Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act: Know The Violations For Which UGC Has Warned Odisha Govt, OPSC

Bhubaneswar: The University Grants Commission (UGC), which has asked the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) and the state Higher Education Department to stop recruiting any teacher or faculty member, cited two instances of violation of the Supreme Court order on the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act 2020.

In separate letters to the OPSC and the Higher Education Department, UGC Secretary Rajnish Jain has objected to the Odisha government going ahead with the recruitment of Assistant Professors (Sociology) and Assistant Professors (Commerce) in violation of the SC order.

The UGC cited two notices issued on May 23 and May 24 in connection with the recruitment of Assistant Professors (Sociology) and Assistant Professors (Commerce).

“Since the recruitment of teachers/faculties by the Odisha Public Service Commission and that of non-teaching staff by the State Selection Board is directly in issue in the aforesaid SLPs pending before the Supreme Court, the continuation of the recruitment process will be in the teeth of the stay order dated 20.05.2022 granted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court,” the UGC Secretary said.

He urged the state government to take note of the SC order and refrain from undertaking any further step for recruitment of teachers and non-teaching staff. The UGC reserves all its rights to take appropriate legal remedy in this regard, Jain warned.

The Supreme Court on May 20 issued a stay on the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act 2020. The apex court issued the stay for three months after hearing a petition filed against the Act by the UGC. The SC has sought a reply from the Odisha government in three months and set the date for next hearing on the matter after two months.

Earlier, the Orissa High Court had upheld the Act.