BHUBANESWAR: With the Odisha University (Amendment) Act coming into force, faculty recruitment process will see tremendous acceleration in the coming days, Higher Education minister Suryabanshi Suraj said on Tuesday.
Universities will now have a recruitment timeline which was non-existent previously.They will no longer have to wait for retirement to appoint new faculty members. Considering the existing or anticipated vacancy of a succeeding year, the universities can now advertise for the positions four months prior to retirements and at least once in a year under the new Act, said Suraj.
After the Governor’s assent to the Act, the minister held a meeting with vice-chancellors (VCs) of all the public universities, at Utkal University here.
The faculty vacancies in the 15 public universities stand at 1,353 now. While recruitment has been pending since 2020, the minister said, universities have been asked to take immediate measures to begin the process. However, there will be rationalisation of teaching staff across higher education institutions to improve resource utilisation and ensure efficient delivery of education.
“None of the posts will be abolished but there will be rationalisation. The department is framing the modalities for the process,” he said.
The faculty recruitment will not be conducted through the Odisha Public Service Commission but through committees comprising educationists forrmed by the university concerned. As far as non-teaching (junior assistant) posts are concerned, the vacancy stands at around 2,000. While there are no changes in the old Act for recruitment to such posts through SSB, the minister said, V-Cs have been asked to complete the pending DPCs and send the requisitions for such recruitments at the earliest.
Recruitment apart, universities will now come under Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) purview. All funds received or acquired by the universities will be audited by the CAG and detailed financial reports will be presented before the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
“We have also asked all universities to form building and works committees, which will take a call on infrastructure requirements of a university and place the project proposals before the Finance committee for approval,” he said.
On the occasion, the department signed MoUs with Board of Practical Training (BOPT) and BFSI under Skill Council of India. BOPT will provide apprentinceship in 87 higher educational institutions. Similarly, under the direct supervision of BFSI Sector Skill Council of India, students will be provided education in the field of banking, finance and insurance free of cost.