Bhopal: The University Grants Commission new order pertaining to reservation roaster policy in state universities can prove beneficial for the varsities hit by staff crunch in the state.
The UGC in an order issued on March 5 asked all the state varsities to prepare roaster for reservation to SC/STs keeping department and/or subject as a unit for all levels of teachers. The varsities were also asked to submit their new roaster within a month of receiving the copy of the order.
According to sources, the order was also sent to other deemed universities, colleges and Grant-in-aid institutions and centres in the state. The effect of staff crunch in state varsities is strongly evident in at least four varsities located in the capital. Out of total 264 posts of faculty members, 156 have been lying vacant in the four top universities– MCNUJC, Barkatullah University, MP Bhoj University and Atal Bihari
Hindi University– in the capital taking the percentage of the empty posts to 60. President of MP University Teachers Association, Prof Asha Shukla while speaking to Free Press about the UGC new orders, said that before roasters are prepared the varsities must request the UGC for approval of posts in their departments subject wise and only after the approval from the UGC the state government should give a nod to them.
Notably, most of the state varsities have been struggling for quite some time as the state government has not clarified the number of posts in various departments of the varsities yet. However, Prof Asha Shukla demanded the government to decide on the matter on priority basis.
Meanwhile, a member of MPTA wishing anonymity informed that “The state varsities are facing lack of staff because of not following the reservation roaster properly. On top of that, most of the appointments made during the last decade are facing judicial scrutiny.”
