Maharashtra frames new assistant professor recruitment rules, mandates CCTV, online selection list

The Maharashtra government has issued new guidelines for the recruitment of assistant professors in non-government, aided senior colleges that are affiliated with public universities in the state. These guidelines were announced in a recent press release for better transparency in the recruitment process.

After receiving the government's No Objection Certificate (NOC), Chandrakant Dada Patil, minister, said that “For recruitment, the concerned institution or college must submit the draft recruitment advertisement to the respective university for approval.” He added that under the guidelines, colleges will now have to record the full interview process through CCTV and publish a final list of the candidates selected on their respective official websites.

These guidelines will be applicable only after the concerned college receives the government’s NOC for recruitment. They will then have to send the recruitment draft to the university for approval. The respective university's backward class cell will verify the college’s details, social reservation and horizontal reservation as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules.

The approved recruitment advertisement will then have to be published in a national newspaper along with a state-level newspaper belonging to the ‘A’ or ‘B’ category notified by the directorate general of Information and Public Relations.

Online, offline applications

The colleges should accept online applications from candidates under the new guidelines; however, offline applications will also be allowed. Colleges must share an acknowledgement or receipt for every application received through both modes.

Institutions will have to follow the criteria prescribed under the UGC notification for recruitment of assistant professor posts. The institution will decide the number of candidates they want to call for interviews. But the shortlisting criteria and the list of shortlisted candidates should be shared on the college website.

Details of all applicants, along with the marks secured during shortlisting, should be submitted online to the concerned university. The selection committee must be constituted depending on the UGC notification dated July 18, 2018, and the relevant provisions of the government issued on May 10, 2019, and January 1, 2024.

CCTV recording, final selection list

The interview process should also be conducted based on the UGC rules. Universities have to publish the criteria for interview-based evaluation and prepare a marking sheet. Before approving the final selection list, the university will check if the interviews were held and evaluated according to the prescribed criteria.

To make the recruitment process fair, the colleges will have to record the complete interview process using CCTV. These recordings should be secured, and documents kept confidential for at least one year from the date of the interview.

The recordings cannot be destroyed even if a complaint, court case, objection, inquiry, or statutory proceeding relating to the recruitment is pending. If irregularities are found, those who are found responsible will be held accountable.

Strict action will be taken against colleges or institutions if malpractices are used for the recruitment of Assistant Professors. The government resolution with the guidelines has been published on the Maharashtra government's official website.