UGC Issues Fresh Directive To VCs On Vacant Teaching Positions

New Delhi: With large scale vacancies hampering learning outcomes across higher education institutes in the country, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a fresh directive to all the vice-chancellors to fill the vacant positions within a period of six months.

Referring to the guidelines for recruitment of faculties on June 4, UGC in a communication to the vice-chancellors on Wednesday said varsities should adhere to the time frame to fill up vacancies as the shortage of teaching faculty is affecting the quality of higher education.

UGC has also requested the universities and affiliated colleges to ensure the details of the vacant posts, along with reservations and advertisements, these are uploaded on the HRD Ministry website nherc.in

Vacancies:

As per the latest count, about 7000 teaching posts are lying vacant in 41 central universities alone. The worst affected is Central Univesity of Odisha in Koraput.

Against 154 sanctioned posts of teaching staff including professors, associate professors and assistant professors, the university has only one associate professor and 16 assistant professors for 14 departments, BJD MP Prasanna Acharya had said last month in Parliament.

What are the fresh guidelines for recruitment:

1. The Competent Authority will permit filling up of vacancies within 30 days from the date of sending the proposal by the HEI, failing which it would be considered as deemed to be approved.

2. Thereafter, the release of advertisement for vacancies has to be done within the next 15 days.

3. Following this, the constitution of the selection committee for selection of the candidates has to be completed in a fortnight. The selection process should also be completed in a fortnight.

4. The scrutiny of applications and issue of interview letters to shortlisted candidates and uploading information of the institute website has to be completed within the next one month.

5. The interview should be conducted and selection of the candidates by the selection committee should be over within the next month and the appointment letter should be issued within the next one month.