HYDERABAD: Teachers of Dr BR Ambedkar Open University (BRAOU) are wary that if the vacancies in the varsity are not filled at the earliest, it might lose financial assistance from UGC due to poor quality of teaching and research on account of lack of faculty.
They are also apprehensive that the University might not be able to apply for accreditation from NAAC this year.
Ahead of the in-charge Vice-Chancellors meet with the Governor, Tamilisai Soundararajan, in her capacity as the Chancellor of all the State’s universities, on Friday, the Faculty Teachers’ Association (FTA) of BRAOU submitted a representation to her. They claim that delay in the appointment of the V-C for BRAOU is further adding to the problem.
“Nearly 60 per cent of all teaching posts in all the State varsities are lying vacant because in the last ten years there has not been any recruitment. Quality of research and teaching both have nosedived,” said Prof B Srinivas, general secretary, FTA.
In its letter to the Governor, FTA has highlighted the paucity of funds for State universities.
“Since the last two budgets, there has been a severe deduction in grants to universities by the State government. This will cause a great hindrance to the academic and research activities of the universities and further deteriorate the quality of teaching and research,” it read.
With accreditation gaining importance, from this year, open universities also have to mandatorily participate in the NAAC accreditation.
By next July-August, BRAOU is expected to submit the requisite documents for NAAC inspection. However, teachers said that in the absence of a fully-functioning V-C, the process has stalled.
Prof I Anand Pawar, president, FTA added that several major academic and administrative decisions were pending due to delay in appointment of the V-C, including the release of study material for the new session that has already commenced.
“We are yet to supply study material to the students. For distance learning, we are required to print and send study material, but this needs Rs 20 lakh to Rs 25 lakh and such an amount can only be sanctioned by the V-C,” said Prof Pawar.
Teachers fear that unless the process of recruitment is expedited, there is a possibility that students might lose an academic year.