Mangalore University will fill up sanctioned vacant teaching posts soon

MANGALURU: Mangalore University (MU) is likely to start the process for filling up of as many as 96 sanctioned vacant undergraduate and postgraduate teaching posts, in another two months. At a meeting chaired by Ashwath Narayana C N, minister for higher education and pro-chancellor of the university, on Tuesday, approval was given for the same.
MU is grappling with a shortage of permanent faculty in its UG and PG colleges. The posts had remained vacant for several years, and guest faculty were employed to fill the shortage.
P S Yadapadithaya,vice-chancellor, said that in the meeting held with the minister, along with syndicate members and MU officials, the delegation had elaborated about various requirements of the varsity, one among which was to fill up vacant teaching posts at the earliest. “The minister assured that it will be done soon, and to prepare necessary statutes for the same. If all goes well, the process will begin in another two months. There are vacancies to fill under SC, ST, OBC and Hyderabad-Karnataka backlogs,” he said.
Yadapadithaya added that recruitment will be done as per the Karnataka Examination Authority norms, and interview as per UGC-2018 regulations. The 96 posts include both assistant professor and associate professor vacancies.
Meanwhile,during the meeting, the minister has also directed to expedite works of pending statutes and regulations of the varsity. Yadapadithya said that 32 statutes and regulations are in various stages, and pending to be approved. “The minister has asked us to depute our official to oversee the files, and clear it within a month.”
The issue of no approval for three constituent colleges of MU, Konaje, Government Evening College in Hampankatta and Nelyadi College, was also discussed. The minister said that approval will be given, but with a rider that colleges should be managed by internal resources of MU. Sources added that the government is not keen on filling up posts of non-teaching staff.
Money wasted, says ex-syndicate member
MU former syndicate member S R Harish Acharya has criticised MU for holding a syndicate meeting outside Mangaluru, and alleged that it was a waste of money, that is utilised for transportation and accommodation of syndicate members.
In a press statement, Harish Acharya said that aas per rules, syndicate meetings are held in the jurisdictional area of a university. All the universities in the state follow this rule. However, the MU vice-chancellor, in order to spend money, held it in Bengaluru.
He added that hotel accommodation for syndicate members and several MU staff was arranged at a plush hotel, in addition to the cost of flight tickets. “There was no need to hold syndicate meetings in Bengaluru by spending money from the MU exchequer. This is done to appease syndicate members by the VC, to shield him from his wrongdoings,” he stated.
Yadapadithaya reacted and said that the syndicate meeting in Bengaluru was decided by syndicate members, and not by him. “The purpose of our conducting the meeting is more than justified, with several positive outcomes,” he said.