Hundreds of teaching, non-teaching posts lying vacant in Bamu; impact on NIRF ranking, academics, administration

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Nov 9:

More than 425 posts of teaching and non-teaching staff members are lying vacant in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University for the past few years, affecting ranking, academics and administration.

It may be noted that there are 65 academic departments with over 4,000 students. More than 230 assistant professors, associate professors and professors posts are in the departments.

However, around 50 per cent of them are vacant for the past six to eight years.

Some posts were filled on a contract basis or teachers on a clock-hour-basis (CHB) are being hired.

Over 450 undergraduate and postgraduate colleges at Aurangabad, Jalna, Beed and Osmanabad districts are affiliated to Bamu. The State Government approved 777 posts of employees from grade-I to IV. Of them, 338 are vacant. It is affecting the work of examinations and results.

It has also affected the university’s ranking National Institute of Ranking Framework (NIRF). Commenting on this, university officers said that the posts cannot be filled as the State Government had put restrictions on the recruitment.

When contacted, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Postgraduate Teachers Association president Dr R R Deshmukh said that the State Government should grant permission to fill vacant posts in the departments.

“Except a few, posts are vacant in most of the departments. Some of the departments have only one teaching faculty while in other departments, 60 to 90 per cent of posts lying vacant for years. One of the departments has 13 posts while 11 are vacant, how the two teaches will bear the burden of vacant posts faculty.

The association is are going to raise the issue with Higher and Technology Minister Uday Samant who will visit Bamu on November 12,” he added.

Bamu non-teaching employees unions Dr Kailas Pathrikar said that the number of vacant posts is increasing every month and it is putting an additional burden on the existing staff.

“Nearly 40 per cent of posts of employees and officers are vacant for the last six to eight years. The staffing pattern was approved when the number of affiliated colleges are around 300. Today, their number increased 50 per cent. Also, hundreds of existing staffers were deprived of the benefits of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations. The reason is that their posts were included in the new panel,” he added.