SAMBALPUR: IT has been six years since the Odisha State Open University (OSOU) was established but delay in sanction of teaching posts by the state government has left the fate of the varsity hang in balance.
With the university still running with guest faculties, official sources said the UGC rule for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) is violated for not having permanent teachers.
Following the establishment of the varsity, an UGC team had visited OSOU in 2017 and given recognition to the institution for five years. However, in 2020, the rules for the ODL were changed and made more stringent. As per the new rules, there must be a required number of permanent teachers to get university status.
While the validity of the UGC recognition of five years is about to be completed, teachers’ positions for the university are yet to be sanctioned. Thus continuation of the PG and UG programmes may not be possible beyond 2023 as per stipulated rules. Due to the absence of teachers, the UGC recognition is likely to be withdrawn anytime which means the varsity will also be deprived of financial assistance from the UGC. Moreover, the varsity also could not submit the data for NAAC accreditation due to lack of teachers.
Reportedly, in April last year the varsity wrote to the department of higher education for creation of 125 teaching posts. But after several rounds of meetings, the department asked the varsity authorities to reduce the number of courses and finally agreed to recommend to the finance department for creation of 43 teaching posts in August last year. But no progress has taken place after that.
Contacted, the vice-chancellor of OSOU, Arka Kumar Das Mohapatra said, “A Board of Management meeting will be held on April 12 where we will put up the matter.”