Fill up teachers’ posts in one month, Odisha govt tells varsities

Reported by Chinmaya Dehury
Bhubaneswar, Sep 21:

Acting on the directions of the Odisha High Court, the state government has asked all government-run universities to fill up vacant posts of teaching staff within one month as it is preventing the universities from providing quality education to the students.

According to sources, the Higher Education department has initiated the process to fill up the long pending vacancies in the universities and colleges struggling on account of shortage of teachers.

“In reference to the High Court order towards the filling up of vacant teaching posts in different law colleges of the state by way of part time, temporary, contractual teachers and guest faculties within a month and regularize the above posts by recruiting permanent hands within four months, you are requested to fill up the vacant posts of the law colleges by way of part time guest faculties within a month positively or fill up of the posts permanently,” said a letter of the department to the vice-chancellors of all the universities.

It is to be noted that in an order on August 8, the High Court had asked the state government to fill up vacant teaching posts in law colleges and universities within one month.

A few days back, the department had held a meeting and decided that all universities shall issue a fresh advertisement for filling up of the sanctioned posts at the earliest.

The government has directed the universities to follow the UGC guidelines, 2010 and not to dilute or compromise the academic standards under any circumstances while recruiting teaching staffs.

The vacancy in universities has plagued the education sector in the state. While the vacancy of teachers at Utkal University has touched 123, it is 55 at Sambalput University, 36 at Ravenshaw University and 54 at Berhampur University. The Fakir Mohan University in Balasore has 11 vacancies and the North Odisha University in Baripada has 13 vacancies, said sources.