COACHING FOR NET/SET FOR SC/ST/OBC (NON-CREAMY LAYER) & MINORITY COMMUNITY STUDENTS

1. Introduction

The Twelfth Plan continues the focus on ‘Inclusiveness’, with equal access to all. However, a review of the enrolment rate reveals different types of disparities – rural-urban, interstate, intercaste, inter-religious, gender, economic and occupational. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for tertiary education is significantly lower than the national average in case of SC, ST and also in some religious groups. It is important that schemes should be developed whereby the access of students from SC, ST, OBC (non creamy layer) and Minority communities is improved at a faster rate so that the gap in enrolment rate ( with the national average ) is reduced. It is also important that these students not only complete higher education but are encouraged to choose teaching as a career and become role models to others of their group. In order to ensure that more and more SC / ST/ OBC (non-creamy layer) candidates as well as candidates from Minority communities become eligible to apply for teaching posts, the UGC will continue the scheme for coaching SC/ST and Minorities to prepare for National Eligibility Test (NET) or State Eligibility Test (SET) for Lecturers, during the Twelfth Plan. Students belonging to Other Backward Classes, economically weaker sections and physically challenged students may also avail of this coaching facility.

2. Objectives

The main objective of the scheme is to prepare SC /ST candidates and candidates from Minority communities for appearing in NET or SET, so that sufficient number of candidates become available for selection of Lecturers in the University system from these groups.

3. Eligibility

Colleges with postgraduate departments and covered under Sections 2(f) and 12B of the UGC Act will be considered for financial assistance under this scheme. Students belonging to SC/ST/OBC (excluding creamy layer)/ Minority communities and 20% of the total number of other students may be considered for coaching under this scheme.

4. Nature of Assistance

Non-recurring items – not to exceed:

i. Equipment : Rs.2.5 lakh

ii. Books and Journals and Study Materials : Rs.1.00 lakh

Recurring items – not to exceed Rs.7.5 lakh for the Plan period:

  • Remuneration
  • Honorarium to the Coordinator @ Rs.1000/- per month (applicable during the months when coaching is being actually conducted plus honorarium for one extra month towards preparation / organisation, but not to exceed Rs.12,000/- per annum).
  • Travelling expenses, honorarium of Rs.1000/- per diem (not less than three hours of contact teaching) to resource persons, hospitality to outstation resource persons.
  • For teachers belonging to the college, Rs.250/- per hour, per subject.
  • Payment to Part-time LDC with Computer knowledge, not to exceed Rs.18,000/- per annum.
  • Contingency: Rs.10000/- per annum. The final amount of grant to be allocated would depend upon the number of students enrolled, as evident from the proposal and the recommendations of the Expert Committee.

5. Procedure for Release of Grant

100 % of the Non-recurring grant and 20% of the Recurring grant will be released after approval.

The release of further grant would be based on the utilization of earlier grant.

6. Monitoring

The Coordinator of the programme will supervise the work under the scheme at the institutional level. Separate registers may be maintained for different subjects. The Coordinator, at the end of the third year of the programme, will submit, through the Principal, an appraisal report, indicating the performance of each candidate. The appraisal report should also indicate:

i. The duration for which the coaching was organized, classes/period and the number of candidates who actually participated in the programme.

ii. The subjects in which they were tutored, names of teachers and resource persons and their subject discipline.

iii. The number of candidates who actually appeared for NET / SET.

iv. The number of successful candidates.

v. Problems faced by the College in the implementation of the scheme.

vi. Overall comments of the Coordinator.