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Permalink Reply by Mohd Ismail on June 8, 2015 at 0:26

basically NET/SET is not a qualification but it is a policy to curtain applicants. my self has 20 years experience in the field but not having NET so i can not get promotion aur appointment because of it from PA to Librarian. It means experience is not worthy enough. there should be some provision for the experienced people 

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Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on June 8, 2015 at 18:16

Dear Sir, Selvam

It is an empirical topic to and all the expected possible points should be explored by each of us, since the problem is not single/alone it is multifaceted in nature. primary I will cover the expressed part only.

Status of profession and professional both can be considered under this topic/forum. It has been buzz topic for discussion and consideration since long time. I have seen, “expect govt. funded institutions, almost entire institution under educational environment accommodates these kinds of problems”. These problems are not only associated with Library staffs but teaching staffs are also victims of their status and salary related problem. We, library professions are suffering more than them because our profession is service oriented; there is no tangible outcome of it. It is hidden and only can be expressed on qualitative nature and size of thanks and other gestures.  Service sector is the biggest contributor in Indian economy among all agriculture and industry, by this way we can tell that our contribution exists.

I have experienced that institution talks about very good library and laboratory facilities in campus, accessible 27*7, etc. and many more. But they recruit staff available and agreeing to work on least payment. Private college wants all their staff, highly qualified, having all the possible degrees but they don’t want to lose the budget in terms of salary and facilities. In their activities they deliver education/knowledge on human asset management, satisfaction and development, techniques on policy formation etc. etc., but in practical you can easily find most unsatisfied employee in their organization.  

National eligibility is required and it should be with every candidate those are wishing to get administrative/higher posts may be in private or govt. But, institutions should think to pay according to the qualification and works of candidate/staff. Many AICTE and NAC approved college, staffs are facing same problem of salary. It is very difficult to understand how they (admin) make possible on paper paying less showing more?

My personal views towards an employee is very clear and open since we all know that if an employee will not be satisfied then there will not be growth in Institution. Institute invests bags of amount in library for procuring documents they should not invest fewer amounts for hiring or recruiting people to serve the purpose of expenditures. This policy is quite confusing. This policy of institutions will not take them on their goals.

Thanking you!

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Permalink Reply by Selvam M on June 8, 2015 at 19:15

Dear Munesh,

It is nice to read your views on the issue of library profession status. I feel that such a personal views on any issue bring changes in the society and help the professionals to be aware of various problems to be faced in the institutions.

Thank you for your sharing!

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Permalink Reply by DR NAMMI SHIV PRASAD on June 8, 2015 at 22:01

Dear Sir,

I think NET/SLET is requiste criteria for the instiutions group to show the governing body regarding fulliment of librarian.

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Permalink Reply by Siddhartha Shankar Ray on June 8, 2015 at 22:07

Dear Sri Selvam M.

Thanks for your post and for highlighting a very sensitive issue. I have read the other two posts by Janab Mohd Ismail and Sri Munesh Kumar.

Regarding your question about relaxation of NET/SET, as I understand, the UGC has exempted NET/SET for the post of Dy Librarian & Librarian of Universities presumably because the applicants with requisite experience had no opportunities of NET/SET during their days!! However, in many cases "experience" do not go along with efficiency.

NET is an effort (& noble & practical no doubt) to fix an uniform scale for all individual in a particular subject field. There is no denying that standard of academia often varies so also the marking system. In this junction fixing a Common Uniform Yardstick is quite acceptable.

Admittedly of course, the NET/SET as of present days are not indicative to efficiency as I personally feel. I am not undermining them but I don't believe that cracking NET/SET in our profession, makes one an outstanding professional in comparison to many of those who have not cracked them. In the workplace, one needs much much more than the ability to clear the NET/SET. With the types of questions, I do not think that either of one's academic knowledge or professional efficiency can be judged. But then if such norms are not there many incompetent individual who have neither the ability to clear the NET/SET would have appointed through backdoor. With the imposition of NET/SET at least those people are separated out.

Regarding the Private Institutes' cases, they are always "hunted" by AICTE or the UGC or NAAC or the likes regarding staff quality. Since the organizations can not check the realtime class based teaching performance, they opt for such qualification norms/ regulations and maintain strict vigilance. One thing, I feel worth mentioning here that not only they check the staff profiles, they also often check the creditability of members of interview boards as well. I had a personal experience a few years ago. I was invited to be in the interview board of a Medical Institute and on that particular day, some faculty members are also been recruited and a team (from MCI probably) had been visiting the institute. During informal discussion, one of the team members asked me of my whereabouts and as they learnt that I am not a candidate but a member of the interview board, one of the members straightway asked the Director how a person working in a Social Science Library can become a subject expert for Medical College Library?? Fortunately, the Director knew me well and he send me a note to meet him in his chamber. As I entered into his chamber, I observed that four members of the team were already present there. The Director invited me cordially & then very complacently told me that these gentlemen want to know why we have included a Social Science Librarian for a highly technical job of a Medical College Librarian? I then explained that I worked in a PG. Teaching Hospital as Librarian and the chief of Library & Information Centre at a premier National Research Laboratory and altogether I had elapsed over 20 years of service including some short stints abroad. I had to mention some of the International Conferences I had attended abroad and presented papers & chaired sessions and my publication numbers as the Director kept on asking the questions in a very cordial manner!! By the time, I realized the situation & well understood the intention of the Director. Anyway, after such discussions for some 5-10 minutes, the Director asked the people, "well, gentlemen, you already heard him and now I expect, you don't want to check his credentials and if you do, I am afraid, you have to ask in writing and we can not supply them instantly, but will send through Courier for sure". Then as an after thought, he asked me very politely, "well, don't you have some evidence in cyber media? and as I nodded in affirmative he asked me then why are you not showing them? I think they have certainly disgraced you enough and not only you, but also raised a question to the institute's credibility". The people were visibly embarrassed.

