BHUBANESWAR: Even though the state government had announced the upgradation of autonomous colleges - Vikram Deb at Koraput and Dharinidhar (DD) at Keonjhar - as affiliating universities from the new 2023-24 academic session, only the Vikram Deb university has been made operational since June 1 but without any institutional heads.
Uncertainty looms over DD University as the government is yet to come out with a gazette notification. This is despite the fact that the common PG entrance test (CPET-2023) for admission to state public universities began on Friday and the e-admission process will start in a month’s time.
Interestingly, in the e-admission portal of the Higher Education Department Students Academic Management System (SAMS), DD University finds no mention of the 2023-24 session whereas Vikram Dev University has been notified for admission with 14 PG departments and students intake capacity of 440. Principal of the erstwhile Vikram Deb (autonomous) college Gopal Haldar has been made the in-charge registrar but with only drawing and disbursing powers.
According to official reports, the government has initially created four posts for the university - vice-chancellor, registrar, controller of examinations and comptroller of finance - for Vikram Deb University. While the appointment of a VC is not feasible immediately, an officer on special duty (OSD) is to be appointed to oversee the initial functioning of the university. However, prior to the opening of the university, none of the positions except the registrar in charge have been filled up.
“At least an OSD should have been appointed before June 1 so that the admission and de-affiliation of colleges processes could have been streamlined,” said an academician, not willing to be named.
The college had 16 PG departments which will continue under the university arrangement. It will affiliate all colleges of Koraput, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri and Rayagada districts, which were earlier under Berhampur University.
Stating that he is hopeful of an OSD appointment soon, the registrar in charge Haldar said once that is done, they will have to adopt the fee structure of either Berhampur or Sambalpur University to begin admissions.
On the other hand, the upgradation of DD autonomous college into a university is yet to be notified through gazette notification even as the CPET has started.
While announcing the new university, the state government informed that the university will come into force the day its gazette notification is released. Even the campus requirement for the university and board of studies is yet to be worked out. “We are still waiting for the gazette notification but in case that does not happen, we will admit students to the autonomous college,” said the principal of the college Narendra Sahoo.