CHENNAI: In a bid to ensure quality education to the students, Anna University has started a recruitment drive to fill 350 vacancies of teachers on its four campuses. Vice Chancellor of the university, R Velraj, said in the last seven to eight years, the university has not conducted any recruitment drive for teachers.
“Every year, at least 12 to 15 teachers retire from the university, and as there was no recruitment, the vacancy soared to over 300. On a priority basis, we are taking measures to fill these vacancies in the next four months,” said Velraj.
The varsity official said the recruitment notification is being made in a phase-wise manner. “So far, the recruitment drive in 10 departments has been completed. We will soon conduct a syndicate meeting after which they will join the university,” he said.
The university has plans to complete the recruitment process for all 350 vacancies by February next year. As the new syllabus is implemented this year, the availability of an adequate number of faculty members has become quintessential. “If we don’t have adequate teachers, who will teach the new portions and the latest additions,” said a senior faculty member.
However, he said, some departments of the university have been facing problems in getting qualified teachers. “As per UGC norms, we have to hire only PhD. degree holders. In some departments like Architecture and Mining Engineering, we are not getting PhD holders. So, we will recruit candidates with Masters in these posts,” he said.
Soon the recruitment process to fill 10 positions of teachers in the newly launched course, B.Plan, will begin. Currently, the teachers’ strength in the four campuses of Anna University - College of Engineering (CEG, Guindy Campus), The Alagappa College of Technology (ACT, Guindy Campus), The Madras Institute of Technology (MIT, Chromepet Campus) and The School of Architecture and Planning (SAP, Guindy Campus) - stands at 540.
“After completion of the recruitment drive in the four campuses, we will take measures to fill vacant teacher posts in the constituent colleges,” added the vice-chancellor.