are often overloaded with colleges, teachers, and in any case, the university cannot implement courses which the colleges. with their limited facilities, cannot. We tend to reach the lowest common denominator in course content, and the lowest level of academic satisfaction to most of the teachers. The obvious solution to this problem is really to modify the whole system of affiliation in the direction of greater freedom for the colleges, but since many of

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the colleges are too weak to stand on their own feet, it has been the policy for selected well-established colleges to be given "autonomous" status. Teachers of such colleges would be able to design their own courses, or accept the university courses with suitable modifications and they would be able, in increasing degree, to examine their students on behalf of the university. We commend this idea, which has sometimes been misunderstood by teachers as an idea leading to "elitism" among institutions. If creating suitable conditions for the pursuit of excellence wherever it is possible, and by degrees spreading it to other institutions, is to be dubbed as elitism, we do not mind, since depriving teachers of their basic academic freedom would lead only to abject medlocrity or worse. We also believe that there should be separate Boards of Studies for undergraduate and postgraduate courses since these courses are often given in different institutions with great a variation of facilities available. Further, this step would enable quality to be raised at both levels perhaps by different approaches. In this way a larger number of teachers will also participate in curriculum making.

(c) We find that whereas teaching is generally planned and supervised through the Boards of Studies with the participation of teachers, research is treated in a more hush-hush manner. Only approval of topics and appointment of examiners (and of course, decision on the examiners' reports.) goes before a committee on non- specialists. Since research has become a very large part of a university's work-with an overall enrolment of around 40,000--we sug- gest that separate channels of decision-making be created for planning, more effective supervision, coordination, and application to live problems of our society. Linkages with research agencies must also be developed so that the universities which are the source of high quality manpower, from which the former constantly draw, may also be replenished by their support.

(d) The limited participation of teachers, particularly in the affiliating universities, has created a "demand" for greater participation in academic matters. We have already dealt with the basic problem and its most reasonable solution. However, since all teachers cannot be members of the Acadcmic Council or even the Faculty, the question of representation and its mode has been discussed for many years. In. response to the questionnaire canvased 22 per cent of college teachers and 20 per cent of university teachers favoured representation by seniority. Another 21 per cent and 23 per cant of college and university teachers were in favour of rotation (ill a suitable manner). 9 per cent of both college, and university teachers were for nomination to these bodies. A minority of 15 per cent from colleges and 17 per cent from universities favoured elections for this Purpose, which is also the mode favoured by the various association. We tend to go along with the majority view, which we think is very healthy. Elections are often based on considerations other than academic and they may result in choosing representatives of limited appeal and sometimes in monopolies of groups with- a set of opinions. We therefore commend a system of rotation such that, apart from those teachers who are members of the Faculty or the Academic Council by virtue of their leadership position, other professors, associate professors and assistant professors can participate in the work of these bodies and enrich it by the variety of their experience and advice.

5.04.02Representation on Governing Bodies

(a) With regard to representation on other decision making bodies of the university, such as the Executive Council (Syndicate) or the Court (Senate), representation of teachers is certainly important, and almost Half the membership of the Executive Council and at least 30 per cent of the Senate should certainly go to teachers. After all, we should rot forget that "University" is the short term of the full medieval name "Universities Societas Magistrorum et Scholarium" (Universal Society of Teachers and Scholars). It is the qualitative excellence of debate rather than the quantitative Pressure of elections that is considered the proper mode for dealing with dissent ill a university.

(b) If we respect this opinion, the representation on governing bodies would have to be determined by some combination of seniority and rotation. Management which arises out of elections, tends to be biased towards sectional and short-term interests and has, therefore, been found detrimental to larger interests. It is desirable to have a hormogeneous management which is Supported by separate consultative forums of teachers, students and non-teaching staff. If such a system of advisory or consultative bodies canbe institutionalised, decisions will be evolved and not made, so that a consensus will be' achieved. In fact the consultative process must also involve students and karamcharis separately, so that the widest crosssection of views about a proposed decision and an assessment of its impact is known to the governing bodies. We believe such a process would be much superior to the inclusion of a couple of members of these groups in the governing bodies.

