Transitioning to Teaching: Am I Eligible to Teach in a Degree College with My Background?

Hi seniors, I am a B.Sc. IT graduate and MBA in HR, graduated in 2010. I want to pursue a career in the teaching field. Am I eligible to teach in a degree college? How should I apply for the position?

Do you have any work experience? What subject would you like to teach, and do you think that you are capable of it?

Regards,
Simhan
A retired academic in the UK

Thank you for the reply. Yes, I have non-teaching work experience. I have not thought about which subject to teach, but if given the option, I can prepare myself for any subject related to graduate/post-graduate qualifications. Yes, I feel I have the capability of going into academics.

Which Subject to Opt For?

I am thinking of doing an M.Phil in HR along with teaching.

Regards

Choosing the Right Subject to Teach

Choose a subject in which you have some work experience. I have known teachers with no experience in HR teaching HR, and so on. They are not effective at all. So, your claim that you can teach any subject is a bit of an exaggeration. Choose a subject that you feel passionate about. A tutor good at teaching HR will be hopeless in teaching operations management or finance.

Teaching Research Methodology

Do you think you can teach Research Methodology without any experience of doing research? If you are thinking of doing an MPhil in HR, that would be your option.

Yes, that is the only experience I have. I was a fresher when I opted for an MBA. Please suggest how I can become a good teacher. I aspire to get into the teaching and research profession. I currently reside in Mumbai, India.

Thank you.

My sincere advice to you is to work for a couple of years and then go into teaching. These days, you should be able to enroll in an MPhil program through distance learning. I have taught alongside nearly fresh graduates, and their lack of knowledge was apparent to students.

Hey, you can work as a lecturer. I have also completed an MBA in HR and worked as a lecturer for a year. I was given all new subjects to teach, but I enjoyed it. I used to prepare the topics in my free time, so I don't think you'll have any problems. Just start applying to various colleges. 

Subject: Re: Want to Become a Faculty

To start teaching, as advised by others, one should have good experience in the subject. You should gather knowledge, not just information. Teaching is an art. You should observe the delivery of good speakers whenever you get the opportunity. After gathering knowledge of the subject you like, you can start delivering lectures to a small group of people. This will help build confidence.

By following this methodology, you can become a faculty member in the years to come.

Regards,
Ravi

I am an MBA student, and I think if you have a passion for a lecturer job, you should go for it. I know some faculties who don't have work experience yet deliver excellent lectures. Having work experience will enhance your practical knowledge and bring respect to you. My suggestion is, if possible, work for about 2 years and then pursue a faculty position. If you are still very passionate about it, keep yourself updated with various day-to-day activities related to HR, recent trends, etc., and deliver lectures with thorough preparation and a superb PowerPoint presentation!

Advice for Aspiring Teachers

My sincere advice to you is to first try joining a corporate and work for some time. Simultaneously, you can join colleges as a visiting faculty. By doing so, you gain both industry experience and teaching experience. Moreover, in India, except for a handful of universities and colleges, not many colleges pay you much. It is an irony that still remains a mystery.

Regards,
Sapthagiri.R.D
HOD, KIMP-Bangalore

You have given very sound advice. I started in academia as a part-time tutor in a college before becoming a full-time staff member. Teaching part-time also gives an idea of whether one likes the job or not.

The reason why many private colleges pay low salaries is that they are there to make money, and they have to survive and expand. This is especially the case when they have taken on the Government quota.

Regards,
Simhan

Thank you for complimenting my message. Being in the education field for about 9 years, I have observed that many youngsters jump into the teaching profession thinking that it is a very easy job and that they have fixed working hours and can enjoy holidays. I may be a bit harsh, but this is the hardcore reality. Teaching is not a cakewalk as many people think. One needs to have a passion for teaching. It is a kind of job where the faculty not only imparts knowledge but also plays a very major role in transforming students into thorough professionals in their field. Teaching is not just about preparing PPT slides and showing them. Yes, the faculty needs to learn new teaching methods, but relying only on technology doesn't augur well for a good faculty. Having subject knowledge, communicating it to the students in a manner they understand, and instilling discipline in students are some of the important qualities of a faculty.

Regards,
Sapthagiri

Thank you, everybody, for participating in this forum. All these tips and discussions are helping me a lot to make up my mind on why, when, and how I should get into the teaching profession.

I am Kavitha, working in Employee Relations, and I have experience in conducting training classes for employees. I am very passionate about joining as a faculty for management-related subjects. I have completed my MPhil in Labor Management, but my viva and project are yet to be completed. Please guide me on how I can become a faculty in the future.

Best regards,
Kavitha

Hi Kavitha, you surely can be a good faculty. You just need to clear your Ph.D. and NET. You can be directly placed as an assistant professor. Wishing you every success.

Regards,
Sandeep

Kavitha Madam, M.Phil and Ph.D. are just to ascertain that you have the right qualifications to teach at higher levels. To get into the teaching profession, what one needs is the passion and the ability to shape the students in the right direction. Frankly speaking, the positions given to faculty are based on their qualifications. There are many Ph.D. holders who don't have the right essentials to become Prof/Asst. Prof. I have nothing against Ph.D. holders. What I see is undue importance is given to degrees rather than talent.

