Bhubaneswar: A circular issued by University Grants Commission (UGC) on Tuesday to universities, deemed universities and colleges to hold recruitment for teaching posts has created confusion among authorities of state public universities.
UGC has asked the institutes to take serious steps to ensure the vacant positions in the universities and their affiliated colleges are filled within six months.
Universities under the higher education department are in a peculiar situation as they cannot abide by the UGC circular due to a stay order by the Supreme Court on the recruitment of faculty members for the last two years. UGC is a party to the case in SC challenging the Odisha Universities Amendment Act, 2020.
Aparajita Chowdhury, vice-chancellor of Rama Devi Women’s University, said they have recruited contractual and guest faculty to continue the teaching-learning process unhindered. “But for the recruitment of regular teaching posts, the state govt will take a call. According to the amended Odisha Universities Act, the university cannot hold recruitment for filling up these vacant teaching posts,” she added.
Jayanta Kumar Mohapatra, former vice-chancellor of Berhampur University, said UGC has filed a petition before the SC against the recruitment of teaching staff in universities under the higher education department. “ A stay order by the apex court prohibits the state from continuing the process. The latest UGC letter is contradicting its previous stand,” he added.
A senior professor at a state public university, requesting anonymity, said the higher education department has recently issued advertisements for the recruitment of vice-chancellors for two universities. “BJP was protesting against the amended Odisha Universities Act. The party has formed the govt in state. It should have sorted out the issue before issuing the advertisements. It shows the new govt agrees with the amended Act,” he added.
An official said recruitment process will be started after the case is resolved.
Raghubar Das, governor and chancellor of state public universities, on Saturday advised the govt to take necessary steps for filling up vacant teaching posts during a meeting with higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj at the Raj Bhavan here.
According to official data available until April last year, around 1,000 regular teaching posts (57% of the sanctioned strength) are lying vacant in 12 state public universities.

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