Editor,

I wish to draw attention to an issue concerning the recent teaching appointment notifications issued by the Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), Pasighat, which merits clarification in the interest of transparency, consistency, and fairness.

It is encouraging to see the university taking steps to strengthen its academic departments through the engagement of teaching personnel. As a relatively young state university, the APU has an important responsibility in establishing a recruitment system that inspires confidence among aspiring academicians and upholds the highest academic standards.

However, a comparison of recent advertisements appears to reveal differences in the prescribed eligibility criteria for teaching appointments. The guest faculty advertisement issued in June 2026 clearly stated that the qualifications would be governed by the UGC regulations on minimum qualifications for appointment of teachers and other applicable statutory provisions. Likewise, when the department of computer science was initially established, the advertised teaching positions also referred to the applicable UGC norms.

In contrast, the latest walk-in advertisement for the engagement of teaching assistants prescribes different eligibility requirements across departments. For instance, the department of mass communication specifically requires candidates to possess NET/UGC-CSIR/SLET/SET qualifications, with the usual exemption available for PhD holders in accordance with UGC regulations. However, for the department of computer science, the advertisement mentions only the required academic degrees and does not refer to NET/SLET/SET or PhD as eligibility requirements.

If the designation of ‘teaching assistant’ is governed by a different statutory framework or if separate eligibility criteria are applicable to different disciplines, it would be beneficial for the university to clearly indicate the relevant provisions in the notification itself. Such clarification would remove ambiguity, prevent unnecessary confusion among aspirants, and strengthen confidence in the recruitment process.

Universities are expected to maintain consistency and transparency in academic appointments. Whenever eligibility criteria differ from earlier advertisements or vary across departments, it is desirable that the reasons or governing regulations are explicitly stated. This is not only in the interest of candidates but also in the interest of the institution, whose credibility depends greatly on the openness and consistency of its recruitment practices.

The purpose of raising this concern is not to question the authority of the university to frame recruitment policies or make appointments. Rather, it is a humble request that recruitment notifications clearly specify the applicable rules and eligibility criteria wherever variations exist. Such a practice will promote transparency, reduce avoidable speculation, and reassure aspiring candidates that the process is based on clearly defined and uniformly applied standards.

As the Arunachal Pradesh University continues to grow as the state’s premier university, adopting transparent, consistent, and well-explained recruitment practices will significantly enhance its academic reputation and public confidence. It is hoped that the university authorities will issue an appropriate clarification on the matter and continue to uphold the principles of fairness, accountability, and academic excellence in all future appointments.

A concerned academician