M Phil degree holders being tossed around

COIMBATORE: Every time someone speaks about raising the quality barrier in the teaching profession by prescribing the National Eligibility Test (NET) as a mandatory qualification, there is one group which feels threatened — M Phil degree holders.Theirs is a curious case as they have been caught in a bind due to frequent changes in the policy.When the NET was first introduced in 1991, those holding an M Phil or Ph D and those expected to acquire it by December 1993 were exempted from appearing in the NET/SLET. In 2006, based on the interim report of the Mungekar NET Review Committee, the UGC again extended the exemption. Even before the UGC finalised its new regulations making the NET mandatory, in July 2008 it decided to extend the exemption to M Phil holders to June 30, 2009. Later, an empowered committee of the UGC chose to extend it further to December 2011. But all this was reversed during the last policy change in 2009.Subsequently, the UGC at its 471st meeting in August 2010 decided to give ‘prospective’ effect to its new rule thereby exempting those who had obtained M Phil degree before July 10, 2009 from appearing in the NET. But this was quashed by the Madras High Court.“We have challenged the High Court order in the Supreme Court and the matter is coming up next month for hearing,” says C R Ravi of the Association of University Teachers who has been championing the cause of the M Phil degree holders.