Bhopal: BU Highly Dependent On Guest Faculty

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Owing to the shortage of regular professors, most of the departments of Barkatullah University are counting on guest faculty to run their courses. What is more worrisome for the varsity is that the retirement is relatively faster than the recruitments.

The total strength of the teaching staff of the university is 102 including Professors, Assistant Professors and Associate Professors. To one’s surprise, the total strength of Professors at the varsity stands at 45.

The dependence on the guest faculty is on rise for the last few years and this has affected the quality of education being imparted at the varsity. Even a few departments are totally dependent on the guest faculties.

For example, the Psychology department currently has only one professor - Dr Bhupendra Singh (HoD), while the number of guest faculty stands at 7. Pharmacy department is almost cent percent dependent on guest faculties.

Dr Tahira heads the department of Persian studies and the other teaching staff here is guest faculty. The Institute of Technology is being run mostly by the guest faculties. There is one single regular teacher at the Genetic department. Likewise, the Yoga department also has only one teacher, rest are guest faculties.

A senior professor said that he is worried for the future as in the next couple of years many professors are going to retire.

For instance, Professor Ayesha Raes is about to retire in March 2025, Professor Tahira in 2026, HoD of Physics Sadhna Singh in 2027, HoD of MBA department, Vivek Sharma is about to retire in 2029.

“ I don’t know what will happen to the department once I retire,” said a Professor of the department where there is no other regular teaching staff other than him.