The disparity in All India Council for Technical Education's (AICTE) present norms for the appointment pharmacy teachers, which sets separate standards of qualification for the academy and industry candidates, continues to be cause for widespread discontentment among a section of the pharmacy teachers.

The major opposition to the present norms, which does not put any teaching experience for the candidates from the industry for the post of pharmacy teachers, comes from the Association of Pharmacy Teachers of India (APTI) Maharashtra state branch. The present norms show a clear inclination towards candidates from the industry, APTI state branch sources said.

Talking to Pharmabiz APTI Maharashtra state branch president Dr P G Yeole, said, "This attitude clearly shows wide inclination towards candidates from the industry and it has resulted in wide spread discontentment among the academicians. Without teaching experience, candidates from the industry will have less proficiency in teaching compared to those in academics."

The APTI state branch has raised the issue with the AICTE and the state president had also written a letter to the AICTE in this regard. The disparity in rules certainly would lead to an amorphous and unpredictable future of academicians. Hence keeping this in mind the AICTE should re analyse and redesign the requirements on rational basis and should take steps in the interest of the academicians, the sources said.

According to them the issue is also visible in the case of promotion, as the industry people are more entitled to get promotion. For promotion to the post of assistant professor or professor, AICTE prescribes five or ten years teaching experience for candidates from academics, but for candidates from industry teaching experience is not made mandatory rather their industrial experience (of any type of industry) is considered equivalent to teaching experience.

Despite the opposition from the academicians, in reply to the state branch president's letter, the AICTE has stated that they discussed the issue and resolved to stick with the present qualification and experience for the teaching faculty.

Dr Yeole further added that the APTI state branch is still pursuing the issue, as the present norms are unjustifiable. The Pune University has already refused to implement the AICTE norms for the appointment teachers in the degree level-technical institutions.