Varsities reel under faculty crisis as hearing on Supreme Court ban drags

BHUBANESWAR: Uncertainty looms over recruitment of faculty members to various public universities with the State government yet to submit its report to the Supreme Court (SC) on the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 being in conflict with the University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines on recruitment of teaching staff and vice-chancellors (VC).

The SC on May 20 had issued a stay on the Odisha Universities Act for three months and asked the State government to submit a report on the issue within the time period and set the next date of hearing after two months. Subsequently, UGC asked the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to refrain from recruiting faculty and non-faculty members in universities for three months. 

However, sources in the Higher Education department said it has sought time from the apex court till October 10 to submit its report on the issue.As the matter lingers, universities continue to reel under faculty crisis even as the new academic session is set to begin soon. As per OPSC reports, around 200 faculty members at university level were recruited before the SC and UGC ban and the commission was to recruit another 400. However, during these three months, over 50 faculty members have retired.

On the contrary, while faculty appointments have been stalled, the Higher Education department has hired a VC for Jagannath Sanskrit University and on Friday issued an advertisement for appointment of VC for Sambalpur University. “VC appointments are being made as per the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 despite the fact that hearing on the matter is yet to be held by the SC. If one goes by this logic, why has recruitment of faculty members been put on hold,” asked a member of All Odisha Universities Employees Association and associate professor of Utkal University, requesting anonymity.

The Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act was passed in the Assembly but Opposition members had alleged it curtails the administrative and financial autonomy of universities as they would come under direct control of the State government. UGC had filed special leave petitions before the SC challenging the act and the later halted its implementation. Secretary of Higher Education department Bishnupada Sethi said the department is looking into the matter.