Kurukshetra: No recruitment for decades, association of librarians wants rule change, new hirings

Kurukshetra, June 26

Seeking recruitment for qualified librarians and amendment in the service rules, the Haryana Library Association (HLA) has submitted a memorandum to the state Education Minister Seema Trikha in Chandigarh yesterday.

The association has also been demanding fulfilment of the revision of qualifications for Librarian/Senior Librarian positions in Haryana’s government colleges and district libraries.

In its memorandum, the HLA has requested the state government to amend the Haryana Education College Grade Service Rules of 1986, to align with the latest University Grants Commission (UGC) norms for qualification of a librarian, initiate recruitment drives for qualified librarians in government colleges and district libraries as per UGC norms, amend service rules and create posts for professionally qualified librarians in government schools, adhering to CBSE standards.

Dr Subhash Sharma, a senior member of the HLA, said “Modern libraries require skilled professionals to navigate the transition from traditional to digital systems. Without qualified leadership, our academic institutions are at a severe disadvantage.”

Pradeep Kumar, another HLA representative, highlighted that government schools across the state are facing a similar predicament. Many schools have libraries, which lack qualified librarians. This hampers the development of crucial reading habit among students.

Vikas Kumar, an HLA member and a jobless UGC-NET qualified candidate, said “It’s been four decades since the last direct recruitment for these positions was organised. The educational landscape has transformed dramatically in this time and the state government is bound to follow UGC norms in letter and spirit. However, the situation is contradictory. Our libraries must evolve to meet the needs of today’s knowledge-driven society up to the village level and it is not possible without the induction of qualified staff.”

HLA president Dr Rupesh Gaur, said: “The current qualifications outlined in the Haryana Education College Grade Service Rules of 1986 are severely outdated. These rules require only a graduate degree with a second division in Library Science or a postgraduate degree with a diploma in Library Science. This stands in stark contrast to the UGC norms, which mandate a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science with a minimum of 55 per cent marks, along with NET qualification or a PhD.”

“This discrepancy has created a significant barrier for highly qualified candidates and has led to a shortage of competent professionals in our academic and public institutions. We have submitted a memorandum to the Education Minister in support of our demands. A sense of resentment is brewing and if the demands are not met, the association will be forced to launch an agitation,” he added.