Bhubaneswar: The state government has allowed the public universities in Odisha to engage retired faculty members to conduct classes till the filling up of vacant teaching posts.

The state government allowed the public universities to engage retired professors, assistant professors and professors emeritus to conduct classes in the wake of legal impediment in filling up of vacant teaching posts through the OPSC as per the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

The Higher Education department of the state government has allowed Sambalpur University, Ravenshaw University, Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Shree Jagannath Sanskrit University, Fakir Mohan University, Rama Devi Women’s University, Gangadhar Meher University, Khallikote University, Rajendra University, Kalahandi University, Vikram Dev University, Dharanidhar University and Odisha State Open University to engage retired faculty members for conducting classes.

Higher Education department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Aravind Agarwal has written a letter in this regard to the Vice-Chancellors of the above said varsities recently.

“It is observed that continuance of legal impediment in filling up of vacant posts through the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has caused shortage of quality teaching faculties in the state public universities and thus affecting the academic performances,” said an official of the Higher Education department.

The Higher Education department has allowed the public universities in Odisha to engage professors, assistant professors and professors emeritus to conduct classes till the appointment of regular teaching staff against the vacant posts, he added.

The universities have been told to engage retired faculty members in various streams as per their requirement, said the official.