Class Polarisation and Marginalisation: How and Why

The UGCs new regulation would polarize the teaching community in higher education system in to two classes from the existing three tier system. Until now, there are three classes of teachers viz., lecturers, readers, and professors. These three classes have remained at equi-distance both in terms of salary as well as experience. By virtually nullifying the difference between associate professors (those who not have Ph.D and/ or any publications) in terms of the number of years experience and salary and professors (a perusal of tables 1 and 2 would reveal this idea clear). There is one more striking problem with this new regulation is that the assistant professors are marginalized with a lower pay scale for 11 -14 years period with nominal increments. They have to work hard to secure points (but those who have no publications will evaluate them, judge them as experts because there is no evidence to say most of the university professors will have 10 papers. It is not certain an average associate professor in India would have 5 publications. Also there is no stipulation only the professors with 400 points or associate professors with 300 will be involved in recruitment and promotion processes as experts).
Thus it is clear that the UGCs new regulation marginalizes the assistant professors. The question here for whom it benefits. It benefits the associate professors to some extent and the selection grade lecturers who stagnated for years because of their inability to complete Ph.D or produce publications on par with Ph.D. It seems clear that UGC wants to hold high the interests of these people by sacrificing the interests of the young, performing assistant professors.
Students of social sciences would appreciate the thesis that class polarization in any society would intensify class conflict as there will be oppression and exploitation under such bipolar system. Though UGC has come out with a new regulation, it has not clearly specified why it is polarizing the academic community and marginalizing the lowest class(assistant professors) in the system. It is not clear why it brings up the readers/selection grade lecturers who have no Ph.D, publications or bare minimum score. As a public authority it has to answer these queries. The associations of teachers in the colleges and universities have to demand answer from the UGC. It is significant to note that the members of teaching community in the central universities have submitted petitions seeking to redress these grievances. The UGC could not give up. Even after the publication of the new regulation UGC refuses to give appointment to the leaders of teaching community.
Why this marginalization or class polarization and exclusion of young teachers in this young nation? This could be attributed to the young teacher’s under-representation (exclusion) in the academic bodies, as well as in the leadership of teachers associations and consequent powerlessness of them. In the existing university system, the academic bodies viz., board of studies, school board, academic council, executive council etc. are dominated by professors to a large extent. On the other hand university teachers associations and federation of them are ruled over by the selection grade lecturers. Thinking that these leaders will protect the interests the assistant professors all over India have supported their demands. But this leadership has failed to protect the interests of the lowest class and maximized its own gains which are visible in tables 1 and 2.