Thousands of teachers likely to lose jobs in Calicut varsity’s self-financing colleges

Thousands of teachers in self-financing colleges affiliated with the University of Calicut are likely to lose their jobs as the authorities are planning to make clearance of the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) or a PhD mandatory for the appointment of faculty members.

A directive for the purpose was issued earlier this year by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who is also the Chancellor of State Universities. Sources in the Vice-Chancellor’s office told The Hindu on Wednesday (June 4, 2025) that the university had also issued orders to implement the UGC guidelines. Affiliation of the colleges would be cancelled if the guidelines were not adhered to, they added. Over 250 self-financing colleges spread across Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Wayanad districts are affiliated with the university. According to reports, 7,500 teachers may get affected.

Organisations representing self-financing college teachers, however, said that implementing the directive reeked of hypocrisy. K.P. Abdul Azeez, State joint secretary, Self-Financing College Teachers and Staff Association affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, said that if the authorities were so keen on enforcing UGC guidelines for teachers’ qualifications, they should also ensure that the salaries also met the Central agency’s standards. In most colleges, the situation was pathetic. Even those with qualifications were getting ₹20,000 or less as monthly salary, he claimed.

Shafi Pulppara, State president of the Congress-aligned Self-Financing College Teachers’ Association (SFCTA), said when a similar directive was issued by the university authorities in previous years, teachers’ organisations were told that talks would be held before implementing it. “We had also demanded that enough time be provided for acquiring the qualifications… There are teachers with even 20 years experience, but without the required qualifications and it will be unfair to dismiss them from service,” he said.

Mr. Shafi alleged that attempts were made by the authorities at a college in Nilambur, Malappuram, to terminate the services of “unqualified” teachers. There were similar reports from colleges in Perambra and Mukkom in Kozhikode. In a few colleges in Palakkad, the teachers themselves quit their jobs. The attempts were put on hold for the time being after teachers’ unions raised objections, he added.

Mr. Shafi also said that the university was yet to include Kerala Self-Financing College Teaching and Non-Teaching Employees (Appointment and Terms of Service) Act, which was passed by the Assembly in 2021, in its statues, which would have streamlined the appointment and service conditions of the teachers. Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Roji M. John has reportedly promised a section of teachers that their concerns would be addressed.