Fill vacant faculty positions within 4 months: SC, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court directed all higher education institutions (HEIs) to fill vacant faculty positions within four months.
• Vice-Chancellors and Registrars must be appointed within a month of vacancies arising.
• Pending scholarship disbursements must be cleared within four months by Central and State governments.
• The court addressed the rise in student suicides, linking it to the "massification" and "privatisation" of higher education.
• Only 35% of HEIs provide access to mental health services, according to a National Task Force (NTF) survey.

Detailed Insights:

• The court invoked Article 142 of the Constitution to address deaths, distress, vacancies, and exploitation in higher education.
• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims for a 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2035, but the court noted the dangers of prioritizing quantity over quality.
• The NTF survey revealed that rigid attendance policies, curriculum overload, faculty shortages, and placement issues contribute to student stress.
• Medical students reported exploitative academic cultures with on-call hours extending up to 48 hours.
• The court emphasized HEIs' duty to ensure safe, equitable, and inclusive learning environments.
• Residential HEIs must provide 24/7 medical help on campus or within a one-kilometer radius.
• The court mandated central maintenance of Sample Registration System data on suicides, especially for those aged 15-29.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Article 142: Empowers the Supreme Court to issue orders necessary for justice.
• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): Percentage of students enrolled in education relative to the eligible school-age population.
• National Education Policy 2020: India's comprehensive framework to transform the education system.