A significant inconsistency in adhering to national and state regulations has surfaced across universities in Bihar, creating an unfair environment for newly appointed assistant professors. Despite clear mandates from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the state government, there is no uniform rule for confirming the services of these teachers after their probation period.
UGC and State Rules Clearly Mandate One-Year Probation
The University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations of 2010 and 2018 explicitly state that confirmation of service for teachers appointed by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) or Bihar State University Service Commission (BSUSC) should occur after one year of probation. The rules allow for an extension of the probation by a maximum of one more year only if the assistant professor's performance is found unsatisfactory.
Reinforcing this directive, the Bihar state government issued a notification on February 5, 2025. This notification also mandates that assistant professors appointed by the commission shall be confirmed in service after completing one year of probation.
Arbitrary Implementation by Universities Creates Disparity
In defiance of these established norms, universities in Bihar are applying the rules arbitrarily, leading to a two-tier system. This lack of uniformity has sparked concern among the teaching community.
Some universities comply with the one-year rule. These include Veer Kunwar Singh University, Magadh University, and B R A Bihar University.
However, a longer list of institutions enforces a two-year probation period before confirmation. The universities following this practice are:
- Patna University
- Patliputra University
- Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University
- Purnia University
- Munger University
- L N Mithila University
- KSD Sanskrit University
- B N Mandal University
- Jaya Prakash University
Teachers' Body Appeals for Chancellor's Intervention
The Federation of University Teachers’ Associations of Bihar (FUTAB) has expressed serious concern over this discriminatory practice. The association has formally sought the intervention of the chancellor to ensure uniform and fair implementation of the rules.
FUTAB working president Kanhaiya Bahadur Sinha and general secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh have appealed to the chancellor to direct all universities to confirm the service of newly appointed assistant professors after one year of probation, provided their performance is satisfactory. They argue that the arbitrary extension of probation without cause is an unfair practice that affects job security and morale.
This ongoing issue highlights a critical gap in governance within Bihar's higher education sector, where clear central and state policies are being overlooked, creating inequity among academic staff across different universities.
