292 extension lecturers face job uncertainty over PhD degrees

In a significant move, the Department of Higher Education (DHE) has issued show-cause notices to 292 extension lecturers working in government colleges across Haryana, questioning the validity of their PhD degrees obtained from three private universities in Rajasthan. The lecturers have been given two days to respond, failing which their services may be terminated.

The notices also seek clarification on whether the lecturers qualify under the National Eligibility Test (NET) criteria or have court protection, directing them to provide supporting evidence before any final decision is made.

The three Rajasthan-based private universities from which these lecturers obtained their PhDs were recently barred by the University Grants Commission (UGC) from enrolling PhD students for the next five years. This development has raised concerns over the legitimacy of their degrees.

Currently, these 292 extension lecturers receive a monthly remuneration of Rs 57,700.

According to sources, the highest number of affected lecturers are in Mahendragarh district (92), followed by Gurugram (27), Bhiwani (24) and Faridabad (21). The rest are spread across Hisar, Rewari, Karnal, Ambala, Rohtak, Jhajjar, Jind, Yamunanagar, Sonepat, Fatehabad, Kaithal, Nuh, Palwal, Panchkula and Kurukshetra.

The show-cause notices were issued in response to a recent interim order by the high court, which addressed the issue of the questionable PhD degrees.

A DHE official confirmed, “The notices provide the lecturers with an opportunity to clarify their position. If no reply is submitted within the stipulated two-day period, it will be presumed that they have nothing to submit in their support and appropriate action will be taken accordingly.”

The DHE’s directive to college principals emphasised that the extension lecturers were drawing salaries equivalent to regular assistant and associate professors on the basis of their PhD degrees, claiming that they met the UGC's minimum eligibility norms. The department has now decided to strictly examine whether these degrees comply with UGC regulations.

Confirming the development, Dr Lokesh Balhara, Principal, Pt Neki Ram Sharma College, Rohtak, said, “Show-cause notices have been issued to five extension lecturers in accordance with the headquarters’ directives.”