BHUBANESWAR:The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has pulled up the State Government for large-scale vacancies of teaching staff in State-run universities and colleges affecting academic and research activities.
In its latest report on general and social sector, the premier audit agency has stated that though there was shortage of teachers, the Department of Higher Education (DHE) has not effectively deployed the existing staff based on requirement of educational institutions.
As per the information provided by DHE, there were 540 teaching staff till March 2014 as against the sanctioned strength of 836. The percentage of vacancy was 35.41.
The vacancy position of the non-teaching staff in seven universities of the State during the same period was 748 while the sanctioned strength was 2,032.
The report said 42.58 per cent of teaching posts in Government educational institutions, 35.41 per cent in universities and 15.10 per cent in aided educational institutions remained vacant as of March 2014.
While the sanctioned strength of teachers in Government colleges was 2,842, only 1,672 teachers were posted. In aided educational institutions, there were shortage of 2,389 teachers as against sanctioned strength of 15,817.
While on the one hand, no teacher was available in 17 subjects in 13 Government educational institutions, on the other, 12 surplus teachers for the subjects were at five other educational institutions.
As per the UGC guidelines, the student-teacher ratio in PG departments should be 10:1 in Science and 15:1 in Commerce and Humanities departments. However, it was 52:1 in Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, 34:1 in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar and 20:1 in Fakir Mohan University, Balasore.
The State Government has not created posts of professor in 11 PG departments and readers in five departments of four universities.
“Despite shortage of teaching staff, Utkal University has not completed (till August 2014) the recruitment process initiated in February 2011 for 13 posts of professors and 20 posts of readers,” the compliance audit report said.
The State Government opened many courses at the PG-level in various universities but did not make enough provisions to recruit teaching staff. In Ravenshaw University, no permanent teaching staff were available in the departments of Computer Science, Urdu, Persian Studies and Bengali, the CAG said.
In three colleges (Ekamra College, Panchayat Samiti College, Belpada and Deogarh College), hostels meant for girls and scheduled categories students were used as office, teachers common room, classroom and principal’s room.