Jayakrishnan Vu
Bhubaneswar, Sept 4: The academic circle is divided over the Central government’s plan to increase the retirement age of lecturers to 65 years from 60 years as at present.
While most in the teaching fraternity have welcomed the move to extend the superannuation age saying it was a long-pending demand, youth have raised strong opposition to the plan and said it would only lead to inefficiency and little else.
Youth in the city are of the opinion that senior professors should step down at the age of 60 to make space for youth. Orissa POST speaks to students and teachers on the controversy that sparked a fresh debate in the academic arena.
“Government should not extend the age limit of the superannuation for professors as it would adversely affect the future of thousands of aspiring lecturers. The country would lose creative and enterprising youth who excel in their domains. They are energetic, tech-savvy and more up-dated than the previous generation,” said Sudhir Kumar Panda, MA final-year student at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT).
Girishwala Jena, MCA student at College of Engineering &Technology (CET) said experienced staff should be there, but they should not come in the way of youth. Chances should be given to youth to express their talent and creativity in the academic circle.
Saisita, BTech student of Krupal Engineering College, said the Centre should not hurt the interests and future of unemployed yet talented youth adding that the move would lead to widespread resentment in the student community.
Utkal University sociology department head Navneeta Rath opined that though experience and domain knowledge are essential in teaching the upcoming generation should be given its due share in the academia.
However, Mary, reader in sociology at Utkal, said experience matters a lot in teaching and it was a long-pending demand of teachers to increase the superannuation age.
Sreeraj AP, assistant professor at Rajasthan Central University, said many of young faculty have become faculty in Universities very late in their career after spending many years to complete their Phd’s.
He added, it is in the best interests of young faculty government is planning to increase the age-limit of superannuation.
He said country would only benefit from the decision, as the research acumen and practical knowledge of faculty with PhD’s would give a new impetus in country’s academia.