Teaching is a hot career option

Steady Rise In Number Of Applicants For NET Chiefly Due To Better Pay: Bangalore: Teaching is luring the Facebook generation. In a clear sign of the profession picking up as a preferred choice of career, number of applicants for the National Eligibility Test (NET) has almost doubled in six months.
The exam is conducted twice a year in June and December. In December 2009, 1,20,000 candidates appeared for the exam across the country. This was against the usual figure of 70,000.

In Karnataka, the number doubled from 4,500 in June to 9,162 in December for subjects such as economics, political science, philosophy, psychology , anthropology, education, home science and the languages. In life sciences, the number rose from 3,722 to 5,976 in the six months. Exam coordinators had to arrange for four venues in December, instead of the usual two or three.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS: Two reasons are attributed for this sudden increase. One, the fact that NET has been made mandatory for a lecturers post at any college. It is the minimum eligibility condition for lectureship . Either they should have an MSc with NET, or a PhD. The easier of the two is NET, said S R Ananthanarayana , development officer, Bangalore University.

The other reason is increase in the pay package. The Sixth Pay Commission hiked salary of lecturers to more than double the former amount. Earlier , the basic pay was Rs 8,000, and with allowances it used to come to Rs 16,000 to Rs 18,000. Now, the basic itself comes to Rs 15,600; Rs 6,000 is paid as Academic Grade Pay, and 48% as allowance , taking the total to around Rs 33,000. Many have come forward because the offer is better. This is one of the biggest numbers we have seen in recent years, said Venkataramanan K, senior technical assistant, National Aerospace Laboratory, who coordinates NET in Bangalore.
An NET aspirant said: The offer is on par with some of my classmates who are working with MNCs. I dont mind working for this package.

GOOD FOR COLLEGES: The numbers have also risen hope among many universities in the state for filling up vacancies. Now, there is a 30% vacancy in universities. At Tumkur University, it is as bad as 80%. Usually, out of the lot who write, only 10-15 clear NET from the state. With more numbers now, we hope the vacancies will get filled, said R Ramachandrappa , general secretary, Bangalore University College Teachers Association. Source : Times Of India

Blogged in: General January 28th, 2010 Posted by MaraBlogger