BHUBANESWAR: At Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, the State’s premier college of performing arts, there seems to be no end in sight to the faculty crisis. While the five-decade-old institution has been managing the show with guest faculty members year after year, the arrangement does not suffice in meeting the learning demands of the students in the performing arts sector. The situation has remained like this for nearly a decade now.
Like every year, this year too the university has advertised for the appointment of 13 guest lecturers and guest assistant lecturers for the new academic session of 2022-23. The college offers a four-year Bachelor's in Performing Arts degree Plus Two Vocational courses in music and is affiliated to the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) at the higher secondary level and Utkal University of Culture at the degree level.
The college offers education in 12 disciplines including Odissi Vocal, Odissi Mardala, Hindustani Vocal and Drama. It currently has 37 faculty members of which, just 12 are permanent - nine lecturers and the rest assistant lecturers. The disciplines of Odissi Pakhwaj, Hindustani Vocal, flute, Odissi dance, sitar and Odissi vocal are manned by just one lecturer each. Only subjects like tabla and Hindustani Violin have two faculty members each. Sources said each department in the college needs at least three permanent faculty members.
Set up by the Odia Language, Literature & Culture department through the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi in 1964 for aspiring artistes, recruitment to the college is done by the government through Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC). In the past, the OPSC had advertised for the appointment of permanent faculty members but the process could not take off due to legal cases.
While Principal Bijay Jena could not be reached, sources said guest lecturers will be empanelled for Odissi and Hindustani vocal, Chhau dance, drama, English and guest assistant lecturers for Odissi vocal, pakhawaj and tabla in the new academic session. They will be paid an honorarium of Rs 400 to Rs 500 per class.