There is a strange injustice at the heart of academia —

a quiet, polite injustice that everyone accepts

as if it were tradition.

The best teachers in the world — the ones who change lives,

ignite confidence,

create breakthroughs,

and turn classrooms into magic —

are celebrated emotionally,

but ignored institutionally.

Students remember them forever.

Colleagues admire them quietly.

Alumni speak their names with nostalgia.

But promotions?

Increments?

Professional credit?

Institutional recognition?

Silence.

Teaching brilliance remains invisible

in the very system built around teaching.

This is the underbelly that hurts the most.

________________________________________

Scene 1: The Teacher Everybody Loves — And Nobody Rewards

A professor walks across campus.

Students smile.

Parents thank him.

Alumni hug him.

He has letters, messages, memories, hearts.

But when promotion season arrives,

the committee looks at his file and says,

“Insufficient research output.”

He taught 18 credits.

He mentored 200 students.

He revived a dying subject.

He built confidence in young lives.

But his CV has no impact factor.

Emotionally legendary.

Institutionally invisible.

________________________________________

Scene 2: The Researcher Who Never Enters Class

Another faculty member barely teaches.

Slides recycled.

Assessments outsourced.

Students disengaged.

But he has:

• 4 Scopus papers

• 2 conference presentations

• 1 funded project

• 18 citations

• 1 collaboration proposal

Promotion approved.

Teaching didn’t matter.

Numbers did.

This is how academia quietly tells teachers

what it truly values.

________________________________________

Scene 3: The Global Parallel — Toronto

A star teacher at a Canadian university receives a standing ovation

from students at the end of the term.

Tears.

Claps.

Hugs.

In her annual evaluation, the dean writes:

“Excellent teaching performance.

However, limited publications this year.”

She smiles softly.

Because she knows —

her impact is real,

but her reward is not.

________________________________________

Why Are There Zero Incentives for Good Teaching?

1. Institutions Prioritise What They Can Measure

You can measure:

• number of papers

• number of citations

• number of grants

• number of conferences

But how do you measure:

• curiosity ignited

• fear removed

• confidence built

• minds transformed

• futures shaped

• dignity restored

• curiosity awakened

These are immeasurable.

So the system pretends they don’t matter.

2. Accreditation Bodies Reward Research Metrics

NAAC, NBA, NIRF, QS —

every scoring framework prioritises research production

over teaching excellence.

So institutions chase scores,

not students.

3. Administrators Prefer Tangible Achievements

A paper brings a certificate.

A grant brings money.

A project brings publicity.

A great teacher brings…

love.

But love doesn’t show in PowerPoints.

4. Teaching Is Seen as “Basic Duty,” Not “Exceptional Skill”

Research is optional and rewarded.

Teaching is mandatory and ignored.

Ironically, the mandatory part shapes the nation.

The optional part shapes the promotion.

5. No Teacher Wants to Look Like They Are “Overtrying”

A quiet cultural shame exists:

If you innovate too much,

you look like you’re showing off.

If you teach brilliantly,

you are seen as emotional — not impactful.

So excellence becomes self-contained,

private,

unrewarded.

________________________________________

Scene 4: The Staff Room Conversation Nobody Talks About

A senior professor tells a junior colleague:

“Focus on research.

Teaching won’t take you anywhere.”

The junior replies,

“But teaching is what I love.”

The senior smiles sadly,

“That’s why you must protect it.

The system won’t.”

________________________________________

Scene 5: The Tragedy of Hidden Excellence

Every institution has that one teacher whose classes are always full.

Students sit on floors.

Doors stay open.

Latecomers peep from windows.

He creates magic daily…

for free.

In his annual review, the comment reads:

“Good teacher.

Needs more research.”

Magic isn’t enough.

Numbers are.

________________________________________

Who Benefits from Zero Teaching Incentives?

1. Administrators

A predictable promotion system.

Tick the research boxes.

Move people up smoothly.

2. Mediocre Teachers

They can hide in research pseudoproductivity.

3. Ranking Frameworks

Easier, simpler metrics to score.

4. Departments Focused on Politics

Teaching excellence cannot be weaponised.

Research metrics can.

5. Journals & Conferences

They become the proxy for academic worth.

Who loses?

Students.

Society.

The profession itself.

And every teacher who believes teaching is sacred.

________________________________________

The Emotional Underbelly

Great teachers give more than knowledge.

They give themselves.

Their time.

Their energy.

Their stories.

Their patience.

Their compassion.

Their humour.

Their hope.

They build humans,

not CVs.

But the system rewards deliverables,

not humanity.

And if teaching excellence remains invisible,

the profession loses its heart

one magical teacher at a time.

________________________________________

Underbelly Essence

Teaching is the soul of academia.

But academia built a system

that rewards everything except soul.

And until the incentive structure changes,

the profession will continue producing

more publications,

more projects,

more metrics,

more rankings,

but fewer teachers

who can actually change a life.