HANAMKONDA: A severe shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff is affecting academic activities and research at Kakatiya University (KU), with a large number of sanctioned posts lying vacant for years.
According to data obtained by TNIE from KU authorities, only 77 of the 409 sanctioned regular teaching posts at the university are filled, leaving 332 posts vacant. The university also has two engineering colleges with 626 sanctioned posts, of which 311 are filled and 315 remain vacant.
The university is also relying on 172 contract lecturers working under self-financing courses and 165 part-time lecturers to meet its teaching requirements.
Students from erstwhile Warangal, Khammam and Karimnagar districts depend on KU for higher education. However, several professors and departmental staff have retired since the formation of Telangana, while regular recruitment has not kept pace with the vacancies.
The shortage has increased the workload of the existing regular faculty, while the university has had to depend on part-time and guest faculty to complete the syllabus. Students have also raised concerns over the impact of the shortage on academic outcomes and research.
Sources said the lack of regular faculty was particularly affecting research activities, with departments struggling to provide adequate guidance to scholars.
KU Registrar Prof V Ramchandram acknowledged the shortage of teaching and non-teaching staff. He said the university had already submitted a proposal to the state government for regular recruitment.
“The government has given approval for recruiting 49 professors. We will recruit the staff as per the norms,” he said.