But not all the issues are well with private institutes. The inspecting team generally do not ask questions about the remuneration part because it seems to be beyond their purview. What they insist upon is the rules regarding qualification & experience of staff as laid down by the empowered authority. That is why they are extremely mobile because as soon as get they any better opportunity they generally never think twice to leave institutes any time. The authority is also well aware of the fact that is why they usually maintain sort of parallel arrangement where they can have a core group of staff (who are generally paid nearly similarly to those in the govt. sector)and hire bulk of the staff in a very meager pay. Unfortunately, they categorize the Library professionals in the second group as they know that supply of Library professionals are abundant.
Generally the institutes invests fairly on Libraries and other infrastructure in order to maintain the standard which serve dual purpose: to attract good students & faculty and to satisfy the inspecting teams. That's all!

Sincerely,

Siddhartha S. Ray, Calcutta

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Permalink Reply by Munesh Kumar on June 9, 2015 at 0:44

Dear Sir,

…having certificate of NET in any subject is nothing more than knowing the subject or candidate has the knowledge of the content of the subject. Experience and wisdom are the extreme status in order of learning, data-information-knowledge-experience/wisdom, which come over the long period of time. It is not related with the candidates qualifying or qualified NET exam but the root of experience/wisdom begins from here.

It is assumed that if candidate is having NET, then he/she must have covered the subject and known about its periphery also may be symbolized with laborious and hardworking tags.  

NET, should be mandatory because student will read the subject by referring different sources of information/knowledge. I have been in the contact of students through different forums and WhatsApp, they have MLIS degree but they are not taught correctly as per the syllabus in detail and depth needed for becoming a good candidate who can prove him/herself that he/she is good. Online forums and virtual study centers are playing major role in teaching.

Students are learning all the left sections from virtual leaning centers for Qualifying NET and other exam for getting a good job. Hence, for qualifying a small or big exam of NET student remain in contact of subject, which helps them in exams and interviews of job also. The differences of structure of syllabus of LIS in Indian Universities can’t be covered easily, but the syllabus of NET accommodates them and make together. If the NET eligibility will not be more required for getting Librarian post then the status of coming students will  be something else than today. I think we should think to create more opportunity for the professionals of library science by making syllabus more compact and comprehensive with the help of Management and IT.

Thanking you…!

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Permalink Reply by Ponerulappan.P on June 9, 2015 at 18:31

All these are valid points.. But, I presume that it depends on the institution. To overcome such challenges we need to make difference in our profession by brining in better outcome through our services. For Pvt. Insititution , you  may share the monthly report on what you have done and accoplished for what you have offered.

Ex- How many of the students used library and out of them how many are passed or How you helped them to achieve ... ( Professors are meant to bring good result)..

What are other activities you supported and outcome or what you helped them to save ..  It is to let them know that you are helping in addition to you assigned job..

I hope, if you do this, that help them to think and realise the value of our profession 

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Permalink Reply by shraddha shahane on June 9, 2015 at 20:33

res sir,

 In Madhya pradesh,  Private colleges are appointing candidates as a librarian on the salary 3000-5000 p.m It is horrible condition. because college owners think that librarian's work are only indolent job.we found this negative thinking at all over india  regarding this profession.no checking system for lower salary are available in india

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Permalink Reply by VAITHIYANATHAN on June 17, 2015 at 22:48

dear sir

no more discussions about librarian job.

in reality  once i was librarian... that time i was molded by more dreams due to my profession.

my dreams are shine itself day by day but my salary can not support the social life.

one day my courage wake up me...

i bought 2 cows 2 buffaloes and 5 pigs.. change my profession.

now i have booked 2 plots.

already i have a car.

pl don't waste your time for a librarian.

if you are son of bill gates then you may go to as a librarian and do the services to the academic and society.

if you need money only then go to other jobs...

BEST WISHES

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Permalink Reply by shraddha shahane on June 18, 2015 at 21:27

res sir , you say that you change your profession. than why are you attach this link.

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Permalink Reply by shraddha shahane on June 18, 2015 at 21:33

is profession ko neeche lane wale we professionals hi hai jo aaj uchche posts par baithe hai aur back door entry se apne logo ko job dilwa rahe hai /kutch log to distance se course kar ke  avam pair chu kar uchche post pa rahe hai  Pl.Is profession me sahi persons ko aage lane ke liye promote kijiye

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