Assam education department implements changes in working hours for colleges and universities

The education department of Assam has issued important guidelines for colleges and universities in the state, bringing about changes in the working hours of these educational institutions. The notification, which was released on July 10, aims to streamline the daily operations and enhance efficiency within the education system.

According to the notification, the working hours of provincialized, government, and PDUAM (Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Adarsha Mahavidyalaya) colleges in Assam will now commence at 9:00 am, an hour earlier than the previous schedule of 10:00 am. This adjustment aims to establish a standard working period from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with a designated tiffin/lunch hour from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.

Alongside the change in working hours, the notification also outlines several other guidelines to be followed by the educational institutions. These include ensuring regular attendance of faculty members through technical intervention, allowing flexibility for faculty members to visit libraries and participate in assigned activities within and outside the campus, and emphasizing the importance of teaching and defined activities during stipulated contact hours.

The notification also highlights the significance of examinations, both internal and external, emphasizing the need for a well-defined model for conducting internal assessments and timely evaluation of answer scripts. Accountability measures for defaulters are stressed upon to maintain the integrity and efficiency of the evaluation process.

Furthermore, the guidelines address the role of fellowship holders for research, allocating teaching hours for these scholars to facilitate the implementation of UG-PG integrated courses in the affiliating university campus. The importance of internal assessment and timely consultation with students is emphasized, with a requirement to check and return answer scripts within 7 days of examination.

To ensure effective mentoring of students, monthly appraisal meetings are recommended, with reports on these meetings to be uploaded to the Samarth Gov portal as part of the Academic Module. Proper documentation of activities is also emphasized, as it plays a vital role in college rankings, be it NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) or NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council).

In addition, the notice provides information on the workloads assigned to the Head of the Department/IQAC coordinator, associate professors, and assistant professors. Details on workload allocation for the upcoming odd semester, starting from August, along with class routines and administrative responsibilities, should be uploaded for each teacher.