Kerala State Higher Education Council vice chairman P.M. Rajan Gurukkal has slammed the objections raised by a section of the teaching community to recognising postgraduation in biotechnology as an eligibility qualification for teaching posts in botany and zoology.
Viewing the mounting opposition as an indication of the discipline-centric intolerance of teachers, Prof. Gurukkal said the government order, issued on the basis of a recommendation by the State-Level Academic Committee, which comprised of Vice Chancellors of State universities, rested on the wisdom of experts in the field.
‘Experts’ decision’
“The decision was made by experts who realise that the latest areas of knowledge are inherently cross-disciplinary. Besides, the step has been adopted on the distinct understanding that the disciplinary boundaries of botany and zoology do not let in latest developments in their common domain called life science,” he said.
He added that most of the life science themes belong to science-tech hybrid areas which forge ahead in analysing molecular structures through X-ray crystallography and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Irrespective of whether it is botany or zoology, teachers have to deal with the micro-universe of functional and structural genomics through microarray technologies and automated techniques.
According to the academician, experts have advised the council that the disciplinary boundary should disappear as the related subjects are all part of the life science domain. Teachers specialised in fields of cross-disciplinary nature are indispensable to the task of familiarising students with new knowledge. Student must be assisted in acquiring cross-disciplinary adaptability.
“Whoever is up-to-date and competent in dealing with the latest knowledge in the domain must be given precedence. What the teachers demand is that specialists from allied fields do not be even considered eligible to apply. It is an unashamed cry of obsolescence from disciplinary silos,” he said.
Governor petitioned
The Save University Campaign Committee has petitioned the Governor to intervene and direct the government to withdraw the order. They alleged that the move encroached upon the authority of statutory bodies of universities.
