Govt directive to public universities: Mandatory written tests, police verification must for hiring teachers

Public universities will have to hold written tests along with viva voce for appointment of teachers, according to a new government directive sent to the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 21 Sept 2016, 01:02 PM
Updated : 21 Sept 2016, 02:16 PM

The universities will have to conduct police verifications or background checks of all the appointees – be it a teacher or an admin staff, the directive addressed to the secretary of the UGC, added.

Currently there are 38 public universities in Bangladesh, of which 37 are running their academic activities.

“Only viva voce for appointing staff creates scope for irregularities,” the directive, a copy of which obtained by the bdnews24.com on Wednesday, added.

"In recent times, complexities have emerged over the appointment of teachers and staff at public universities. To resolve the issue two specific recommendations have been made upon intelligence agencies' reports provided by the Prime Minister's Office," the government directive read.

The government move came after names of a number of private university teachers surfaced in terrorism-related activities following the July 1 Holey Artisan massacre.  

The education ministry directive noted that since the public universities are autonomous organisations they do not require any kind of verification by a third party before appointing staff.

"It (the system) allows individual involved in criminal act or anti-state activities to get appointed without any scrutiny."

The ministry has requested the UGC to initiate measures towards implementing the government decision.

"We have asked the UGC to make sure the universities endorse it," Additional Secretary (Universities) Md Helal Uddin told bdnews24.com.

He, however, declined to answer a question whether it’s an order to the university administrations from the government?

“Whether it's an order or directive is not the issue. The point is, it is the demand of the times and we have requested all universities to follow the instructions."

Reactions from the university authorities regarding the new directive were not immediately available.