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(c) On the mode of representation of teachers in college governing bodies, one-fourth each of the teachers have opted for election (24 per cent) or rotation (23 per cent). An equal numbers are in favour of seniority nomination (25 per cent) and 25 per cent have given no response. The university teachers have responded a little differently; election (21 per cent), rotation (18 per cent) nomination (7 per cent), seniority (13 per cent) while 35 per cent have not responded.

(d) There are, however, a number of financial and administrative decisions which affect teachers in dayto-day matters of leave or salary fixation, allocation of housing and such other matters, The teacher is faced with a Kafkaesque helplessness and bewilderment when he attempts to elicit explanations from Registrar or Finance Officer or other relevant officers of the university. To alleviate these problems, we recommend that a small advisory body of teachers should be constituted which could be consulted by the Finance and the Establishment Departments of a college or university. A number of grievances arising from the feeling of discrimination in provision of facilities or in the 'allotment of work and funds could be settled swiftly by means of these consultative bodies.

5.04.03 Role of Teachers' Organisations in Decision-Making

Although we are going to discuss the social and professional responsibility of teachers in a subsequent chapter, since we are analysing the climate for work, it is appropriate to deal with the role of teachers' organisations in creating such a climate and in the making of relevant decisions. We may once again quote the result of the survey that only a minority of about 'a quarter of the teachers desires that their representation on the academic and executive bodies be through elections. In reply to another question on the opinion of teachers regarding the prevailing climate of the institutions, 55 per cent said that it was "democratic". Those who perceived it as auto- cratic wore 10 per cent, and cliquish 7 per cent. In reply to yet another question, about the attitude of departmental heads about innovative practices, 74 per cent said that it was "encouraging", and 17 per cent said it was 'discouraging' Data of this kind show that the atmosphere in our institutions on this particular score is quite satisfactory. In any large system of institutions, there is bound to be some discontent, which is probably related more to personal factors than a systemic factors. We are, therefore, of the opinion, that we are not dealing with a largely undemocratic system, where it is important to iniect new modes of expressing opinion. We have already recommended a greater participation of teachers through the separation of undergraduate and postgraduate boards of studies and by establishment of boards to plan and coordinate research. Autonomy for colleges really means, restoring autonomous functioning of teachers with regard to their professional activity. A broader consultative machinery has also been recommended in the earlier sections. Hence we do not see that any advantage will be gained by introducing the representatives of associations on the academic or executive bodies. Since most association in our country function as trade unions of teachers intending to protect their material interests such represent- ations on the management may indeed be counterproductive for both. The management has to be accountable, and must take into account the larger and long-term interests of the institutions, as well as its components-teachers, students, and karamcharis-hence representatives to expressly protect sectional interest, and often urgent demands, would not be able to play the role of overall leadership.

Teachers' associations must certainly strive to improve the material and other service conditions of teachers, they must undertake welfare activities ; and above all, they must protect the professional bonour and standing of the members. In the developed countries teachers' organisations play an important role in maintaining high professional standards and in establishing accreditation and 'equivalence of institutions. They arrange activities for the professional growth of their members. In our case, however, these aspects are neglected 'and only protection of material interests is the mainstay, to the extent, at least sometimes, of protecting individuals even when they have been neglectful of their primary duties. In response to our questionnaire it emerges that 22 per cent of college and 18 per cent of university teachers are perceived by students to take their, classes without preparation. (In one State the figure is 38 per cent). To the question whether or not teachers take their work seriously, members of the community replied that in their view 86 per cent of college teachers and 90 per cent university teachers do not come up very well--in their words "some or a few take their work seriously". These must be matters of asmuch concern for the associations as the legitimate demands for better pay, housing etc. We urge the associations to broaden their concerns, to help improve the image of the teacher; this will be an asset for demanding the long overdue benefits.