Bhopal: One teacher for 235 students: BU in throes of faculty crunch

Bhopal: Higher Education seems to be a low priority for the state government. This is evident by the fact that around 40 percent of the total posts of professors, associate professors and assistant professors in the Barkatullah University in the capital are vacant. The last time the posts were filled was in the year 2014. Barkatullah University has 84 teaching posts (Professor, Associate Professor and Assistant Professor), of which 30 are vacant. The number of approved posts was increased in the tenth five year plan in the year 2006 from 71 to 84.

Of these, 21 were filled in the year 2014, raising the number of faculty to 54 from 33. Also, 11 temporary posts of faculty were created at that time
for a year. The 54 faculty members are responsible for teaching in all the 25 departments with 41 PG, two UG and eight diploma and certificate
courses with sanctioned student strength of around 1400. The 1400 students don’t include research scholars, who are pursuing research in the
different departments.

Apart from that some of the teachers are occupying administrative positions to work as a bridge between the students, staff and administration.
The distribution of teaching faculty among the departments is also lop-sided. In the Department of Sociology, there are five faculty members for 80 students in two PG courses. But in the Department of Arabic, Persian Yoga there is only one teacher each. The Department of Arabic has 60 students in PG, diploma and certificate courses. The situation is the worst in the Department of Yoga with 235 students in two PG courses, three PG diploma and one certificate courses and there is just one teacher.

To find a way out, the University has appointed three to four guest teachers in every department. An employee on the condition of anonymity said the university administration does not have the will power to fill the vacant posts. They are only killing time and enjoying their salary and other benefits. Registrar UN Shukla told Free Press that we have constituted a committee to make new roster as per the directives of the state government. We would complete the process within a month and after that the posts would be advertised.