| BHUBANESWAR: A 20-point questionnaire posed by governor S C Jamir to the state universities has sent the university administration into a tizzy. Jamir has sought information about encroachment on university properties, steps taken for maintaining discipline, timing of examinations and results, among others. Since most of the universities would be found wanting in these aspects, they are struggling to prepare their replies, sources said.
At a time when the universities are struggling with large scale vacancies of faculty members, the governor wrote to vice-chancellors (a copy of which is with TOI) asking them about the student-teacher ratio with break up of various levels of teachers such as professors, readers and lecturers in regular or contractual mode.
Utkal University is among the worst victims of vacant faculty positions with around 120 of its 257 posts unoccupied. "Though the government has advertised for recruiting around 50 faculty members, the slow process may miss students this academic year. Besides, 50 additional teachers would be too less," said a professor of the university.
The governor's office has sought details of examinations, results and academic calendar in past three years. While most universities struggled hard to meet the timeline, Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT) far lagged behind the schedule invariably in past three years.
Jamir has asked the university about the land available and encroachments if any, which is a common problem for many campuses. For Utkal University, illegal encroachment is a major trouble.
The chancellor sought varsity replies on measures taken for maintaining campus discipline, for prevention of ragging and for removal of non-boarders from hostels. While allegation of ragging had surfaced in Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) recently, with outsiders creating law and order problem is a recurring problem in Utkal.
Several non-boarders were allegedly involved in Wednesday's violence on the campus in which at least six students were injured and residences of two faculty members were pelted with stones.
The governor also asked the universities about their special programmes for women students, new departments opened, sports initiatives, tie-up with other educational institutions, industries and year-wise UGC grants in the last three years.
Vice-chancellors declined to speak on record on the issue, citing the mater was "confidential."
"We have already submitted our report. However, since the matter is confidential, I would not like to comment," said the VC of a university in the city. |