Difference Between Lecturer And Professor
Who is a lecturer? Who is a professor? These terms are often used interchangeably. But have you ever wondered if there's any difference? While both of these professions are significant in academia, there are evident differences between these two. In this article we explore the differences between a lecturer and professor in terms of their responsibilities,educational qualifications and work environment.
Who Is A Lecturer ?
A lecturer is an early academic who teaches at colleges and universities. They usually teach undergraduate students and their duties include less research obligations. They are often employed on a contract tenure basis and their work mainly comprises teaching, conducting seminars and scheduling classes.
Key Skills:
Excellent communication skills
Written skills
Critical thinking
Lesson planning
Who Is A Professor ?
A professor is a senior academic who teaches in colleges and universities, for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. They are actively involved in research, mentoring PG students and Phd scholars for their research work. A professor usually has higher education qualifications than a lecturer and is often hired on a tenure basis. They are offered with a permanent position upon meeting UGC guidelines, that is a Ph.D with a number of research publications, and minimum years of teaching experience.
Key Skills:
Oral and written skills
Subject matter expertise
Research and mentoring
Pedagogy skills
Curriculum development
What Is The Difference Between Lecturer And Professor?
Even though the roles and responsibilities of a lecturer and professor overlap sometimes, there are obvious differences between these two.
Differences | Lecturer | Professor |
Qualifications and Rank | A lecturer must be a masters degree holder with minimum 50 per cent marks and qualify for NET (National Eligibility Exam) or SET (State Eligibility Exam). Lecturers are at an entry-level position in their academic career. Most of them pursue higher education such as a Ph.D later to enhance their career growth | A professor is an 8-10 years of experienced academic with a Ph.D. They also engage in researching and publishing their content in UGC approved journals along with teaching. The research is conducted to advance expertise in their subject area and to upgrade their qualifications. |
Responsibilities | A lecturer’s duty primarily revolves around classroom instructions. They teach,assess students' performance and provide feedback. The course materials are developed and effectively delivered to students by lecturers. | A professor primarily deals with teaching students and also engaging in research and administrative duties. They are involved in important decision making related to the department and also act as the educational counsellor for students. |
Tenure Tracks | A lecturer is also known as assistant professor, and is employed with a contract initially. The contract can range from one to two years depending on the institutions. They will be assessed for their performance to be considered with a permanent position later. | Professors are appointed with a tenure or full time permanent position as they have years of experience as an assistant professor. They hold higher academic rank than a lecturer due to their extensive years of teaching experience and research contributions. |
Salary | The average annual salary of a lecturer in India is Rs.1.8 Lakh - Rs. 13 Lakhs with 1 to 11 years of experience. As an entry level position in colleges and universities a lecturer earns around Rs 30,000 monthly. | A professor with 3 to 15 years of experience can earn an annual average salary of Rs.1.4 Lakh - Rs. 35 Lakhs. Their monthly salary can range from Rs 79,000 to Rs 81,000. |
(Salary Source: Ambitionbox)
Conclusion
Lecturers and professors are the most pursued and traditionally desired professions with high job security and satisfaction. Both roles are an important aspect of our educational institutions; a career as a professor is highly rewarding with comparatively higher remuneration and ranking. It is up to you to choose the right career path by ensuring that you select the profession that best reflects your interests.
You may also check -