HYDERABAD: Under new state government rules, all universities in the state will have to seek feedback from students on the performance of faculty.

The universities must furnish details of student feedback as part of the report on “half-yearly performance of universities,” which will be submitted to the Governor and Chancellor of universities once in every six months.

Students will grade teachers in three categories — excellent, good and average — judged on their teaching capabilities, ability to communicate with students and attendance.

Students will also have to give feedback on the number of teachers available to them in their departments for more than five hours daily. The feedback will be taken on written forms.

The teachers getting negative feedback will be asked to improve their performance. The new rule has not gone down well with university teachers who fear that factors such as social, gender and caste issues will come into the picture.

The Governor, Mr E.S.L.Narasimhan, too, has expressed reservations over the new initiative saying that it saying that it may affect the studentteacher. However, the state is determined to implement the ruling from this academic year.