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Teacher Education

Notes 11.7 Research on Impact of ASC Programmes

The ultimate goal of the ASC programmes is to contribute to quality of higher education in the
country by enhancing competence of the teachers. To understand whether this scheme is fulfilling
its objective, there have been number of studies carried out by researchers and Academic Staff
Colleges to study impact of ASC programmes on participants. Factors like attitudinal changes,
motivation factors, improvement in teaching skills, knowledge, sensitization about socio-economic
and national development issues etc have been considered for the studies; in short over all usefulness
of the ASC programmes is the objective of most of studies. Some researchers found these courses as
very useful and some expressed dissatisfaction and suggested for improvement. The paper will
become too lengthy if each of published paper is discussed, therefore some important publications
are tabulated for the purpose of reference.
Self Assessment
3. State whether the following statements are 'True' of 'False'
(i) There are about 10 lakh teachers working in higher education system.
(ii) Orientation courses are meant for orienting newly appointed teachers to address the
challenges encountered by then in a new setting in their career.
(iii) Refresher courses are for fresher teachers.
(iv) A total of about 7882 refresher courses have been conducted by different academic staff
colleges.
(v) The activities of academic staff colleges and their programmes have been evaluated by
university grants commission.

11.8 Summary

• Higher education in India has grown significantly since the country's independence in 1947. At
the time of independence, the gross enrolment ratio in higher education was mere 0.7% with
a network of 18 universities, 500 colleges and about 700 teachers. The present enrolment in
higher education is about 12.5% with the target of 15% by the end of 11th plan period.
• The UGC–Academic Staff Colleges are nodal institutions established in Universities as
autonomous entities and designated within the University for Staff development purposes
and totally funded by UGC. A high level standing committee consisting of eminent
academicians and senior staff college directors is created by UGC; advices establishment,
strengthening and monitoring of academic staff colleges from time to time.
• The main philosophy behind establishment of Academic Staff Colleges is to provide adequate
opportunities for the professional development of teachers in Higher education system which
is ever expanding. These colleges are seen as inbuilt mechanisms to provide opportunities for
teachers within the framework of knowledge society to inculcate values, motivation and art of
teaching.
• Academic Staff Colleges are guided by an Academic Advisory Committee. Every year, the
UGC invites proposals for programmes from ASCs, based on merits and strengths of the
university the number of programmes to be conducted in that year are allotted. The NIEPA,
New Delhi (National University for Educational Planning and Administration) was involved
in monitoring the activities of ASCs in initial years of the scheme.
• The Academic Staff Colleges initially used to offer three kinds of programmes:
(i) Orientation Programmes of 4 weeks duration for all new entrants at the level of lecturers
(ii) Refresher courses of 3 weeks duration for serving teachers, (interaction programmes for
research scholars and Post-doctoral fellows are included under this scheme in XIth Plan).
(iii) Short term orientation/workshops for the senior academicians and administrators, Heads
of the Departments, Principals of Colleges, UGC officials etc.

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