Odisha Govt Orders Regular Duty For University & Degree College Staff

Bhubaneswar: Amid the COVID-19 lockdown in Odisha, the Higher Education Department on Monday withdrew the roster duty of the teaching and non-teaching staff of state-run universities, government and non-government degree colleges and directed them to regularly attend their respective institutions from Tuesday.

Notably, 50 per cent roster attendance system for teaching and non-teaching employees was introduced on April 19 in view of the second wave of the pandemic.

In a letter to vice-chancellors and degree college principals, however, the department said the COVID-19 situation in Odisha has relatively improved than that prevailing in mid-April,

The department has therefore decided to withdraw the 50 per cent roster attendance system to complete important works that have been pending for almost two-and-a-half months due to thin attendance of employees.

The letter mentioned that the final semester/final year exams of undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students for the 2020-21 academic year has to be conducted in the online mode and the results have to be published at the earliest.

Besides, the examinations of non-final year students have to be conducted to ensure that they also do not suffer much due to delayed academic calendar, it added.

Henceforth, all teaching and non-teaching employees of state-run universities and government and non-government degree colleges will attend duty on all working days from July 6, the letter stated.

The department has asked these employees to follow COVID-19 protocols such as wearing face mask, hand sanitization, social distancing, self-isolation/quarantine, etc.

The letter also clarified that the General Administration and Public Grievance Department’s instruction regarding the closure of government offices on Saturdays will not be applicable to the higher education institutions.

“However, these institutions will remain closed on Saturdays provided there is COVID-19 related weekend shutdown declared in that district, town and city,” it added.