Odisha govt nod to teacher recruitment in varsities

BHUBANESWAR: The higher education department has given the much-awaited go-ahead for recruiting teachers to universities under its jurisdiction. Fresh recruitments were stalled owing to reservation-related disputes.
Recently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had asked the universities, affiliated colleges and deemed-to-be universities to fill up vacancies within six months. It had warned the institutions saying violation of UGC guidelines may lead to appropriate action by the commission, including withholding of grants. On May 27, the higher education department had asked these universities to not to proceed with the recruitment of teachers till further instruction. This came three weeks after it had directed the universities to start the recruitment process on May 9.
Saswat Mishra, secretary of the higher education department, said in a letter issued on June 21 that the universities need to take expeditious steps for recruitment of teachers at the earliest to fill up the existing vacancies. He added that one-third posts shall be reserved for women candidates in accordance with the state government regulation. The Orissa Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes) Act, 1975, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, should be followed while recruiting the teachers, he mentioned in the letter.
Official sources said the department had imposed a restriction on the recruitment process for 25 days to make it seamless, flawless and free of any dispute. Prior to this, the appointment process was stopped by UGC in July last year owing to a reservation-related issue.
The recruitment of around 500 teaching posts in different universities of the state had been suspended following the UGC directive. Once the reservation issue was settled, the UGC had in March this year allowed the universities to resume the recruitment process.
There are 12 state universities under the higher education department of Odisha. Around 750 teaching posts are lying vacant in these universities, official sources said.