"Irresponsible, Disrespect To The Job Seekers": NCERT Project Fellowship Aspirants On Flawed Recruitment Process
Aspirants for NCERT’s Junior Project Fellowship (JPF) are calling out the institution for its flawed recruitment process, following interviews held on 26th September 2024. The position was tied to the project “A Study of School Engagement: Exploring the Role of Peer Relations and Students’ Participation at Middle and Secondary Stage” but candidates have highlighted discrepancies between the advertised requirements and those revealed during the interview.
The official notification listed essential qualifications, including a Master’s degree in Psychology, Education, Sociology, Human Development, Social Work, or related disciplines, with a minimum of 55% marks. Desirable qualifications included proficiency in MS Office, report preparation, data processing, and good communication skills. The JPF role offered remuneration of Rs. 37,000 per month for candidates with NET/Ph.D. and Rs. 35,000 for non-NET candidates, with an age limit of 40 years.
However, candidates reported additional requirements during the interview, such as proficiency in languages like Odia and Punjabi, which were never mentioned in the original ad. Furthermore, the need for fieldwork was only disclosed during the interview, adding to the confusion.
The NCERT notification for the JPF post.
One aspirant said, “They didn’t mention language or fieldwork in the ad. This is highly irresponsible and shows a clear disrespect for scholars. Around 80 people attended only to face this unprofessional behaviour.”
Two more aspirants echoed similar frustrations, emphasising NCERT’s mishandling of the process.
(Timeline has contacted NCERT for its reaction on the issue. We will update this story as we get a response)
