Career as a University Teacher: Be the Change!

What's It About

University teachers not only work in tertiary-level and research institutions, but also contribute their expertise to many national and international missions. Professors have been/are Union ministers and advisors to prime ministers/ministries. In addition to universities/colleges, private coaching institutes, private education-content companies/web portals, and think tanks, some can be consultants to big companies and international bodies.

Clock Work

9 am: Check emails, make arrangements for taking class

9.30 am to 11.30am and/or 11.30am to 1.30pm: Teaching in class

1.30 pm: Lunch

2 pm onwards: Attend faculty meetings, contact hours with students, prepare for classes/ attend to administrative work

6.30 pm: Return home

9.30 pm: Study for research work

The Payoff

Assistant professor

Pay: Pay Band of Rs 15600 to Rs 39100 with academic grade pay (AGP) of Rs 6000

Associate Professor

Pay: Pay band of Rs 37400 to Rs 67000, with AGP of Rs 9000.

Professor

Pay: Pay band of Rs 37400 to 67000 with AGP of Rs 10000

Skills

• Intellectual vitality

• High levels of self-motivation, especially to focus on research

• A genuine interest in and dedication to your discipline as well as be curious about other areas

• Be innovative

• Analytical and critical thinking skills

• Ability to reason and hold an argument on a topic

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Leadership

• Technological savvy

How Do I Get There?

Maintain a consistently good academic record up to your masters/MPhil/PhD. The University Grants Commission (UGC) conducts the National Eligibility Test to determine eligibility for lectureship and for award of Junior Research Fellowship in 77 subjects. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research holds the NET for life, physical, chemical, mathematical and earth atmospheric ocean & planetary sciences - jointly with the UGC. Information on exemption, subject list and other details are on www.ugcnetonline.in

Institutes & URLs

• The older Indian Institutes of Technology (multiple locations): www.iitd.ernet.in

• University of Pune: www.unipune.ernet.in

• University of Calcutta: www.caluniv.ac.in

• University of Delhi: www.du.ac.in

• Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi: www.jnu.ac.in

Pros & Cons

• In research, you have the freedom to choose your topic. But in India, generally, research takes a backseat

• Travel opportunities

• Plenty of leave and vacations. Caveat: Some professors work on holidays too

• No tension of meeting targets a la corporate jobs but money is no match to what the industry pays; red tape, politics

You may also like to read: University Teaching Has Become More Interactive and Hi-Tech! and Not Everybody Can Handle Teaching

 

Author: Rahat Bano (HT Horizons)

Date: 22nd January, 2011

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