BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to strengthen the academic administration of the new Odia University, the institution has started work on framing its syndicate and statute.
The university was made operational in the last academic session of 2023-24 with three departments and the first batch of 72 students have recently appeared in the first semester examinations. Currently, the new university has one member in its syndicate who is the vice-chancellor of Utkal University Sabita Acharya.
Odia University is the second language university in the state after the Shree Jagannath Sanskrit University at Puri. Official sources said a list of 30 names including officials of government departments and academicians among others, has been proposed for the university’s syndicate and a final call on it will be taken soon.
As per the Odia University Act, 2017, the syndicate is integral to the university as it is responsible for establishing and maintaining departments, fixing fees, overseeing exam preparations and publication of results, appointing faculty members and members to the board of studies, among other things. This apart, based on the framework provided under the Odisha Universities First Statute 1990, the university is framing its own statute which will govern the overall functioning of the university.
Official sources said the university is also working on creation of two more departments related to Odia language, literature and culture as per the UGC mandate. As per UGC guidelines, a university should have at least five PG departments. However, permission has been granted to the university to begin with three departments and open the rest within next five years.