Government-run universities in Odisha are grappling with a severe shortage of staff, with 1,353 teaching and 2,081 non-teaching posts lying vacant.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj revealed the staggering numbers during an Assembly session on Tuesday.
The state currently has 2,027 sanctioned teaching positions across 17 universities, yet only 674 of these are filled. Among the unoccupied posts are 245 professor positions, 1,155 associate professors, and 666 assistant professor vacancies. Ravenshaw University in Cuttack tops the list with 161 vacant teaching posts, followed closely by Utkal University, which has 133 vacancies.
The situation for non-teaching staff is equally grim, with 2,081 out of 2,879 sanctioned posts remaining unoccupied. Recruitment delays due to ongoing legal disputes, which are now pending in the Supreme Court, have exacerbated the problem, according to Suraj.
In response to these challenges, the Odisha University (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has been introduced in the Assembly, aiming to address structural and administrative issues in the state’s higher education system.
The vacancies have raised concerns about the impact on the quality of education and the functioning of state-run universities. Further developments in the recruitment process and legislative measures are awaited.
