New Delhi:  Universities and colleges cannot retain original academic certificates of teachers while issuing employment contracts to them, as per the direction of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The UGC , notifies  that no employing  Higher Education  Institutions (HEIs) shall keep in their  possession  any  teachers academic certificates/documents in original  which  is akin  to  depriving  them  of  their  rights. The UGC asked further every Higher Education  Institutions (universities /collage /institutes) are mandatory required  to issue  employment contacts  clearly  specifying  all  the terms  and conditions  in accordance  with the  stipulated norms of the UGC and other statutory bodies  concerned .

It is being observed that universities and colleges are collecting original academic certificate, mark sheet etc.  at the time  of issuing employment contracts to the teachers  and then continue  to retain  those  documents  with them. The teachers face tough  time recovering  their certificate  from  their employer education institutions  when they  leave  their  job.  Many  have  to  forego their  better prospects as they  are not  able  to recover their  documents  in time.

After the UGC’s warnings the universities and colleges will be mandated not to retail original academic certificates of faculty members while offering job contracts.

The UGC asked universities and colleges that all the Institutions are required  to strictly comply the above.