Regards,
Sapthagiri

A hearty thanks to everyone who has been contributing to this thread. It's evolving as a live manual for preparation for this coveted role. Teaching is every student's dream role. Sharing the knowledge we gain from our education and professional experience is a duty. Disseminating it purposefully remains the goal. During our MBA program, we were taught about the learning cycle. One interesting explanation was as follows:

- Learn a new skill.
- Implement it, improve upon it, and innovate if required.
- Teach a few about the unique learning that you gained during the process. Enable them to perform and learn from their implementation in those unique environments.
- Finally, write down the reflections that you have gained in this final stage.

We had a program called study groups where we used to help each other work on their projects, which are different from ours, often beyond the limit of our course. It was an excellent program enhancing learning from the cohorts. Sessions like those made us learn how to understand someone else's learning requirements and enable them.

I guess a continuity of such efforts even during our professional career prepares us for it. Enrolling in a Faculty Development program, the basic level for novices, is quintessential. Offering an internship to a faculty is the ideal way, though it's difficult to get through.

The entry is not easy and should not be, as the preparation needs to be completed before delivering as a faculty. My question is how interested participants staying in remote locations can avail it and begin their journey towards this profession.

I look forward to further contributions to this discussion.

Regards,

Even though I am planning to go into teaching, I have nearly 3 years of experience in Industrial Relations, and prior to that, 2 years in hotel operations. I don't have any doctorate, though. Is it still a good option?

If you want to enter academia, the first and foremost thing you need to do is to pass the NET or SLET exams. Only then will you be eligible for a lectureship. If you start working as a Guest Lecturer without passing this exam, it will be of no use, and you will not be able to settle in your career.

Dear Simahan, I am an MBA in HR from the University of Calcutta and have almost 6 years of experience in the field of HR & Admin. Presently, I have joined the Realty Sector as Head HR. I have a career plan that, after a year or two, I will permanently shift into academics and want to give my career a fresh start as a management faculty. To achieve that, I have planned to start teaching as a Part-Time faculty to develop my acquaintance in this area.

However, I have a small question for you as you know this field closely. I scored 59.5% in my MBA, and I have a doubt whether it will be a bit difficult for me to pursue a career in academics as I just fell short of scoring first class (60%) in my MBA.

Recently, I have noticed from advertisements that management colleges are setting the recruitment criteria as per AICTE rules, which have been recently amended, and they are asking for first-class MBAs for the post of Lecturer. Can you please help me by suggesting how I should proceed to achieve my career goal?

Regards, DG

Dear DG, I am not based in India, but in the UK. Hence, I am not conversant with the rules. However, to me, 59.5% is as good as 60%. I am sure some college will be willing to take you on as a part-time faculty. I would also advise you to try and enroll for a part-time MPhil. If you can't, see if you can conduct some research in your area and publish papers.

Have a nice day.

Regards, Simhan

A retired academic in the UK

I am a lecturer at University College in the MBA department. From my experience, what I feel for you is, don't ever try to do an MPhil course because there is no value for it, and it's already outdated. Also, don't try for any HR or finance-based subjects as it will be difficult for you.

Best Options for Science Graduates

I have the best option for you. Since you are from a science background, you have better opportunities in MBA colleges like VTU and university-based colleges for subjects such as Management Information Systems, E-Commerce, and Web Designing. Concentrate on these areas as they will take you to great heights.

For a better life in the long run, focus on preparing for a Ph.D., NET, or SLET exams.

I hope this helps.

To succeed in NET or SLET exams, versatility is key. It's not enough to just go through the books; they can only facilitate your learning. Understanding the concepts practically is of utmost importance for success in these exams. If you are an MBA-qualified individual taking the exams, you will need to read all your MBA books. Alternatively, if you wish to take subjects related to MIS, E-commerce, and Web designing, you should be thorough in computer-related subjects.

To Krishnamm, the NET subject option should be related to the postgraduate degree subject. How can I select options such as MIS or computer-related subjects? If I am not mistaken, I am eligible for HR or management subjects.

Have you ever tried to gather knowledge, or are all these things merely your daydreaming? You will have to choose ONE subject in your NET exam. So, try to gather all the relevant info first or visit the UGC site. No need for such a long discussion.

I know it is ONE subject. But that ONE subject should be related to the postgraduate degree. This is the only thing I was telling. As I am an MBA in HR, I have to choose an HR subject only, instead of MIS, e-commerce, or web designing, which are related to my graduate degree, i.e., B.Sc. IT.

Eligibility for NET Exam in Management and Economics

I have completed a PGDM in HRM from an AIMA-AICTE approved course and am currently pursuing an MA in Economics, in my second year. Am I eligible for the NET exam in Management subjects, specifically HR, or am I eligible only for Economics?

Regards,
Vikram