Acute shortfall of IT teachers in WB

Mou Chakraborty
January, Kolkata 22, 2007

The state higher education department is facing an acute shortfall of teachers in its engineering colleges. Many top educationists aired this view while speaking at the ‘West Bengal Engineering and Technology Education Convention’ organised by the SFI at Jadavpur University on Sunday.
The worst sufferers are students who enrolled in IT based courses in engineering colleges. “IT based courses attract the most students, however, there is a chronic shortage of teachers,” said Subimal Sen, vice-chairman of West Bengal State Council of Higher Education. The shortage of teachers in IITs is also worrying, Sen added.
To combat the situation, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), had launched an ‘Early Faculty Induction Programme.’ A student who wants to be a teacher after completing his engineering education, will be entitled to a scholarship of Rs10,000 per month.
“However, no student from engineering colleges of the state has shown interest. Students do not want to waste their time in doing MA and PhD and become a teacher. Instead they take up jobs which pay them more,” said N.R Banerjea, a member of AICTE and vice Chancellor of Bengal Engineering and Science University, Shibpur.
Well known educationist Prof Shankar Sen felt the government should take the initiative to produce teachers right from school levels. “Schools should identify students who have the mentality of teaching and groom them accordingly. There should be special orientation programme for such students right from the school level,” said Sen.
Though city colleges hire part time and retired teachers to fill up vacancies, the engineering colleges in districts are the worst sufferers. “Engineering colleges in districts often take the help of video conferencing. But technology courses should be taught by teachers and not video conferencing,” said Subimal Sen.
Both students and teachers felt that WBJEE should be re-examined and instead of just preparing engineers, the courses should also churn out researchers and teachers. The SFI, also urged the state higher education department to introduce 40 per cent short questions in WBJEE instead of 100 per cent multiple choice, as is the current practice. The SFI also urged the authorities to ensure that only quality students can take admission through WBJEE. The SFI added that though it is a national exam, students from the state should get first priority.
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